Exchange: Search Network For PST Files

Summary:

In this article, I will provide a script to search your network for .PST files. Microsoft provides a script to search your local computer for a .PST file which you can find here.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/resources
/qanda/apr05/hey0408.mspx

I have modified it to also include the computer name since it will be intended to search multiple computers and to write the output to a csv file.

Copy the contents below and save to notepad. Rename this file to searchpst.vbs and save to C: drive.


strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")

Set colFiles = objWMIService.ExecQuery _

("Select * from CIM_DataFile Where Extension = 'pst'")

Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

set wfile = fso.opentextfile("c:\test.csv",2,true)

For Each objFile in colFiles

Wfile.writeline(strComputer & " " & objFile.Drive & " " & objFile.Path & " " & objFile.FileName & "." & objFile.Extension & " " & objFile.FileSize)

Next




Open your command prompt. Start, Run, CMD Ok. Ensure that you are at your your C:\>

Type the following

C:\>cscript searchpst.vbs

Once complete, go to your C: drive and locate text.csv. This csv file should include your computername, drive letter and path of your pst file, name of pst file and size.



Now if you wish to run this on multiple computers on the network you have couple options.

C:\>cscript searchpst.vbs computer1 computer2 computer3


Another option is to have this script read in the computer names from your computers OU in AD.

Copy the contents below to notepad. Save the file as searchpst1.vbs. Open your command prompt and type:

C:\>cscript searchpst1.vbs

Set colComputers = GetObject("LDAP://CN=Computers, DC=msexchange911, DC=net")
For Each objComputer in colComputers
strComputer = objComputer.CN
on error Resume next
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
& "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colFiles = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
("Select * from CIM_DataFile Where Extension = 'pst'")
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
set wfile = fso.opentextfile("c:\test.csv",2,true)
For Each objFile in colFiles
Wfile.writeline(strComputer & " " & objFile.Drive & " " & objFile.Path & " " & objFile.FileName & "." & objFile.Extension & " " & objFile.FileSize)
next
next


References:

Running WMI Scripts on Multiple Computers
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/resources
/tales/sg1102.mspx

How Do I Get a List of All PST Files on a Computer
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/resources
/qanda/apr05/hey0408.mspx


James Chong
MCSE | M+, S+, MCTS, Security+
msexchangetips.blogspot.com

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