# Solved: Outlook: The path for the specified .PST file is not valid. On every reboot!



## lightnb (Jun 16, 2002)

When I open outlook, it tells me that it can't find the .pst file. It's pointing to a path that doesn't exist. So I point it to the right place, and everything works fine.

...Until I reboot the computer. Once I've rebooted and open Outlook again, it gives me the "I can't find the file because I'm not looking in the right place" message all over again. 

Somewhere there's a setting (registry?) telling Outlook where to look for the .PST file, and that setting either isn't getting changed or is being reverted on the reboot. Any Ideas?

Outlook 2003 / Win XP Pro / Domain User with a Roaming Profile

EDIT:: It seems that other non-outlook settings are being reverted as well, but creating/editing files works correctly.


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## EAFiedler (Apr 25, 2000)

Hi *lightnb*

In Outlook 2003:
File > Data File Management
there is a list of Personal Folders (.pst files) that are linked to that profile.

Highlight the Personal Folders (.pst file) that is no longer associated with Outlook 2003 and click the *Remove* button (it cannot be removed if it is set as the Default Delivery Location).
*Note, this only removes the path to the .pst file, it does not remove the .pst file from the computer.

Also, highlighting that particular .pst file and clicking the *Open Folder* button will open the folder that contains that .pst file (if it still exists in that folder).

Let us know if that helps or not.


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## lightnb (Jun 16, 2002)

Thanks for your reply. Here's what I tried:

I added a new .pst file called "null.pst". Then in Mail Settings, I set null.pst as the mail delivery location for my accounts. Back in the data file manager, I removed the old outlook.pst. And I had a clean inbox with no folders or messages.

Then I rebooted the computer. Upon opening outlook, it still promoted me that it couldn't find the same .pst file that it couldn't find before.

Other programs seem to be forgeting their settings on reboot too. So I'm thinking it might be registry related? Is there a registry key that holds the path to the .pst file for a given user?


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## valis (Sep 24, 2004)

yes, but that's not going to change.

When you say 'other programs are forgetting their settings', I tend to immediately think malware.

What are the other apps, and what are they doing?

thanks, 

v


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## EAFiedler (Apr 25, 2000)

valis said:


> yes, but that's not going to change.


What is not going to change? I feel like I missed part of the conversation.


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## lightnb (Jun 16, 2002)

Apps that have a "remember password" feature (stamps.com, quickbooks web connector, etc.) aren't doing so on reboot. Those are the only symptoms I'm noticing.

The user's profile was recently converted to roaming and moved to the domain.

So outlook keeps looking for the old one:
C:/Docs & Settings/username/App Data/Microsoft/Outlook/Outlook.pst

When the file is actually at:
C:/Docs & Settings/username.DOMAIN/App Data/Microsoft/Outlook/Outlook.pst

I'm thinking this has something to do with residual settings from before the profile was moved?


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## EAFiedler (Apr 25, 2000)

Unfortunately, if you are using Exchange Server, I won't be able to help with that.

Did you try creating a new Outlook profile and using the original .pst file? Or Importing the original .pst file into the new profile's Personal Folders?


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## lightnb (Jun 16, 2002)

When I said profile, I was referring to Windows profile, not Outlook profile. We don't have an exchange server.

I will try creating a new Outlook Profile and then importing the .pst file and see if that helps.


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## EAFiedler (Apr 25, 2000)

lightnb said:


> When I said profile, I was referring to Windows profile, not Outlook profile. We don't have an exchange server.
> 
> I will try creating a new Outlook Profile and then importing the .pst file and see if that helps.


OK, thanks for clarifying. 

Let us know what happens.


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## lightnb (Jun 16, 2002)

Hey guys,

For the time being it seems to be working. I created a new outlook profile, set it is as the default and rebooted. Then I set the default outlook profile back to the old one, rebooted again, and the changes seem to be sticking...

Thanks for your help!


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