From: Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook] on
"JohnB" <jbrigan(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:%23nDunTtxKHA.1548(a)TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> 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.

Orphan OSTs (OSTs whose mail profiles have been deleted) are not accessible to
Outlook even if you create a new profile pointing to the same Exchange
mailbox. As Gordon says, you must purchase an OST to PST converter. I've
never seen any free ones.
--
Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]

From: JohnB on
> mailbox. As Gordon says, you must purchase an OST to PST converter. I've
> never seen any free ones.

There's OST2PST. But, it does not work with Outlook 2003 and later.


"Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]" <tillman1952(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:uggjz81xKHA.4008(a)TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> "JohnB" <jbrigan(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:%23nDunTtxKHA.1548(a)TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>
>> 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.
>
> Orphan OSTs (OSTs whose mail profiles have been deleted) are not
> accessible to Outlook even if you create a new profile pointing to the
> same Exchange mailbox. As Gordon says, you must purchase an OST to PST
> converter. I've never seen any free ones.
> --
> Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]


From: JohnB on
Your method worked just fine.

Unfortunately her email wasn't there.
This was a case of someone saying "I emailed you on that...". And I suspect
they never really did. This manager here doesn't delete *anything* when it
comes to her email.

Oh well....... thanks for the help.



"M" <m(a)n.com> wrote in message
news:%23HD9CIxxKHA.4752(a)TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>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" <jbrigan(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:Oa46qctxKHA.5480(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> 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" <m(a)n.com> wrote in message
>> news:OwC1TghxKHA.4240(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>> 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" <jbrigan(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>> news:OhuotSfxKHA.6140(a)TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>>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
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>


From: Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook] on
"JohnB" <jbrigan(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:uyKuIg2xKHA.4240(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> There's OST2PST. But, it does not work with Outlook 2003 and later.

And hence why I didn't mention it. As far as I'm concerned, if it doesn't
handle Unicode PSTs it may as well not exist.
--
Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]

From: M on
That's great! And you didn't have to spend any money on an OST utility.

--
Regards,
M
MCTS, MCSA
"JohnB" <jbrigan(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:OW9$nG5xKHA.3560(a)TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Your method worked just fine.
>
> Unfortunately her email wasn't there.
> This was a case of someone saying "I emailed you on that...". And I
> suspect they never really did. This manager here doesn't delete
> *anything* when it comes to her email.
>
> Oh well....... thanks for the help.
>
>
>
> "M" <m(a)n.com> wrote in message
> news:%23HD9CIxxKHA.4752(a)TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>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" <jbrigan(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:Oa46qctxKHA.5480(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>> 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" <m(a)n.com> wrote in message
>>> news:OwC1TghxKHA.4240(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>>> 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" <jbrigan(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:OhuotSfxKHA.6140(a)TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>>>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
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>