Microsoft KB Archive/313969

= PRB: The Error &quot;Cannot Open .pst File&quot; Occurs When You Use a POP3 Server Profile with SQL Mail =

Article ID: 313969

Article Last Modified on 10/17/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q313969



SYMPTOMS
When you are using Terminal Services client to log on to a computer, you receive the following error message:

Can not open the PST because it is in use.

You can receive this error message in either of the following two scenarios:
 * If SQL Server Agent or SQL Mail (or both) is configured to use a Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) mail profile and you try to open Microsoft Outlook by using the same profile.
 * If you try to start SQL Server Agent at the same time that an Outlook client that is using a POP3 mail profile is open, and SQL Mail is configured to use the same profile as the Outlook client.

In a different situation where one of the processes (Outlook or SQL Server Agent or SQL Mail) actually modifies the .pst file (such as by sending an email or creating a new folder), you might receive the following error message when the other process is trying to access that .pst file:

&quot;The file 'path and filename'.PST could not be accessed because another workstation has modified it. Close then restart all mail-enabled applications.&quot;



CAUSE
Only one user application at a time can access a .pst file.



WORKAROUND
To work around this behavior, use any of the following methods:
 * To successfully access the .pst file when you connect through Terminal Services client to use Outlook:
 * Stop the MSSQLSERVER service.
 * Start Outlook, check your mail, and then exit Outlook.
 * Restart the MSSQLSERVER service.
 * You can also access the .pst file without stopping the MSSQLSERVER service. Instead of Terminal Services, (which opens a second session with the same account) use Remote Desktop Sharing (for Microsoft Windows XP only), Microsoft NetMeeting, or third-party remote computer management products. By doing so, you can log on to the computer under the same user context that is currently running on the computer itself.
 * To avoid the problem completely, use separate profiles for Outlook and SQL Mail or SQL Server Agent, which in turn use separate .pst files.
 * You can also use Microsoft Exchange Server as your mail server, in which case a .pst file is not used and multiple user contexts can access a mailbox at the same time.



STATUS
This behavior is by design.

Keywords: kbprb KB313969

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