Article ID: 222328 - Last Review: October 23, 2003 - Revision: 4.2

OL2000: (CW) How to Change File LockTimeout Value for PST Inactivity

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This article was previously published under Q222328

NOTE: The procedures in this article only apply if you have installed Outlook with the Corporate or Workgroup option. With this option, you can use Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) services. To determine your installation type, click About Microsoft Outlook on the Help menu. If you have the Corporate or Workgroup installation, you see "Corporate or Workgroup".

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/EN-US/ ) Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

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SUMMARY

Outlook locks personal folder files (.pst) while they are in use; it is not possible to copy the .pst file while it is locked. Outlook releases the lock on a .pst file after 30 minutes of inactivity, by default. This article describes how to control the timeout value after which Outlook releases the file lock on a .pst file.

MORE INFORMATION

To control the timeout value after which Outlook releases the file lock on a .pst file, follow these steps:

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Quit Outlook.
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
Locate and click the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Outlook\PST
On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
Type PSTDisconnectDelay, and then press ENTER.
Right-click PSTDisconnectDelay, and then click Modify. In the Value data box, type the appropriate value, and then click OK.

Note Setting PSTDisconnectDelay to a value of 10 (hexadecimal) is equivalent to setting the timeout value on the .pst file to 16 seconds.
On the File menu, click Exit to quit Registry Editor.

This problem was first fixed in Outlook 98 through the use of a patch. The Outlook 98 fix was included in Outlook 2000.

For additional information about this topic, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

234211 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/234211/EN-US/ ) OL98: Outlook .pst File Lock Release Interval Now Configurable

Storage of PST files on Distrubuted File System Replication (DFSR) replicated folders

Outlook .PST files are supported on DFSR if they are stored for archival purposes. They are not supported on DFSR if the PST files are being actively accessed by a client. For more information see the DFSR FAQ http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc773238.aspx (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc773238.aspx)