Outlook cannot find archive.pst after auto archive disabled

Recently we have added a new Windows Terminal Server into network and network load balanced the two servers. Shortly after allowing users to login on the new server we started having issues with Microsoft Outlook (2003) on select users saying that it could not find the archive.pst file.

The file c:\Documents and Settings\(username)\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\archive.pst could not be found.


After loading up Outlook and navigating to the Tools > Options. Then selecting the Other tab to pull up the Auto Archive settings and unchecking the “Run AutoArchive every xx days” checkbox the error was still happening.
The next idea was to setup the Outlook Group Policy option for Auto Archive found under: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 > Tools|Options > Other > AutoArchive > AutoArchive Settings. This group policy template only disabled the ability in Outlook to enable Auto Archive.

After a while I spotted a folder in the left hand column in the All Mail Folders called Archive Folders.

01_Outlook Mail Folders

Once you right click on this Archive Folders, select Close “Archive Folders”.

02_Close Archive Folders

Once this is done the Archive Folders is removed from the All Mail Folders section and Outlook stops prompting you about the missing archive.pst file.

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