I have a massive collection of PST files dating back 15 years (yes, I’m a packrat). It’s incredibly handy to refer to something stored away, even years ago.
I would also like the freedom to access these PST files without having to use Outlook.
However, getting at this data is a pain. I load all my PST files into Outlook, and then Outlook goes through its endless indexing process…and then I have a huge bucket of PST files in my Outlook inbox.
So, I needed an archiving and search tool. There are plenty of solutions if you search around, but they cost money.
So, as a notorious packratting penny-pincher, I figured out the following utterly simple solution:
- Create a throwaway Gmail account (or use your own, whatever works for you).
- Configure the account as an IMAP client in Outlook.
- Copy the contents of your PST files into any Gmail folder you like. You can even copy subfolders. Just throw ’em in.
- Presto: Use your throwaway gmail account as your Outlook PST file archive, taking advantage of blisteringly fast Google search technology.
Have fun.