Operate with external hard drive only?

Ticklz · 07-21-2008, 03:40 AM

Hi All,

I have a HP Desktop (for home office) and a Lenovo Laptop (for when travelling). Both run Vista Ultimate and Office 2007.

Basically, I want to have my Outlook data files and some other program data files on an external hard drive and to contemporaneously access that external hard drive as I run the program.

This way I can leave the data files on the external hard disk, so that when I leave the home office I can simply unplug the external hard drive from the desktop and plug it into my laptop, without having to export and import.

I know word and excel files can be open and written to an external hard drive. But Outlook seems to work differently.

Can this be done? I’m not sure if it can be done with USB or Firewire or Ethernet cabIe??

I contacted Microsoft tech support and they said it couldn’t. Which I think is really silly.

I can’t be the first person that’s thought of this.

Has anyone else in the forum set this up? I’d greatly appreciate any help in how to set this up?

Thanks a lot

cohen · 07-21-2008, 03:52 AM

Until the account settings change the settings and have a folder on the external hard drive on where the files are... i can post instructions latter if need be......

Ticklz · 07-21-2008, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cohen

Until the account settings change the settings and have a folder on the external hard drive on where the files are... i can post instructions latter if need be......

Cheers, Cohen. So I need to change the account settings. Do you have more info?

cohen · 07-21-2008, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ticklz

Cheers, Cohen. So I need to change the account settings. Do you have more info?

i can't at the moment, during in school

, i'll do it at lunch, 40 mins or so.

cohen · 07-21-2008, 05:25 AM

OK, here we go:

Open up outlook
Tools
Account Settings
Personal Folders
Open Folder
Create "Outlook" folder on external hard drive
Copy & paste the outlook PST file onto the external hard drive

Open up outlook
Tools
Account Settings
Personal Folders
Change Folder
Choose the folder on your external hard drive you would like the "outlook" folder on your external hard drive.

As long as your hard drive is the same letter on both machines you should be fine.

Ticklz · 07-21-2008, 05:49 AM

Cohen, thanks for your reply.

The issue that I have with what you are suggesting is that it seems to only relate to e-mails, it doesn't linkup contacts and calendar to the external hard drive.

Ticklz · 07-21-2008, 09:54 AM

I've spoken to a few peple and they've recommneded I install Office on the USB external hard drive. Has anyone does this and it worked?

07-21-2008, 03:40 AM	#1 (permalink)
Ticklz New Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 4	Operate with external hard drive only? Hi All, I have a HP Desktop (for home office) and a Lenovo Laptop (for when travelling). Both run Vista Ultimate and Office 2007. Basically, I want to have my Outlook data files and some other program data files on an external hard drive and to contemporaneously access that external hard drive as I run the program. This way I can leave the data files on the external hard disk, so that when I leave the home office I can simply unplug the external hard drive from the desktop and plug it into my laptop, without having to export and import. I know word and excel files can be open and written to an external hard drive. But Outlook seems to work differently. Can this be done? I’m not sure if it can be done with USB or Firewire or Ethernet cabIe?? I contacted Microsoft tech support and they said it couldn’t. Which I think is really silly. I can’t be the first person that’s thought of this. Has anyone else in the forum set this up? I’d greatly appreciate any help in how to set this up? Thanks a lot

07-21-2008, 03:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
cohen Diamond Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 14 Posts: 8,206	Until the account settings change the settings and have a folder on the external hard drive on where the files are... i can post instructions latter if need be...... __________________ My Website Desktop / Laptop Motherboard: Asus M2N X SE / Unknown CPU: AMD 4000+ 2.1GHZ x 2 / Intel Pentium M 1.60GHZ Ram: 2GB Transcend / 512MB Hard Drive: 320GB / 60GB Video Card: Both Intergrated Monitor: 19" Benq / 15.4" OS: Windows Vista Home Premium Service Pack 1 / Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3

07-21-2008, 05:25 AM	#5 (permalink)
cohen Diamond Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 14 Posts: 8,206	OK, here we go: Open up outlook Tools Account Settings Personal Folders Open Folder Create "Outlook" folder on external hard drive Copy & paste the outlook PST file onto the external hard drive Open up outlook Tools Account Settings Personal Folders Change Folder Choose the folder on your external hard drive you would like the "outlook" folder on your external hard drive. As long as your hard drive is the same letter on both machines you should be fine. __________________ My Website Desktop / Laptop Motherboard: Asus M2N X SE / Unknown CPU: AMD 4000+ 2.1GHZ x 2 / Intel Pentium M 1.60GHZ Ram: 2GB Transcend / 512MB Hard Drive: 320GB / 60GB Video Card: Both Intergrated Monitor: 19" Benq / 15.4" OS: Windows Vista Home Premium Service Pack 1 / Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3

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07-21-2008, 05:49 AM	#6 (permalink)
Ticklz New Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 4	Cohen, thanks for your reply. The issue that I have with what you are suggesting is that it seems to only relate to e-mails, it doesn't linkup contacts and calendar to the external hard drive.

07-21-2008, 09:54 AM	#7 (permalink)
Ticklz New Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 4	I've spoken to a few peple and they've recommneded I install Office on the USB external hard drive. Has anyone does this and it worked?