How to Easily Recover Data From Orphaned OST File

Organizations need a collaborative communication environment. For this, MS Exchange Server and MS Outlook work in conjunction. Meanwhile, some users might be working off-site where the connectivity with the company's Exchange Server cannot be established; MS Outlook has the capability to work in Cached Exchange Mode.

The Cached Exchange mode or Offline mode in Outlook generates a replica of the Exchange Server maibox onto the local system and performs the tasks on the local drive. This is possible with the support of OST files. In order to send and receive new emails, and to update the Server mailbox with all the offline work synchronization is done among the Exchange Server and MS Outlook.

Even Exchange Server administrators face circumstances like unintentionally deleting the mailbox or replacing the user Outlook account. In such situation user discover that the Outlook OST file is no longer usable and it becomes orphaned. Have look on some other reasons for orphaned OST file:

1. Hard drive failures at Exchange Server side may corrupt its database and makes corresponding OST files stored in it as orphaned

2. By chance if you unintentionally change MAPI or domain setting in Outlook, then the corresponding OST file become orphaned

3. The Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) and your Outlook profile comprise an encryption key, which aids at the time of synchronizing OST file with Exchange Server. If this encryption key is lost from both MAPI and mailbox, then OST file synchronization fails. In such situations, the OST files become orphaned.

This synchronization can also be unsuccessful at times in lieu of unexpected issues such as attack by a virus or malicious software, sudden system shutdown, improper Outlook termination or poor network connection. Failed or flawed synchronization will make the OST file orphaned.

Furthermore, accidental deletion of Exchange Server mailbox or any alteration to the Exchange profile will render the Outlook OST file as orphaned. An orphaned OST file turns into unusable causing loss of important data such as important emails, contacts and appointments.

Possible solutions:

1. One can even recreate the synchronization between your Outlook OST file and Microsoft Exchange Server in order to make orphaned OST files into a functioning one within two steps as follows:

·         
      Connecting the Outlook with original MAPI

·         2. Connecting that MAPI address to original Microsoft Exchange Server

This manual method of recreating synchronization between the OST file with Server is possible, only if you have unique MAPI address. If you fail to find out original MAPI address, then don’t worry!!! You can successfully convert orphaned OST file to healthy PST file in order to save your valued Outlook account files and folders using third party OST to PST Converter application. By converting OST to PST the software will scan the OST file in question and recover all the items into a usable and Outlook importable PST file