I have a user that is looking for a long lost email that she "hopes" she
saved. Of course, she has many, many PST files. The email is not in any of
those. There are 3 OST files in the default Outlook folder on her computer.
Is there a way to open and search those files?

I've done some research and have read that if the OST is orphaned, then you
need to buy software that will let you convert the OST to a PST. That
doesn't seem to be the case here, it is in her windows folder.

Thanks

"JohnB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...

>I have a user that is looking for a long lost email that she "hopes" she
>saved. Of course, she has many, many PST files. The email is not in any of
>those. There are 3 OST files in the default Outlook folder on her computer.
>Is there a way to open and search those files?
>
> I've done some research and have read that if the OST is orphaned, then you
> need to buy software that will let you convert the OST to a PST. That
> doesn't seem to be the case here, it is in her windows folder.

What do you mean "in her windows folder"? For an OST to be accessible, it
must be connected to the mail profile for which it was created and that
profile must exist in the Show Profiles feature of the Mail applet in Control
Panel.
--
Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]

On 3/17/2010 10:09 AM, JohnB wrote:
> I have a user that is looking for a long lost email that she "hopes" she
> saved. Of course, she has many, many PST files. The email is not in any of
> those. There are 3 OST files in the default Outlook folder on her computer.
> Is there a way to open and search those files?
>
> I've done some research and have read that if the OST is orphaned, then you
> need to buy software that will let you convert the OST to a PST. That
> doesn't seem to be the case here, it is in her windows folder.
>
> Thanks
>
>
Easiest way? Copy all PSTs into one location, open them up, install
Xobni and let it do the work of indexing this mess.

Does she have 3 Outlook profiles?
Her cached Exchange account will be associated with one of them. Does
she have 3 Exchange accounts?

I deal with this scenario quite often when doing data recovery. OST to
PST solutions work well, but not necessary if the OST time stamps are
current and the associated Outlook profiles are still valid.
--
Leonid S. Knyshov
Crashproof Solutions
510-282-1008
Twitter: @wiseleo
http://crashproofsolutions.com
Microsoft Small Business Specialist
Try Exchange Online http://bit.ly/free-exchange-trial
Please vote "helpful" if I helped you

Hello:

If those other 3 OSTs were for the same mailbox, you can try this:

1.) Disconnect her computer from the network (including WiFi). You do NOT
want her computer connecting back to the Exchange server.
2.) Close Outlook.
3.) Rename the existing OST by adding "CURRENT" to the end of the name.
4.) Pick one of the other OSTs and rename it to what the current OST name
was.
5.) Open Outlook. The OST should be accessible. Look for the lost e-mails.
If you find them, copy them to a PST.
6.) Repeat 4 - 5 for the other two OSTs.
7.) Undo step 3.
8.) Connect the computer back to the network and open Outlook and work
normally.

Let me know if you were able to access the other OSTs this way, and if you
found the lost e-mails.

--
Regards,
M
MCTS, MCSA

"JohnB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a user that is looking for a long lost email that she "hopes" she
>saved. Of course, she has many, many PST files. The email is not in any
>of those. There are 3 OST files in the default Outlook folder on her
>computer. Is there a way to open and search those files?
>
> I've done some research and have read that if the OST is orphaned, then
> you need to buy software that will let you convert the OST to a PST. That
> doesn't seem to be the case here, it is in her windows folder.
>
> Thanks
>

This is the folder I'm calling "her windows folder"

C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook

That's where the 3 OST's are.



"Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "JohnB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>>I have a user that is looking for a long lost email that she "hopes" she
>>saved. Of course, she has many, many PST files. The email is not in any
>>of those. There are 3 OST files in the default Outlook folder on her
>>computer. Is there a way to open and search those files?
>>
>> I've done some research and have read that if the OST is orphaned, then
>> you need to buy software that will let you convert the OST to a PST.
>> That doesn't seem to be the case here, it is in her windows folder.
>
> What do you mean "in her windows folder"? For an OST to be accessible, it
> must be connected to the mail profile for which it was created and that
> profile must exist in the Show Profiles feature of the Mail applet in
> Control Panel.
> --
> Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]

"JohnB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:#(E-Mail Removed)...
> This is the folder I'm calling "her windows folder"
>
> C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Local Settings\Application
> Data\Microsoft\Outlook
>
> That's where the 3 OST's are.

AFAIK (and I'm not an Exchange expert) you can only open an OST file if you
re-create the Exchange Account which created it in the first place, other
than buying conversion software...

I had never heard of Xobni, but I just looked at their website. What's the
advantage over the Outlook built-in search?

She only has 1 Exchange account. The 3 OST files have 3 different date
stamps. I was told there should be only one in there. So I am guessing
that this happened because offline mode was turned off and back on, and when
that happened, a new OST was created?



"Leonid S. Knyshov // SBS Expert"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On 3/17/2010 10:09 AM, JohnB wrote:
>> I have a user that is looking for a long lost email that she "hopes" she
>> saved. Of course, she has many, many PST files. The email is not in any
>> of
>> those. There are 3 OST files in the default Outlook folder on her
>> computer.
>> Is there a way to open and search those files?
>>
>> I've done some research and have read that if the OST is orphaned, then
>> you
>> need to buy software that will let you convert the OST to a PST. That
>> doesn't seem to be the case here, it is in her windows folder.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
> Easiest way? Copy all PSTs into one location, open them up, install Xobni
> and let it do the work of indexing this mess.
>
> Does she have 3 Outlook profiles?
> Her cached Exchange account will be associated with one of them. Does she
> have 3 Exchange accounts?
>
> I deal with this scenario quite often when doing data recovery. OST to PST
> solutions work well, but not necessary if the OST time stamps are current
> and the associated Outlook profiles are still valid.
> --
> Leonid S. Knyshov
> Crashproof Solutions
> 510-282-1008
> Twitter: @wiseleo
> http://crashproofsolutions.com
> Microsoft Small Business Specialist
> Try Exchange Online http://bit.ly/free-exchange-trial
> Please vote "helpful" if I helped you

I'll have to schedule a time tomorrow morning to get at her computer.

Re: Step5
This is what I don't understand... how do I search or look at the contents
of an OST? You can't do File>Open>Outlook Data File.... or at least, that
didn't work for me.




"M" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello:
>
> If those other 3 OSTs were for the same mailbox, you can try this:
>
> 1.) Disconnect her computer from the network (including WiFi). You do NOT
> want her computer connecting back to the Exchange server.
> 2.) Close Outlook.
> 3.) Rename the existing OST by adding "CURRENT" to the end of the name.
> 4.) Pick one of the other OSTs and rename it to what the current OST name
> was.
> 5.) Open Outlook. The OST should be accessible. Look for the lost e-mails.
> If you find them, copy them to a PST.
> 6.) Repeat 4 - 5 for the other two OSTs.
> 7.) Undo step 3.
> 8.) Connect the computer back to the network and open Outlook and work
> normally.
>
> Let me know if you were able to access the other OSTs this way, and if you
> found the lost e-mails.
>
> --
> Regards,
> M
> MCTS, MCSA
>
> "JohnB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I have a user that is looking for a long lost email that she "hopes" she
>>saved. Of course, she has many, many PST files. The email is not in any
>>of those. There are 3 OST files in the default Outlook folder on her
>>computer. Is there a way to open and search those files?
>>
>> I've done some research and have read that if the OST is orphaned, then
>> you need to buy software that will let you convert the OST to a PST.
>> That doesn't seem to be the case here, it is in her windows folder.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>
>

I thought you knew what an OST was. It's an OFFLINE copy of a mailbox. If
you're disconnected from the network and Outlook is in "offline" mode, it
uses the OST exclusively. In "online" mode, the OST is also used, but
there's interaction with the Exchange server (syncing and updating in the
background).

The steps I gave you is an attempt to "trick" Outlook into opening an older
OST. When you do what I suggested and (if) Outlook is able to access the OST
file, you'll see the contents of the mailbox as it looked when that
particular OST file was last sync'd with Exchange. That's why it's important
that you perform step 1 to totally disconnect her computer from the network
so that the older OST doesn't try to sync with her current mailbox.

Please respond back after you try this and let me know if any of this
worked.

--
Regards,
M
MCTS, MCSA

"JohnB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'll have to schedule a time tomorrow morning to get at her computer.
>
> Re: Step5
> This is what I don't understand... how do I search or look at the contents
> of an OST? You can't do File>Open>Outlook Data File.... or at least, that
> didn't work for me.
>
>
>
>
> "M" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Hello:
>>
>> If those other 3 OSTs were for the same mailbox, you can try this:
>>
>> 1.) Disconnect her computer from the network (including WiFi). You do NOT
>> want her computer connecting back to the Exchange server.
>> 2.) Close Outlook.
>> 3.) Rename the existing OST by adding "CURRENT" to the end of the name.
>> 4.) Pick one of the other OSTs and rename it to what the current OST name
>> was.
>> 5.) Open Outlook. The OST should be accessible. Look for the lost
>> e-mails. If you find them, copy them to a PST.
>> 6.) Repeat 4 - 5 for the other two OSTs.
>> 7.) Undo step 3.
>> 8.) Connect the computer back to the network and open Outlook and work
>> normally.
>>
>> Let me know if you were able to access the other OSTs this way, and if
>> you found the lost e-mails.
>>
>> --
>> Regards,
>> M
>> MCTS, MCSA
>>
>> "JohnB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>I have a user that is looking for a long lost email that she "hopes" she
>>>saved. Of course, she has many, many PST files. The email is not in any
>>>of those. There are 3 OST files in the default Outlook folder on her
>>>computer. Is there a way to open and search those files?
>>>
>>> I've done some research and have read that if the OST is orphaned, then
>>> you need to buy software that will let you convert the OST to a PST.
>>> That doesn't seem to be the case here, it is in her windows folder.
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

On 3/18/2010 1:08 PM, JohnB wrote:
> I had never heard of Xobni, but I just looked at their website. What's the
> advantage over the Outlook built-in search?
>
> She only has 1 Exchange account. The 3 OST files have 3 different date
> stamps. I was told there should be only one in there. So I am guessing
> that this happened because offline mode was turned off and back on, and when
> that happened, a new OST was created?

Xobni is a better indexer. They refused Microsoft's offer to buy them,
by the way.

M's trick will probably work to fool Outlook into opening those OSTs.
I'd make an image of this system before doing anything with it as some
changes can render OSTs unreadable due to loss of Exchange
authentication token.

It's likely that her mail is buried in PSTs and a good indexer would be
most helpful there.
--
Leonid S. Knyshov
Crashproof Solutions
510-282-1008
Twitter: @wiseleo
http://crashproofsolutions.com
Microsoft Small Business Specialist
Try Exchange Online http://bit.ly/free-exchange-trial
Please vote "helpful" if I helped you