Roger Ashley

I suffer from arthritis and our main PC is three floors up, on ADSL connection, my wife is a writer so needs quiet. We have the laptop networked into the PC and this is on the ground floor. I can't work out how to network the Microsoft Office Outlook so that I can see emails that arrive on the main PC on my laptop. Both are loaded with Microsoft Office. I have networked things like the Word files and Excel files and can work on them no problem. Both machines are using Windows XP and Internet Explorer 7. Any help appreciated.

Lectrician

There is no definitive way, but I have devised a way that works for me.

I have moved the PST file to a shared location, and then told each outlook where to find it.

Trouble is, when you try to open outlook, and someone else has it open, outlook says the file is missing and tries to encourage you to open a new one.

To get over this, I wrote a small batch file that checks the file is not open before launching outlook. This is a simple file, and I have put the outlook logo onto it.

It is a little invloved to do as I have done, and in your case, the upstairs computer MUST be on to use emails downstairs.

I can offer further advise if you reckon you can create the necessary network shares, move files, and change desktop icon graphics.

Roger Ashley

The only .pst file I can find is one called archive.pst which is an office data file, is this the one? It is in a directory that is already shared as it contains publisher files and excel worksheets, etc as well? I can rename files and tell each program where to look, but batch files, a long while since I tried and that was in dos.

Lectrician

How many user accounts have you got on the computer? Each user would have their own .pst.

The PST is stored in c:\documents and settings\*username*\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Rename that to .old or something, and outlook will then ask you to locate the new file.

Copy the PST to a shared location, and then tell outlook where it is on each machine.

When you open outlook and it is already in use, or the file cant be found (computer upstairs turned off), outllok will try to prompt you to create a new account. If you can live with that, great, if not.....I can post the batch file I use to launch outlook.

Roger Ashley

Hi Lectrician. At last I can get outlook on both machines but not when they are both open together. The idea was to leave the main one on and still see what emails are coming in on the laptop downstairs. Would your batch file sort this? If so perhaps a step by step on how to do it would be possible. Many thanks for all you help.

Lectrician

As I said above, only one machine can use outlook at once. The PST file must be open and locked so no other user can access it.

The batch file simply checks the file is not locked before launching outlook.

There is no email client that is 'client side' that can be open on two machines at once.

Thunderbird has it's own file locking system which is great at warning you the file is in use (the batch file I have created is used because outlook is crap at this).

Me and the missus use outlook on two machines, and once we have done what we need to, we close outlook so the other can access if required.

Roger Ashley

Hi Lectrian, Thats fine, now that I can understand the fact that two can't use at once, we can live with the working method. Thanks for all your help, if you ever get to Sharm El Sheikh, give us a look, the sun is always switched on and a warm welcome to all at our pad.