Clear the Microsoft Outlook temporary OLK folder

Sometimes when sending emails from Influence, Microsoft outlook fills its Outlook Temporary folder.
In this case it becomes necessary to clear this folder in order that files (such as any logo’s attached to your email signature) will be attached.

So.......

Where does Microsoft create the Outlook Temporary folder (better known as the OLK folder)???  Or, where does Microsoft store temporary data such as attachments?  Where the heck is that PESKY OLK folder??

Answer:

Depending on the operating system, version of Outlook AND user logged in, the OLK temporary folder will be created in a different spot. To find where it’s been created, open the Windows registry using regedit.exe and use the MAP below:
(To run regedit On windows XP/Vista/Win7, click START, then choose Run and type Regedit.exe into the run box) 

On my install, (I’m running Windows Vista & Microsoft Office 2007) I found the OLK temp folder at:

C:\users\MrGroove\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outlook\XLCYUT3R

….. phew!

BackGround:
When you open file attachments that are considered safe, Outlook places these attachments in a subdirectory under the your Temporary Internet Files directory as an extra precaution. When Outlook first tries to use a temporary file, it examines the registry to determine whether or not the TEMP OLK folder has already been created. If yes, it uses the folder. If no, it creates a random folder then stores the path in the registry location mentioned above.

For example:
Let’s say your running Windows XP and Outlook 2003. When you open your first attachment your computer will create the following sub-folder to temporary store the attachment:

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLKxxx

In this example, username is the user name that is used by the person who is currently logged on to the computer. xxx is a randomly generated sequence of letters and numbers.

This information can be very useful and potentially dangerous. For instance, let’s say you open an attachment, make a bunch of changes then forget to save it…. Chance are, you can probably find the OLK folder and recover the document (if you have autosave on).

Steps to clear the file

The web article below describes this.

http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/outlook/find-the-microsoft-outlook-temporary-olk-folder
or another useful site is

http://www.howto-outlook.com/faq/securetemp.htm

The attached sheet explains where to find this temporary 'OLK' directory on your PC, and once located you can simply delete all the files from the directory. The link below is a download to a small applet that will open the OLK temporary folder for you. Simply click on the link (may need to hold CTRL to open it) and run the file. This should then open the temporary folder. Delete the entire contents of that folder once it has opened.

You can download a 'tool' that *May* clear this temoporary folder for you from here:

http://www.Influence-it.com/Downloads/OpenOLK.exe

Once done, sending emails from Influence will work again because MS Outlook will be able to store the files it needs in this temporary directory.

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