Accessing Outlook files from a NAS using 3 PCs

Hussman · 12 Dec 2006 at 22:13

Hi,

Currently, I only use one PC to connect to my ISP and download my e-mails. these are stored centrally on my NAS.

I would like to set up Outlook on 3 LAN-ed PCs so that I can read my e-mails on each machine as I need to.

As I only ever use one PC at a time I would never need to read/respond to the e-mails from more than one PC at a time.

Is this possible? If so is it as simple as installing outlook on all three machines, seting up the e-mail accounts and ensuring they all point to the NAS as the location of the stored e-mails, or is there more to it?

Thanks in advance.

Hussman

marc2003 · 12 Dec 2006 at 22:17

what you've said pretty much covers it. you have one .pst on the network share and point each pc to it. it's that simple. and it seems you already know about the limitation of the .pst file being locked to just one pc at a time....

Scottland · 12 Dec 2006 at 22:21

No, you can do that - you will have to import the PST and it'll create a new personal folder. It goes a bit funny when you want you receive emails and have them put into the PST, you can use auto archive or rules for this I think.

A couple of other options might be to setup or an exchange server. Or the simplest way, which is what I do, is leave the emails on the server for xx days so each PC will download them and store them in a separate PST.

For me, it's the most effective method as I can access my emails on any of my PC's. Only one of them has Office installed, but that doesn't matter because I can still access my inbox via Thunderbird, Web based email and my mobile. But this obviously doesn't suit everybody's needs.

Hussman · 12 Dec 2006 at 22:52

Thanks for the responses so far....

As both replies appear, to me at least, to contradict each other does anyone else know if I can do what I asked in the OP?

No offence intended to either of the two forum members above, all help gratefully received.

Many thanks ...

Clarkey · 12 Dec 2006 at 23:03

scotlland is talking rubbish, you can do this no problem.

marc2003 · 12 Dec 2006 at 23:09

Scottland said:
No, you can do that - you will have to import the PST and it'll create a new personal folder. It goes a bit funny when you want you receive emails and have them put into the PST, you can use auto archive or rules for this I think.

wtf are you on about.....

JonnyT · 13 Dec 2006 at 00:10

It's not supported by M$ - you might want to check this newsgroup as to why - you may be able to get it to work but then again, you may not sadly

f00b4r · 13 Dec 2006 at 10:09

-Export the pst file to your NAS (sometimes if you just move it you may have problems in the 3rd step)

-Delete the pst file from each pc in turn

-When you open Outlook on each pc it will ask you to locate the pst file (just point it to the one on the NAS)

NB you will also have to set-up your email account details and rules etc.. on each of the pcs unless you export and reimport them using another application (you can also do this by using custom settings in the files and transfer wizard but it will insist on exporting the pst with the settings meaning that you will have to delete the pst from each pc again)

Hussman · 13 Dec 2006 at 18:37

Thanks very much.

Will give it a go at the weekend.

Cool

lokkers · 13 Dec 2006 at 19:16

f00b4r said:
snip

Pretty much exactly what I do at home (subtitute NAS for fileserver). Only problem I ever encountered was using OfficeXP and it refusing to look for the .pst when i deleted it. Had to add it in Account Settings and then delete the local one.

shocking · 13 Dec 2006 at 19:33

This seems a bit of a silly way around the problem. Is your NAS box capable of running a mail server? If so why not give it a go, if not then why not just just tick the leave a copy of messages option on the server? Perhaps look into using IMAP or another protocol that gets the job done?

Hussman · 13 Dec 2006 at 21:22

That sounds a bit technical TBH

:confused:

shocking · 13 Dec 2006 at 23:38

Running a mail server might be technical I guess, but leaving messages on your ISPs server is a piece of cake. There's a handy guide here, you probably will want to click the pop3 link towards the bottom of the page.

Much better than fiddling about with pst files imo.

Hussman · 18 Dec 2006 at 18:04

f00b4r said:
-Export the pst file to your NAS (sometimes if you just move it you may have problems in the 3rd step)

-Delete the pst file from each pc in turn

-When you open Outlook on each pc it will ask you to locate the pst file (just point it to the one on the NAS)

NB you will also have to set-up your email account details and rules etc.. on each of the pcs unless you export and reimport them using another application (you can also do this by using custom settings in the files and transfer wizard but it will insist on exporting the pst with the settings meaning that you will have to delete the pst from each pc again)

I did the above. All works fine!

Many thanks

Curiosityx · 18 Dec 2006 at 18:09

Exporting the PST to a NAS box everytime you update its contents would work but is very labout intensive and requires user input.

The only true way to have a cenralised email system is to run an email server and a shared mailbox that Outlook can connect too using its own protocols like Exchange or Domino but in your case this would be overkill.

Of course if your ISP supports IMAP you can configure each client to point to the mailbox hosted by the ISP and uses its extended features, this way all three uses would be able to view, download and manipulate the contents of the mailbox.

Fr0dders · 18 Dec 2006 at 18:55

Curiosityx said:
Exporting the PST to a NAS box everytime you update its contents would work but is very labout intensive and requires user input.

The only true way to have a cenralised email system is to run an email server and a shared mailbox that Outlook can connect too using its own protocols like Exchange or Domino but in your case this would be overkill.

theres nothing wrong with the way the OP has managed to arrange his e-mail. He's just put the .PST file on his network drive, so whever he gets an e-mail it gets downloaded to a .pst file on a network drive, that he can then access no matter which PC he's logged onto.

Theres no need to create mailservers or anything fancy. Just store your e-mails on a network drive instead of a local one ?

Curiosityx · 18 Dec 2006 at 18:57

MrLOL said:
Theres no need to create mailservers or anything fancy.QUOTE]

I never said he had too, just that it would be the ideal solution...

Fr0dders · 18 Dec 2006 at 18:58

Curiosityx said:
MrLOL said:

Theres no need to create mailservers or anything fancy.

Click to expand...

I never said he had too, just that it would be the ideal solution...

stop confusing him. An exchange server is total overkill for a small home setup (not that it stops some lol)

Curiosityx · 18 Dec 2006 at 19:20

MrLOL said:
stop confusing him. An exchange server is total overkill for a small home setup (not that it stops some lol)

I know, i thought that till i setup an exchange cluster in my bedroom, Jesus i need a life!

Hussman · 19 Dec 2006 at 11:11

Blimey, I never knew I had so many options!

Having said that, I come from the "if it in't broke, don't fix it school" and thus I'm sticking with my .pst file on my NAS!