File Extension PST

File type: Personal Folder File

The PST file type is primarily associated with 'Outlook' by Microsoft Corporation. This file includes all E-mail folders, addresses or anything else that Outlook 97, 2K or XP collects. It has a 2GB file size limit. When approaching the 2GB limit, if Office SP-1 is not installed, Outlook becomes extremely unstable to the point of not being able to clicking on any message, folder, etc. without locking Outlook. To shrink the file, delete items from their folders and then clear the Deleted Items folder using Tools | Empty Deleted Items Folder. Outlook will compress the folder in the background while the computer is idle so you may not see a size decrease immediately.

Microsoft has a free add-in for backing up PST files. Microsoft also has a tool called Exchange 2000 Tool: PST2GB which will repair a PST file that is too large. USE CAUTION with this tool as it simply truncates the file to a size Outlook can handle and MAIL WILL BE LOST in the process.

You can make the PST file portable (maybe on a USB device) by doing the following. (1) Make certain Outlook is not using the PST file (usually directly after a restart with Outlook not loaded). (2) Copy the PST file to the USB device (or other location you want for the file) and rename the original so Outlook can't find it (be certain to change the extension from PST but save the file as a backup to the copy you made). (3) Start Outlook and when it complains it can't find the PST file and asks where it is point it to the new location for the file (USB device or whereever you wanted it). Outlook should then always look for the file in this location so you can move it from computer to computer this way.

When windows gives you an error message saying that it
"Cannot open PST files", this means either:

A. You need to identify a program that can open the file
B. Or your registry may be damaged

In both cases it is strongly recommended that you
run a free scan for registry errors.

'Identifying characters' used on FILExt.com are
provided by Marco Pontello from his TrID database

System Info for File Extension .PST

The following listing is compiled from the database produced by the 'Associate This!' program, selected data from the main FILExt database and information FILExt collected directly from user systems.

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Program Name and MIME Type Info for File Extension .PST

FILExt has been given permission to display a Program Name/MIME type database collected by Anthony R. Nemmer. Some of this data has already been included into the main FILExt database. Those entries which have not yet been incorporated are displayed below.