Contents of Public Folder Favorites folder not removed from offline folder files if Download Public Folder Favorites is turn off

  • Article
  • Applies to:
    Outlook 2007, Outlook 2003

Original KB number:   822507

Symptoms

If you turn off the Download Public Folder Favorites option in Microsoft Outlook 2003 or in Outlook 2007, the contents of the Public Folder Favorites folder are not removed from your offline folder files (.ost).

Cause

This behavior occurs because all future synchronization stops when you turn off the Download Public Folder Favorites option. This prevents the .ost from receiving new files and growing larger, but it does not remove the files that have already been downloaded.

Workaround

To work around this behavior, turn off the Download Public Folder Favorites option, and then clear offline items from each Public Folder Favorite folder that is in your .ost file. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Start Outlook.
  2. Select Tools, select E-Mail Accounts, select View or change existing e-mail accounts, and then select Next.
  3. In the Name list, select your Microsoft Exchange server, and then select Change.
  4. Select More Settings, and then select the Advanced tab.
  5. Under Cached Exchange Mode Settings, clear the Download Public Folder Favorites check box, and then select OK.
  6. In the Outlook navigation pane, right-click a Public Folder Favorites folder, and then select Properties.
  7. On the General tab, select Clear Offline Items.
  8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for each Public Folder Favorites folder that you want to clear.