Outlook users may frequently found themselves around a confusing question-Smaller PST Files or A Single Large PST? So let’s try to solve it here.

Actually, by default, MS Outlook has a single file called PST, which stores all the incoming and outgoing e-mails, calendar, appointments, tasks and other such objects. So as the time grows, it is quite obvious that PST will also get stuffed with the newer data, unless you learn to manage its size by deleting the unimportant data. But, even after applying all the managerial tasks, the large sized PST may remain a headache as of the important e-mails, which can’t be deleted.

Do you know why a large sized PST is not taken as good? Actually, this is answered differently in different Outlook file versions:

  • Outlook 2002 and its earlier file versions have the PST size limitation of 2 GB, beyond which it catches the risks of corruption, either in IMAP or HTTP accounts. However, the performance issues, which are specifically seen while downloading a new mail, are also considerable problems. As the PST is about to attain the 2 GB limit, the user is advised to take the proactive action like split PST. When you doubt that large PST is going to be problematic, split it off and get rid from file corruption worries.
  • In Outlook 2003 and 2007, though the file size limitation is not a problem, but yet you can’t be totally free from the issue of large PST. You can clearly visualize the effects in files larger than 10 GB, where you may see short pauses while PST is in use. However, for files of size 2 GB to 4 GB, hardware dependence steps in, which makes split PST a better option to be a fast user.

So as the conclusion, I would suggest as having smaller PST files as the good option to avoid problems. Split PST will avoid PST recovery in future and will help you to have better Outlook usability. Today, various third party utilities offer you this function, which claim to divide a big PST file into smaller ones, each one individually usable with MS Outlook.

But as the data worth, my recommendations would be to go only with the best. Split PST can be destructive, if not performed with tact and so have a selective criterion.

However for the best ever split PST results, use Stellar Phoenix Outlook PST Repair. This split PST software has the focused approach and safe phenomenon to split a large sized PST into smaller ones. PST repair and PST password recovery features can also be gained, in any of the need.