asked on

Recover former employee's email

I need to access the email of a former employee. This is a 2008 SBS domain

Here's the situation:

His profile is still on his old computer and I have full access to the machine

The 2008 sbs domain that the computer was connected to is still in service

His account and mailbox were deleted a few months ago from the server, but his old profile is still on the old workstation

I might have an old backup that would still have his original account, but the time frame is probably before the emails we need to retrive.

What's the easiest way to recover his emails?

Alan Hardisty

Log on to the workstation - on the network, then pull the LAN cable out once the logon has completed, then open up Outlook.

It should open up the locally cached copy of the emails and then you can Export them to a .PST file if you want to keep a copy more easily available.

raremind

Can you find his .pst on the machine? If you can open outlook click file/open and click on the .pst The name of the folder associated with the data file should show in the Folder List.

KMDComp

ASKER

Alanhardisty: Do I need to log in under his user name? I don't know his old password.

Raremind: In his profile, he just has a OST file, no pst.

raremind

Not a problem, OST it is! this is your solution:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/195793

Let us know how it works.

Alan Hardisty

Yes - in which case - having seen that the account on the server has been zapped - you would need to know the password.

If you don't know the password, then you can look through the profile logged on as another user, copy the .OST file (if using cached Exchange mode) and then look for a tool to convert the .OST to a .PST file (many available on the web at various prices).

If there is a .PST file available, then that makes your life a thousand times easier.

Alan Hardisty

@raremind - that would be useful if the password was known - but as it isn't, it won't help. Also, if the password was known, you could simply log on and open Outlook with the LAN cable unplugged, which would force Outlook into offline mode anyway (as it would on a laptop without Wi-Fi or a LAN cable).

KMDComp

ASKER

I just thought of something, if I use one of those linux hacks to reset his accounts local password, that might give me access to his local profile and let me try your orginal suggestion.

Or maybe I could create an account for him on the server and then reconnect his old profile to that new account?

Just thinking out loud, but if I have to spend some cash, so be it....

Alan Hardisty

Yes to the linux idea - but we can't discuss that on EE!

Connecting his old profile isn't going to work unless you create an account with the exact same SSID as they had before.

KMDComp

ASKER

Ok, I won't go try it right now.

Alan Hardisty

Sure - you make sure you don't! ;)

raremind

@alanhardisty if there is not server side mailbox, would the not to be mentioned idea work?

Alan Hardisty

Yes - if the PC can be logged in to using the old account cached on the PC.

Needs to be done off the LAN though or the PC will moan about the lack of account on the domain to log in to.

raremind

That's my point it has to be done on the LAN does it not?

Alan Hardisty

Nope - if you can login to the PC locally without a LAN cable attached, then you can open up Outlook happily and read the emails.

If you don't have an account on the Server, then you try to login to the PC connected to the LAN, it won't let you login as it will authenticate to the DC and deny you access.

AlexM1337

Try this:

Log on his computer with the network cards turned off.

Check to see if the OST file still exists on the computer

Log in as that user on that computer

Open up outlook (with any luck it will show his mail)

From here you can archive out his mailbox with the outlook archive tool

Alan Hardisty

@AlexM1337 - your comment adds nothing that hasn't already been suggested. Please read all other comments fully before joining in a question half-way through.

NIC disabled is the same as LAN cable unplugged.

Alan

KMDComp

ASKER

Grrrrr, no good on that way that I'm not actually going to try, can only mess with local users, not domain users that weren't added to any of the local groups on the machine.

raremind

@alanhardisty Thanks! Wow I hate when people throw up answers without reading the whole post.

Alan Hardisty

It happens - I did it when I started posting on EE and learned quickly not to!!

Drive-by postings are often unhelpful or repeat something that has been said before. It's all part of the fun @ EE :)

Alan Hardisty

What flavour is the client that the account is in? XP?

If so, create a new user account in the LAN, login as that user on the PC then reboot the PC and login as a domain admin.

Delete the profile C:\documents and settings\new profile\*.* and then copy over the profile of the user who has left. Make sure you can see hidden files and folders before you copy / paste.

Log off and unplug LAN cable. Log in as new user and you should get old user profile. Open Outlook and hopefully smile :)

raremind

Recreate the user on the domain? Wouldn't that be easier?

Alan Hardisty

No - it will be given a different SSID. The profile on the PC won't match the SSID in AD and it will complain and not let you login.

SOLUTION

raremind

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Alan Hardisty

You can - but it is a step that isn't / shouldn't be necessary. You would need to take the DC offline and boot into DS Restore Mode, which is not for the feint-hearted, and we don't know if there is a System State Backup handy.

Not to mention the disruption to everyone else on the domain!

KMDComp

ASKER

I get an error, can't start microsoft office outlook

Alan Hardisty

What is the error? Is the LAN cable unplugged?

KMDComp

ASKER

Yep, cable unplugged, "cannot start microsoft office outlook", going to check event viewer when I get a chance.

Alan Hardisty

Oh well - not what I was hoping for.

Do you see their .OST file in their profile?

If so - how big is it?

KMDComp

ASKER

1.2 GB

KMDComp

ASKER

Is there a way to create a new account and change the SID? His old one is listed on the security tab of his folders or is that not what it looks like/not possible?

Alan Hardisty

Well - as raremind has suggested, you could use a backup of AD to restore the deleted account, or you could get the .OST file converted to a .PST file. That would seem to be the easiest approach right now.

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Alan Hardisty

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KMDComp

ASKER

Thanks for all the help guys. I might give the DS recovery mode a shot this weekend when I can take the DC down for awhile or I might try restoring an old backup that should still have his account on it as a VM.

If that doesn't work, I'll just bite the bullet and pay for the converter software. Either way, I learned a lot about windows profiles and user accounts today.

Alan Hardisty

No problems - be careful with DSRestore - VM would be a good option to play with.

If you know someone who has the software - they could always convert it for you to save you buying it for a one-time use.

Anyway - good luck and if you need more help - just post again.

Alan

raremind

I agree be careful, let us know how it plays out.

KMDComp

ASKER

I tried a few more agressive things to get that account working, still no go.

I downloaded some software this morning and got the file converted to a PST and found the emails I needed. $74, not too bad.

Thanks for all the help.

KMDComp

ASKER

Gave the bulk of the points to alanhardisty, since that's the solution I ended up using, but I felt that raremind's solution would have worked as well if I was dead set against spending money. Thanks guys.