A network administrator can add the DisablePST registry value to a registry key so that all the users of a computer cannot create or access Outlook .pst files in Outlook 2003

As a network administrator, you can add the DisablePST registry value to the following registry key so that all the users of a computer cannot create or access Microsoft Outlook personal folders (.pst) files:However, you cannot use the DisablePST registry value to prevent users from creating or accessing the .pst files on a per-user basis.

This problem was first fixed in a hotfix that is now contained in a service pack. If you installed the latest Microsoft Office 2003 service pack, you do not have to install the hotfix.

Service pack information

This problem is corrected in Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 2.

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Office 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

How to obtain the hotfix

This issue is fixed in the Outlook 2003 post-Service Pack 1 Hotfix Package that is dated March 11, 2005. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
After you install this hotfix, follow the steps that are listed in the "More Information" section to set the DisablePST registry key and to enable the hotfix on a per-user basis.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
This problem was first corrected in Office 2003 Service Pack 2.

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

To prevent users from accessing and creating .pst files by using the Outlook command bar, follow these steps:

1. Open the Group Policy console.
2. Add the Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 administrative template (Outlk11.adm) from the Office 2003 resource kit.
3. Under the administrative template, click Disable items in user interface, click Custom, and then click Disable command bar buttons and menu items.
4. Click to select the Enabled check box.
5. Click Show.
6. Add the following numbers to the following entries:
   • Disable option to create a PST(File -- New -- Outlook Data File): 5575
   • Disable option to open a PST(File -- Open -- Outlook Data File: 5576
7. Click OK.
8. Apply the policy.

To enable this hotfix on a per-user basis, follow these steps:

1. Exit Outlook 2003.
2. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. Locate and then click to select the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook
4. After you select the subkey that is specified in step 3, point to New on the Edit menu, and then click DWORD Value.
5. Type DisablePST, and then press ENTER.
6. Right-click DisablePST, and then click Modify.
7. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
8. If you use profiles, continue to step 9. If you do not use profiles, continue to step 14.
9. Locate and then click to select the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook
10. After you select the subkey that is specified in step 3, point to New on the Edit menu, and then click DWORD Value.
11. Type DisablePST, and then press ENTER.
12. Right-click DisablePST, and then click Modify.
13. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
14. On the File menu, click Exit to exit Registry Editor.

After you finish this procedure, users can still use one of the following methods to access a PST file:

Method 1

Click Tools, click Email Accounts, click View or change existing e-mail accounts, click Next, and then click New Outlook Data file.

Method 2

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Click Tools, click Options, click the Mail Setup tab, click Data Files, and then click Add.

To prevent users from accessing a PST file by using these two methods, follow these steps:

1. Exit all programs.
2. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\
4. On the Edit menu, click Add Value, and then add the following registry values:
   
   Value Name: DisablePst
   Data Type: REG_DWORD
   Value: 1
5. Exit Registry editor.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

You can use the DisablePST registry entry to disallow users to open an existing PST file in Outlook 2003. However, the DisablePST registry entry does not work in Outlook 2007.