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What is the currently best Desktop Search software?
yksyks:
SCANPST.EXE is a part of MS Office installation and it's called Inbox Repair Tool. More info at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/272227.
On Office 2003 it's located at C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MSMAPI\1033\SCANPST.EXE.
Carol Haynes:
Is ScanPST a Microsoft or a 3rd-party tool, Carol?
-f0dder (October 31, 2007, 06:20 AM)
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ScanPST is installed as part of all versions of Outlook (though until v. 2003 it wasn't at all obvious as it was in a hidden folder and the help files simply referred to the "Inbox Repair Tool" without telling you how to find it!).
Strangely Outlook 2003 has two PST file formats - the old version (compatible with Outlook 2000/XP) and a new version. The new version is designed to overcome the problems of file size (the old version was unofficially limited to 2Gb - bigger than that and you started to get real problems). The trouble is that even Microsoft state that the new format is more prone to corruption (WTF!!!)
The problem is that Outlook doesn't seem to do any sort of consistency check at all on opening the file or on closing it. It strikes me that the design of the file structure is the cause for the problems as it is so slow to check validity and a major worry about data security and integrity. Email archives are some of the most important data files on my system and I worry that one day I will try to open an archive only for me to experience the problems frequently described on the MS usenet groups.
-Carol Haynes (October 31, 2007, 04:01 AM)
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I know you went through the excercise of looking at other e-mail clients, only to come back to Outlook. But if you're ultimately worried about Outlook's long-term integrity, is is worth reconsidering?
-rjbull (October 31, 2007, 04:52 AM)
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Trouble is that Outlook is more than just an email client and I use it a lot. Also if Outlook has file problems that go unnoticed how do we know that other apps don't too? At least if my PST file gets corrupted there are hundreds of companies out there that will help to solve the problem - most of the other apps you are stuck with support from one company (and the hope that it stays in business).
I suspect the best solution is to use automated backups very regularly - but it would be much simpler if Outlook simply worked properly!
Ralf Maximus:
Trouble is that Outlook is more than just an email client and I use it a lot. Also if Outlook has file problems that go unnoticed how do we know that other apps don't too?
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Computing Rule #488 clearly states "all data is suspect at all times".
No, seriously -- and no disrespect intended -- that's kind of a losing argument, in that if you're wrong you're missing out on a more stable solution, and if you're RIGHT then we're all very deeply, thouroughly hosed.
At least if my PST file gets corrupted there are hundreds of companies out there that will help to solve the problem - most of the other apps you are stuck with support from one company (and the hope that it stays in business).
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The ONLY reason I migrated from Outlook to Thunderbird + Lightning is this: there is no proprietary format; everything is stored in plain text files, exactly as the email was received. Just like the good old unix days.
And I've never seen them get corrupted, in 2.5+ years of daily (obsessive) use. I know you've done the comparisons and understand the limitations of Thunderbird + A Slew Of Add-Ins, but maybe it's time to take another look?
Carol Haynes:
The ONLY reason I migrated from Outlook to Thunderbird + Lightning is this: there is no proprietary format; everything is stored in plain text files, exactly as the email was received. Just like the good old unix days.
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How are HTML emails and attachments stored in Thunderbird? How can you archive off older email to stop folders becoming unmanageable - are there tools built in to do it?
Ralf Maximus:
The ONLY reason I migrated from Outlook to Thunderbird + Lightning is this: there is no proprietary format; everything is stored in plain text files, exactly as the email was received. Just like the good old unix days.
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How are HTML emails and attachments stored in Thunderbird? How can you archive off older email to stop folders becoming unmanageable - are there tools built in to do it?
-Carol Haynes (October 31, 2007, 07:58 AM)
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HTML is stored as HTML; plain text.
All attachments are stored using MIME encoding, or UUE, or whatever encoding was specified in the original email. All email -- no matter how complicated -- is a standard ASCII text file.
There are lots of built-in tools for managing folders, but my favorite is the rules system. I have mine set up as an auto-sorter ("move email older than 30 days in this folder"). It's very similar to the Outlook filters, but *much* easier to use.
And honestly, aside from a few rules I don't do much organization. I let everything accumulate in my in-box and "older" stuff gets shoved into an archive folder. I just checked and I've got 3.89 GB of stuff in my TB "email" folder, which represents history back to 1995.
Oh, and I get between 300 and 3000 spams a day, which PopFile tags and TB then filters into the Junk folder.
And with all that, TB is *fast* and never crashes or corrupts anything. Of course, by telling you this I have probably damned myself, but I will take the risk. *wood knocking*
Here's a screenshot of TB's front page with its folder view open. Below that is the Lightning add-in which does scheduling:
The "112" Junk items are since 8:30; about an hour ago. :-)
All the "Archive Folders" you see were imported from Outlook when I did the big switchover. It took TB many hours to grind through my multiple .PST files but it did, and once imported I moved each one into its own Archive folder. And now if I ever have to delve into the dark past, I can use TB's moderately okay search capabilities or fire up Archivarius.
UPDATE: Resized image. Holy smokes, it was actual-size!
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