How to restore from a .bak or .ost file?

[Guest]

Before giving up my old computer, I copied the .ost file (with 6 OAB and 1
DAT files in the Outlook folder). I forgot to make and save a .pst file!
Anyway, I see that there is no easy way to open a .ost file in Outlook on my
new computer. I ran a "SCANPST" program (as suggested by Outlook Help), and
it gave me an option to save a .bak file.

Is there any way that I can retrieve my email from either the .bak or the
..ost files without having to depend on a 3rd party software or company?

The .ost and the .bak file are both about 720MB in size

 

[Brian Tillman]

Is there any way that I can retrieve my email from either the .bak or
the .ost files without having to depend on a 3rd party software or
company?

The .bak file is simply a copy of your .ost with a different file type.

There are third-party tools that can convert OSTs to PSTs. However, you may
be able to create an Exchange account named exactly what the old account was
named and then set Outlook to work offline. It may then be able to open the
OST and you can copy the contents to a new PST you create.

 

[Hal Hostetler [MVP S/U]]

If you still have access to the Exchange Server account that created your
..OST file, simply have Outlook create a new .OST on the new computer; an
..OST file is an offline copy of your Exchange Server mailbox. If you no
longer have the Exchange Server mailbox BUT you have the original Exchange
Server profile in Outlook, you can start Outlook offline with this profile
to gain access to the .OST where you can copy it's contents to a .PST file.
If both the Exchange Server mailbox AND the original Outlook progile are
gone, third party help is about all that's left.

Here's Microsoft's take on it:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;195793
OL2000: (CW) How to Recover Offline Folder Information
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/163589/EN-US/
XCLN: Restoring from an OST after Deleting the Mailbox

This may work with Windows XP if you have a system restore point made before
you removed the Exchange Server profile:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;243928
OL2000: (CW) Restoring a Deleted or Modified Outlook Offline Profile

Third party help:

http://www.payam.com.au/exchangeconverstion-convertosttopsthtml.htm
OST to PST File Conversion Service
http://officerecovery.com/exchange/
ExchangeRecovery (OST2PST)

Hal
--
Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- (e-mail address removed)
Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-S/U -- WA7BGX
http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"
KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
Still Cadillacin' - www.badnewsbluesband.com

 

[Guest]

Thanks Brian. The problem is I am no longer with the company that I used to
work for and I want to recover my emails and contacts. Before handing back
the computer to the computer, I copied the .ost file and all the various OAB
and Dat files in the outlook folder.

Is it possible to access the Exchange account even though I am no longer an
employee of the company (i can't access the intranet and/or the company's
Outlook exchange)

 

[Can-so]

dbkiam,
This the reason MS does not allow you to open ost files in the
manner you wish. Legally the data within the OST does not belong to you it
belongs to the company you left. There is no MS supported method of opening
the OST short of connecting back on that exchange. You will need third
party software to open the OST

--
"Bother," said Pooh as he struggled with the computer.

"It never does quite what I want."

"I wish Christopher Robin were here."

 

[Brian Tillman]

Is it possible to access the Exchange account even though I am no
longer an employee of the company (i can't access the intranet and/or
the company's Outlook exchange)

Of course not, but accessing the Exchange account and creating one in
Outlook aren't the same thing. I meant try the latter (even though you'll
get error messages).