Microsoft KB Archive/913886

= Error message when you try to link to a .pst file from a Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services site to Outlook 2003: &quot;You cannot connect to a Windows SharePoint Services site with an Outlook 97-2002 Personal Folders file (.pst)&quot; =

Article ID: 913886

Article Last Modified on 7/26/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Office Outlook 2003

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Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows registry



SYMPTOMS
When you try to link to a personal folders (.pst) file from a Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services site to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003, the link to the .pst file is not added. Additionally, you may receive the following error message:

The link could not be created. You cannot connect to a Windows SharePoint Services site with an Outlook 97-2002 Personal Folders file (.pst).



CAUSE
This problem may occur if the NewPSTFormat registry value has been set to one of the following:
 * Default ANSI
 * Enforce Unicode creation
 * Enforce ANSI creation



How to obtain the hotfix
This issue is fixed in the Outlook 2003 post-Service Pack 2 Hotfix Package that is dated February 2, 2006. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

913887 Description of the Outlook 2003 post-Service Pack 2 hotfix package: February 2, 2006

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To enable this hotfix and enforce Unicode creation when you add a link to a .pst file from a Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services site to Outlook 2003, follow these steps:  Quit Outlook 2003. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK. Locate and then click to select the following registry subkey:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook

 Depending on your situation, follow these steps:  If the NewPSTFormat registry value exists, skip to step 5. If the NewPSTFormat registry value does not exist, follow these steps: <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> After you select the subkey that is specified in step 3, point to New on the Edit menu, and then click DWORD Value.</li> Type NewPSTFormat, and then press ENTER.</li></ol> </li></ul> </li> Right-click NewPSTFormat, and then click Modify.</li> In the Value data box, type 2, and then click OK.

Note The NewPSTFormat DWORD value can have any of the following settings: <ul> 0 - Default Unicode</li> 1 - Default ANSI</li> 2 - Enforce Unicode creation</li> 3 - Enforce ANSI creation</li></ul> </li> On the File menu, click Exit to quit Registry Editor.</li></ol>

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WORKAROUND
If you cannot install the hotfix, use one of the following methods to work around this problem:
 * Do not enforce a policy that sets the Enforce ANSI creation option.
 * Change the NewPSTFormat registry value to Default Unicode. To do this, refer to the steps to enable the hotfix in the &quot;Resolution&quot; section.

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STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section.

Additional query words: outlook2003 outlook2k3 ol2003 ol2k3

Keywords: kboffice2003presp3fix kbemail kbexpertiseinter kberrmsg kbqfe kbbug kbfix kbpubtypekc KB913886

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