Outlook PST OST extraction

[whitecrook]

Hi all

I need to extract the contacts and if possible the emails, from some OST/PST files I have here, as when opening them in Outlook 2003 they don't come through.

I've found some shareware utils that will do it but are usually limited to extract 5 messages or 5 contacts.

I can't beleive (well actually, I can) that Microsoft dont have an official method to allow this process. I can't just load up the old outlook profile as it doesn't exist anymore on a new domain.

I need to rescue about 300+ contacts from a 2GB OST file. how do I do this?

 

[Jacko197]

Ive used Advanced Outlook Repair in the past, its not free but it works well.

 

[whitecrook]

So I have to pay to get MY contacts back?

totally ridiculous

 

[Jacko197]

Do you not have backups of the mailboxes? Could restore then, retrieve the contacts then delete them?

 

[whitecrook]

I thought the PST/OST files were the backups.

 

[loltim]

I thought the PST/OST files were the backups.

nah, the .pst is the actual files.

 

[whitecrook]

nah, the .pst is the actual files.

Exactly!?

 

[loltim]

Exactly!?

Well no? A backup implies it's a copy of the actual files, surely?

 

[Sin_Chase]

OST is offline cache crap, not your PST.

An OST is not meant for interactive mounting/manipulation/extraction and are not replacements for backups. This is why there are no MS channels to deal with OSTs - They provide you with plenty of other ways of getting data out from the environment.

Your data was on the Exchange server, nothing was 'kept' on your local machine. If your exchange server is gone, so are your mail files.

 

[whitecrook]

data wasn't on an exchange server. There was no exchange server. It was an imap account, with local folders, on the local computer, in outlook.

The PST files I have are copies of the PST files.

 

[Sin_Chase]

Open outlook, go to Data File Management (Folder view on the left, at the bottom) go through the process off attaching the PST file then you can browse it. You do not need a profile to mount a PST.

I do not have any Outlook installed so cannot walk you exactly through the process. Alternatively, create a blank profile with crap details and Import Data from a File (PST), just follow the wizard.

If they will not mount in Outlook 2003 (or newer) then they are likely corrupted.

 

[whitecrook]

will this give me back all the contacts, as that is what i really need.

 

[Sin_Chase]

PST is the container for all Outlook content. Unless you configured different storage areas for contacts they will live in the main/a PST.

MS Import Procedure info lives here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/287070

The easiest way is to mount the PST fiole and just browse it directly however. Can then use the Export function on it and take your contacts into a, for example, CSV format.

 

[whitecrook]

nah didn't work. PST open, but dont have anything except emails in them, no contacts.

OST contains all the data, but outlook wont open it, naturally.

 

[ColdAsIce]

PST files do not backup the contacts list, you had to do that seperately. Pain in the **** I know, I really hate having to backup outlook stuff

 

[whitecrook]

I used a util and extracted all the contacts as VCF files from the OST file. Outlook can go **** it self.

 

[slylittlefox]

Yeah I had to do the same, don't know if I'd blame Outlook though

 

[#Chri5#]

nah didn't work. PST open, but dont have anything except emails in them, no contacts.

OST contains all the data, but outlook wont open it, naturally.

Did you open the PST with Outlook set to only show mail folders?

 

[whitecrook]

I dont know. Where do i set that option. Theres no option when opening the pst