Can I share my Outlook Express folders on a network?

Read the article that everyone's commenting on.
Subscribe to the RSS Feed for comments on this article.

You can change the key "Store Root" in the registry key HKCurrentUser/Identities/{xxxx}/Software/Microsoft/Outlook Express/5.0 to a network path (like \\machine\share\outlook )

Security's default setting will not share the C: Drive on the Network -- To work around this safely; Move Outlook Express' Folders to the D: Drive.

In IE's Internet Options change your OE Folder's location. Move the files into new location.
-or-
Locate software for creating a D: Drive (splitting the C: Drive) into two or more drives - where you don't have to reformat your C: Drive.

I know there's software to do this. I just heard about it, but the name evades me at the moment.

Changing the key "Store Root", as described by Fred Jabbur, is what I have done smoothly for many years. Until XP SP2 arrived in our desktops. SP2 with shared mailboxes created many strange situations and very soon ended with entire identity corupted.

I am working to figure out is that caused from SP2 itself (i.e. SP2 does not allow OE shared mailboxes) or is any specific configuration in our Windows Server 2003 that conflicts with XP SP2.

Temporarely I returned all mailboxes on the local drives.

Any advice is very much appreciated.

I have a problem with OE storing messages on a network server. After changing the `Store Root´ reg key so it points to a mapped network drive, and copying mail to that location, everything worked fine for few days. The idea was to create roaming user profiles with their e-mail stored on the server, so they wouldn`t have to download it each time they log in. But there is a problem, OE is creating new inbox file, and old mail cannot be opened. OS is Win XP SP1 on workstations, and Win 2k server. Old inbox files are probably corrupted and I don`t know why. This seemed to be the easiest way, because users don`t recognise any changes, as they would if I used IMAP or WebMail. Any ideas would be really appreciated!

Hi,

I've suddenly found Your website while searching for Outlook Express Errors. I've also shared the dbx files at a network share for many years. No problem at all. (Windows NT Server, Windows XP till SP1). After installing XP SP2, Outlook Express became corrupt when emails are sended with attachments. The dbx files seems to be damaged. Also receiving mail with attachments returns in errors (while dirtectly connected to the ISP pop server). Now with a new mailserver it is downloading and sending corrrectly, but when this mail is forwarded to Outlook Express I receive the same errors. When the dbx files are on a local drive there are no problems. It is nothing around virusscanners or firewall settings (of course you have to allow pop and smtp traffic). This problem is caused by servicepack 2!!!

Microsoft, many thanks.

A frustated XP User in Holland.

Thanks guys, I just about made the same mistake myself...

We were able to change OE "store root" key till jan/2005, but one of those security updates from microsoft has disabled it.
Does anyone knows a workaround ?

I am so glad I have found you.

I don't have SP2 installed and so have just changed the root thingy magig. I want to buy you a decent Belgian Beer, how much are they in Seatlle?

However, how does that work when 2 users access the same account and send and receive from the same online POP mailbox?

Surely we will keep downloading the same mails to the same offline folders?

At present, I use the system with Outlook User_2 keeping the mails on our online server. When Outlook_boss logs on to the server, emails are deleted from online, but of course we had been using our own folders. This mean, lots of 'have you answered that email yet, or shall I?!'

Thanks
yesmaybe

Is it possible that a MS-Server 2003 with Outlook Express can provide the same capabilities in respective clients too (without configuring outlook exp in client m/c.)?

If your looking to share outlook folder why not try Workgroup Share. Its a program that lets you share them all. Its available at the url below.

http://www.softalk.ws/products/workgroupshare/

The only draw back is that its not free, although you are able to try before you buy :-)

xx Lee xx

To post a comment on "Can I share my Outlook Express folders on a network?", please return to that article's main page.