You cannot specify a separate folder to store the .ost file when you use the ForcePSTPath value in Outlook 2003

When you add the ForcePSTPath value to the registry to change the location of the personal folders (.pst) file in Microsoft Office Outlook 2003, the offline folder (.ost) file is also changed to the same folder. You cannot specify a separate folder to store the .ost file.

To add the ForcePSTPath value to the registry, follow these steps.

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:

1. Quit Outlook 2003.
2. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. Locate and then 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 Expandable String Value.
5. Type ForcePSTPath, and then press ENTER.
6. Right-click ForcePSTPath, and then click Modify.
7. In the Value data box, type the full path of where you want to store the .pst file, and then click OK.
8. On the File menu, click Exit to quit Registry Editor.

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

Service pack information

This problem is corrected in 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 ForceOSTPath registry key and to activate the hotfix.

Additionally, you must also apply the hotfix that is described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

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.

By default, Outlook 2003 stores the .pst and the .ost files in the following folder:If you add the ForcePSTPath value to the registry, you can direct Outlook 2003 to store the .pst file and the .ost file in a folder that you specify.

After you apply this hotfix, you can also direct Outlook 2003 to store the .ost file in a separate folder without affecting the location of the .pst file.

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 enable this hotfix and specify a separate folder to store the .ost file, follow these steps:

1. Quit 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 Expandable String Value.
5. Type ForceOSTPath, and then press ENTER.
6. Right-click ForceOSTPath, and then click Modify.
7. In the Value data box, type the full path of where you want store the .ost file, and then click OK.
8. On the File menu, click Exit to quit Registry Editor.

This hotfix is not intended for storing the .pst file on a network share and for storing the .ost file on a client computer. For more information about these limitations, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article: