A script to close outlook for PST file backups

Not everyone can afford an Exchange server, but many still want to backup their data, and the most common problem with backing up PST files is that when they are in use, backup programs cannot back them up, and people very frequently leave Outlook open, causing their data to be at risk. So, I searched the Internet for a script, and I found an article from Bill Stewart at Windows IT Pro. I tried the script, but since it was written for Exchange, it force quit Outlook, which for PST users can cause PST file corruption, exactly the opposite of our intent of protecting the data! I emailed Bill, and within a few hours, he gave me a different script to try that would close Outlook more gracefully. It worked perfect. Thanks, Bill! The code is as follows:


On Error Resume Next
Set Outlook = GetObject(, "Outlook.Application")
If Err = 0 Then
Outlook.Quit()
End If

Just copy the above, and paste it into a file named "closeoutlook.vbs" and you can then schedule that file to run a few minutes prior to the backup job. Now, PST files won't be missed on the backups!

Whoever sets up UPS's without installing the software and signal cable needs to be shot.

Lately I am finding this more and more. Clients who went to the extent to get a UPS, but their IT staff didn't connect the signal cable or install the software. Its half assed. You get the protection from brown outs or over/under voltage, so you have clean power, but when you have a power failure, the machines are essentially getting the equivalent of the power plug ripped out of the wall. When the software is installed properly, it can be configured to shut down the OS gracefully, and on some software you can even customize it to notify users by message, or even e-mail. So in the event of a power outage, your machine will stay up until the battery dies, then it will notify users that it will shut down, and then do so.

And for those of you that think you never get blackouts since you are in a major office building, I have a client that has had 12 minutes of blackout in the past 24 weeks (in 22 separate events) without having the software installed, you would never be able to tell that you were having power issues.

Be careful with widescreen laptops using Small Business Server!

Stumbled upon this one today. Using Remote Web Workplace (RWW) on a Microsoft Small Business Server, if your client PC is a laptop (or possibly a desktop) with a widescreen resolution, you may get an "undefined character or procedure" error when trying to connect to workstations or servers in RDP. The only fix I found was to reduce resolution to a normal 4:3 perspective. If anyone knows a fix other than that, let me know I wasn't able to find one!