Solved Outlook 2016

[AGH01]

Hi, I had to carry out a factory resect on my PC, before doing this I backed up my PST files ( running Outlook 2013), I had three, of which I now know, two are OST files. When I restored the PC, I found out windows 7 did not support the latest edition of Outlook, I downloaded Windows 10

What I didn't realise I was making directories and folders to store my e-mails on the server and also I believe my address book is stored there, I have an 800M, OST folder which I backed up. My question, how do I restore this OST file or can I recover from the server.

My PST file was easily recovered which I have made as my default.

 

[rvcjew]

The OST is the offline backup of the server, so if you can get your stuff from the live server still I would do that to let outlook rebuild its new database at this point. To use the OST you need to convert it to a PST with a 3rd party program like OST to PST Converter Tool to Convert Exchange OST to Outlook PST File

Malcolm

 

[AGH01]

Hi Malcolm, thanks for the prompt reply, do you know how I would retrieve my e-mails and files from the server.

Also on the link you provided, I see there is a free / trial version, do you know does this version allow you to recover everything from one file or is it time based

Thanks again

 

[rvcjew]

Hi Malcolm, thanks for the prompt reply, do you know how I would retrieve my e-mails and files from the server.

Also on the link you provided, I see there is a free / trial version, do you know does this version allow you to recover everything from one file or is it time based

Thanks again

The trial seems to let you get 25 things out of it only and paid is all of it. Are you using imap, or exchange for your email it self?

 

[AGH01]

Hi Malcolm, I'm using POP3

 

[rvcjew]

Does your email have a web interface and does it still have the old messages in it?

 

[Ranger4]

You will also have to use the exactly the same user name & password that you used in the old Outlook program.

 

[AGH01]

Hi, accessed my web mail, it has old folders, but for some reason only about 10% of my contacts. Do you know if you can export the folders back to my outlook account?

 

[Ranger4]

Do you still have your old Outlook 2013 .pst files. If so you should be able to import your Address Book to Outlook 2016.

In Outlook 2013, you can do that by selecting File, then Open & Export, then select Import/Export, then select Import from another Program or File, click Next & then select Outlook Data File (.pst). Click Next & them click on Browse to find your old Outlook Data Files, then select which Option you want & then click Next.

The above info is for Outlook 2013, so I don't know if it will work for Outlook 2016, but it should so give it a try.

 

[AGH01]

Hi, Before I did a factory reset, I backed up three Files which I thought where PST. I subsequently found only one was a PST file and the other two were OST. I have since out one of the OST files was my I-Cloud account and it has successfully come across. The file I want where I believe my Address / contact directory is on the other OST file. However, Malcolm who had initially replied asked me to check via Web Mail if the emails I had set up along with folders was there .

They were present and in tact, but my address book only had a fraction of what should be there. Would you have any idea where it would be "hiding" ?

 

[rvcjew]

The contacts should be in that .pst you have that you backed up, if you just click on that .pst when outlook is closed does it open it? EDIT: It looks like you can import your .pst then tell that account to use your old .ost as its datafile. If you already have made your new .pst hit file, import/export, choose import from program and pick your .pst with the contacts in it.(whoops Ranger already covered this my bad)
https://support.office.com/en-us/ar...ta-files-0996ece3-57c6-49bc-977b-0d1892e2aacc

 

[AGH01]

Hi Ranger 4, Yes I was able to find my only PST file and successfully import it. All folders came across in to Outlook 2016. However when I set up outlook 2013 ( POP 3), I created another set of folders, different from the ones that are on the PST file. I believe they are on the OST file which I also copied. When I go on to Webmail I can see this set of folders which are on the server, however only 10% of my Addresses / contacts are on the server. I have checked the PST folder and there are no addresses stored in the address book. When I try yo open the PST file when Outlook is closed, I get a message, "data file can only be opened from within Outlook"

Thanks for your response

 

[Ranger4]

The .pst files can only be opened in Outlook.

Are you using Outlook 2013 & Outlook 2016 on the one computer?. Only one version of Outlook will work. Having 2 versions on the one computer will cause problems.

This MS website might help explain .pst & .ost files for you.

https://support.office.com/en-us/ar...-and-ost-222eaf92-a995-45d9-bde2-f331f60e2790

 

[AGH01]

Hi, I only have Outlook 2016 installed, my PST file was created from Outlook 2013. The document you highlighted explains the difference between OST and PST, however what I don't understand is that when I created my Outlook account in 2013, I used POP 3 and again this time I used POP 3 but on this occasion I pointed my account to the PST file that had been created. What I don't understand is that I have a 2GB OST file which I know contains my folders which I can see on Webmail. Do you know where my Contacts address book would be?

 

[Ranger4]

What I think has happened is that you set a new email account in Outlook 2016, rather that importing your old .pst files from Outlook 2013. So when you imported those files into 2016 it has copied your folder set up from 2013, so you now have some duplicated folders.

Your contact address book should have been in the Outlook Files folder on your old Outlook 2013, in your Documents Library.

Are you sure you copied all the files in your old Outlook Data folder. All email accounts should be in that folder as well as your Address Book. It seems that you may have lost your Address Book somewhere along the way.

I don't know how to get files back from the email server, but you could try phoning your email provider to see if they can help you.

 

[AGH01]

Thanks Ranger 4 for all your help and all who responded to my query. I think I have lost my address book, and I'm now in the process of manually making a new one.

Its unfortunate, I have a 2GB OST file which a made a back-up but cant read.

 

[Ranger4]

Thanks for getting back & updating things. Did you try contacting your email provider to see if they could help with getting back your address book.

 

[AGH01]

Hi, I went on to my web mail, I could see all the folders and e-mails I wanted and found they could be exported back to my PC, however the address book had only a fraction of the addresses I initially had. I felt it was easier to make a new address book and manually type in each contact. However, I'm still at a loss why MS store the OST file on your PC and don't allow you to read it or import it.

I just hope I have setup my Outlook 2016 account correctly as my 7 year old PC is now on its last legs and I know within the next 12 months I will be looking for a replacement. When configuring Outlook, I pointed the account at the PST file I had backed-up.

 

[Ranger4]

Now that you have Outlook 2016 set up, you could check to see what is in the Outlook 2016 Data Folder. This folder should be in your Documents Library & named Outlook Files.

If you open this & Right Click individually on each item & select Properties it will tell you if it is a .pst file. On my Outlook 2013 all the files in my Outlook Files are .pst files & that includes the Address Book. You cannot open these files from here but you can check on their properties.

 

[AGH01]

Hi Ranger4 , apologies for the delay in responding, I was away for a short break. I have checked where the file is located and it is a PST file, so it looks like I have set it up Outlook correctly this time.

Once again thanks for your help.