Excel gets a lock on Outlook PST file stored on USB drive

[Steven Kogan]

If an Outlook pst file is stored on a USB drive and inserted (i.e. Outlook is configured to use the pst file on the USB drive but Outlook is not loaded), then Excel is started (without opening Outlook), I am unable to eject the USB drive since Excel has a lock on the pst file. I would first have to exit Excel, then I can eject the USB drive.

This occurs even without loading an Excel file, just opening Excel itself does this. It also occurs if opening just MS Word. So it is not related to any special VBA code.

Is there a way to prevent Excel and other MS Office applications from getting a lock on the Outlook pst file?

 

[Legacy 456155]

Do you have any add-ins that might be suspect?

 

[Steven Kogan]

I found the solution. In MS Outlook choose File, Options, People and the 'Display online status next to name' and 'Show user photographs when available' options are the features that cause other MS Office applications to connect to the Outlook PST. If 'Display online status next to name' is grayed out and selected you can make a registry setting to deselect it.
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common\IM]
"TurnOffPresenceIcon"=dword:00000001

 

[Legacy 456155]

Thanks for sharing your solution.