Summary: OST and .PST files perform certain functions, but users may become stuck with OST files. If Exchange Server is not available, mailbox information cannot be accessed. Exchange can also handle failures or other technical issues in any case. In this case, OST to PST conversion is the only viable option. However, the process of manually converting OST to PST is a complex activity that involves several steps. So how can you easily convert OST to PST ?
Offline or OST storage tables play an important role in saving Microsoft Exchange mailbox data to offline folders. It helps the users work offline when there is no internet connection, if connection is disconnected, or Exchange is unavailable.
It is simply a local cache of Microsoft Exchange accounts that automatically synchronizes any changes made to the Exchange server when it connects to the Internet. In the personal memory table or PST, all e-mail data such as e-mail, notes, contacts, tasks, calendars, etc. user are stored in the local system. It is used for the actual memory, not for the cache. E-mails are stored at the same level as the main entrance and are very flexible.
When OST and PST files have different roles and functions, why do users consider it necessary to manually convert OST files to PST files ? Let us find out.
Why is OST to PST Conversion Needed ?
Here are some of the main reasons why users need to convert OST to PST:
- Exchange Server Failure: If for any reason the Microsoft Exchange server crashes, or if there is a system or virus error, you will not be able to connect the Exchange server. This type of situation may affect your work / business and your Outlook profile may not work properly. Therefore, you can avoid this situation by converting OST to PST file format.
- Accidental Deletion of Exchange Server Profile: If an Exchange Server account is accidentally deleted or data is lost, you can easily restore it by converting the .ost file into .pst format.
- Data Migration: The conversion of OST to PST facilitates the transfer of data from one computer to another. This is useful for organizations planning to move data between computers.
- Maintenance Exchange Server: If a failure occurs because of Exchange server maintenance, it is important that all mailbox items are accessible. This is necessary because downtime can be very long, which can impact your business. Therefore, in these cases, it is recommended to convert the OST to PST.
- OST File Restore: Suppose you want to restore an OST file, but it contains unsaved data. In this situation, you must need to convert OST to PST mailbox.
Now that you know you requisite to convert OST to PST, let’s see how to convert OST to PST.
Instant Solution: If you need a process which will quickly convert OST to PST file format, simply visit Gael OST to PST Converter. Supports all versions of MS Outlook.
3 Ways to Manually Convert OST to PST
Import and Export Mailboxes as a .pst File
Note: For this method to work, you must connect to an Exchange server and install Outlook on the desktop or laptop.
1. First, you have to open Microsoft Outlook and click [File Menu] in the upper left corner of Outlook.
2. Then select the Open and Export option from the list.
3. Here, displayed four options. You must click on the Import / Export option.
4. A new dialog box opens and asks Select an action to perform. Hit on Export to a file, and then click Next to move further.
5. The next screen asks you to select the type of file to import. Select [Outlook Data File (.pst)], and then Press on the [Next] button to continue.
6. After that, select the folder to export. Now you have to choose file to export and click the Next tab.
7. Select an option from the Allow Duplication list, and then click Finish.
8. Once the operation is complete, a new window will open, requiring an additional password. Continue without sending and click OK. The OST file is automatically saved in PST format at the selected location.
Conversion by Using “Archive”
Note: This method requires file settings to be enabled for the OST file to be saved as a separate PST file on the system. It also retains the optimal size of the mailbox by storing the old characters in the folder.
To create a file mailbox, follow these steps:
1. You must first open Microsoft Outlook and press on the File Menu in the upper left corner of Outlook.
Press [Options] and go to [Advanced Settings].
2. Click the Automatic File Settings button on the screen.
3. Enter the number of days here to start organizing the old items.
4. Then use the Browse button to enter the desired location and save compressed file. Then click OK to continue.
5. The process starts and the items in mailbox are automatically saved to a .pst file.
Drag & Drop To New PST File
1. Firstly, open your Microsoft Outlook account and create a new PST file for your Outlook profile.
2. To do this, click on New Item in the toolbar. Go to [More Items] -> Outlook Data File.
3. Enter the file name. You can also specify a password in the optional password field.
4. Click [OK] to create the PST file.
Note: Now drag all the folders from the mailbox that you want to export into the created PST file. Note that you cannot drag inboxes and contacts into PST files. To do this, you must copy the OST folder to the PST file.
OST to PST Conversion Software – Highly Recommended
The different manual methods for converting OST to PST have the following disadvantages, some of them are:
1. Manual Method is slow as compared to automated solution.
2. Associated with the risk of data loss
3. There is even more chances for human error.
To overcome these disadvantages, we recommend using the automatic OST to PST conversion method.
Gael Converter for OST to PST is an advanced software allowing conversion between OST and PST. This makes this task quick and simple without the risk of human error.
This tool extracts all mailbox information from the OST file and converts it to an equivalent PST file. The hierarchy of the mailbox is preserved and no data is lost during the conversion procedure.
It also converts encrypted OST files and OST IMAP files without size restrictions. Also, provides free and enhanced overviews of emails, calendars, and other items in the inbox.
The best part is to provide the ability to convert free 25 OST data items into PST folder. See this link for more details.
Final Words
Converting OST to PST is necessary to avoid workplace barriers and performance due to Exchange Server failures or downtime.
Some manual methods can help you convert OST files to PST files, but they are not expensive, but there are some limitations. For example, you can manually convert OST to PST only if you are using Microsoft Outlook with the original Exchange account. In addition, these manual methods take a long time to convert the OST file and are not suitable for batch conversion.
Professional method that converts OST files into PST files with faster execution, full functionality (multi-format output, batch conversion, etc.), no errors, and more transparent overall experience. The software can also be downloaded and evaluated for free.
