There is not a particular reason for this, but it is undeniable that we are often curious about where all our email goes after it is received in a computer running Microsoft Outlook as an email client. Why could someone be interested in locate such emails outside the application? Answer is not that hard, sometimes is about trying to save time going straight to a particular message performing a Windows search or trying to find quickly a picture or files that someone sent us.
Even though, you must know that those files are not loose .eml files like those seen in early Outlook versions for older operating systems such as Windows 3, Windows 95, 98, 98SE, Windows ME or NT. Although Microsoft Outlook for newer Windows versions can still handle .eml files, importing and exporting emails in this format, the application stores all the incoming and outgoing email information in a single .Pst File.
Moreover, this file also comprises all the settings of your Personal folder along with attachments, contacts in your address book, task, calendar information and more, so it is not strange see that it turns into one of the biggest files in the system, particularly if you do not purge your email periodically emptying the trashcan and deleting unwanted messages.
A .Pst File cannot be larger than 2 GB, the upper file size limit the system allow, limitation which is not only problematic when it comes to storage your emails, but also to run the Inbox Repair Tool. This useful application help to restore damaged or destroyed items stored into such file, but it attempts to reduce its size, with a consequential data loss.
Besides, once the file is approaching the critical 2 GB limit, it is not possible retrieve or save emails or any other item in Microsoft Outlook, so it is always advisable delete items, particularly large attachments that you can save elsewhere in your computer rather than keep it attached to an email they came from.
Back to the quest of finding the mysterious location of your emails, now you know there are no loose items to browse for, but a .Pst file that is located in your applications data folder. In fact, it is truly helpful and necessary know where the file is because you will need to know its location whenever you need to run the Inbox Repair Tool, which ask for its path.
Depending on your operating system, the location of Outlook .Pst file may vary slightly, but is stored by default inside the Application DataMicrosoftOutlook directory commonly located in Documents and Settings, except in Windows Vista. Now and out of curiosity, we strongly suggest search for the .Pst file and check how big it is today.
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