XCLN: .Pst and .Pab Files Not Interchangeable

The .pst and .pab files are not interchangeable between the Microsoft Exchange Macintosh and Microsoft Exchange or Outlook Windows clients.

This also applies the Schedule+ file types .sch and .sc2, as well as Offline Folder .ost files and Advanced Security .epf files.

NOTE: The information in this article applies to older versions of the Macintosh clients as listed above. Personal Folder (.pst) files used in Windows versions of Outlook and Outlook 2001 for Mac are compatible and interchangeable. The Personal Address Book (.pab) is not cross platform compatible. The workaround for .pab files in the article continue to apply.

For .PST Files

If you need to access Microsoft Exchange messages from both Macintosh and Windows, save everything in your mailbox to the Microsoft Exchange server.

For example:

1. Log on to a Microsoft Exchange account from a Windows client.
2. Create a folder on the computer running Microsoft Exchange Server.
3. Copy all locally saved message (the Windows .pst) to the folder on the server.
4. Log on to the same Microsoft Exchange account from a Macintosh computer.
5. Copy all locally saved messages from the server to a personal folder (the Macintosh .pst)

For .PAB Files

If you want to add users from a Macintosh PAB to a Windows PAB, perform the following steps:

1. Log into the Macintosh Exchange Client, compose a message, and place users from the PAB on the TO: line.
2. Save the message by selecting Save from the File menu.
3. The composed message will remain in your Inbox.
4. Log into a Windows Exchange Client and open the saved message.
5. Right click on a user on the To: line and select Add to Personal Address Book.

For .SCH Files

If you need to access Microsoft Schedule+ information from both Macintosh and Windows, keep all Schedule+ information in your server (shared) schedule to the Microsoft Exchange server. Do not use a local Schedule+ .sch file.

For example:

1. Log on to a Microsoft Exchange account from a Windows client.
2. Start Schedule+ and click "I do not want a schedule file on this machine."
3. If the profile already existed and Schedule+ is already configured with a local file:
   
   
   • On the Tools menu, click Options.
     
     
   • On the Synchronize tab, clear the "Work Primarily From Local File" check box. Click OK.
4. Log on to the same Microsoft Exchange account from a Macintosh computer.
5. Start Schedule+ and either select to not have a schedule file on this computer
   
   -OR-
   
   Disable the local schedule file as done in step 3.

For .OST Files

Offline Folder files are simply a mirror image of what is in your server mailbox. Re-createOffline folder files on the platform for which they are intended to be used.

For .EPF Files

Issue Advanced Security files and save them locally for each platform for which they are intended to be used.

For additional information about Personal Folders in Outlook 2001, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: