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retrieve an ost file after the account deleted on the server

Hi,

I would like to be able to retrieve the information available in an OST file. I have the OST file but the server account was deleted and recreated. Then, at the next login, a new OST file was created with an empty mailbox. I would like to get the OST file data, even with doing something on the exchange2000 server.

Thanks,
Damien

VinceA

Technically, orphaned OST files are unrecoverable. More info on that here:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q163/5/89.asp

You can also get this article by sending an E-mail with a subject of "Q163589" (without the quotes) to mshelp@microsoft.com.

This link should automate that for you:
mailto:mshelp@microsoft.com?subject=Q163589

There is a service out there claiming to be able to recover the info here:
http://www.pwdrecover.com/

sauvaged

ASKER

That's not really helpfull Vince.
I know this article. The OST file is based on a profile ID and a server account ID. The server account deleted and recreated. IS there something to do, even on the exchange server, to be able to reopen this OST file. It might be deleting the mailbox again et recreating it with a specific ID? Is that possible?

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VinceA

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SMosher

Vince is correct. There is nothing you can do the server to recover the data, because the data is on the client.

It was the login to the new mailbox that orphaned the OST. If you have a full backup of the client, including the registry and OST, you might be able to restore the client to its state before the login. Then, you'd want to start the client in offline mode, so that it does not connect to the server.

For future reference, the time to recover an OST file is *before* you log on to a new mailbox.

sauvaged

ASKER

Comment accepted as answer

sauvaged

ASKER

Thanks Vince,

I bought the file and converted the OST to PST. I did not loose any data.
that's really great.

Thanks again.
Damien

ka4016

If there is a program out there called pst2ost, then obviously there is a way to convert an OST to a PST, or recover an orphaned OST file. Does anyone know the registry key where the SID, or password is stored?
It sounds like all you need to know is the format or header of the OST and PSt files.
Is there any information out there on this.
It seems like you could take a hex editor, and edit the header of the file, and that would fix it?
Any information on this would be helpful. I know there is another way besides spending $85 and buying a program to convert the file when if I know the structure of the file, I might be able to duplicate the program.

SMosher

There is no documented information on this. I doubt that there is anything in the registry to help.

However the OST crackers did it, they're not likely to say, since it would be bad for business. I don't know what hourly rate you assign to your time, but I suspect it would take you much more than $85 worth to duplicate their effort.