Is your Outlook .ost file Orphaned due to Exchange Server crashes or any other reason? Struggling hard to solve this issue? If your answer is ‘Yes’ then don’t worry, then you are in the right place.

In this write-up, I will discuss what OST file orphaning issues  are, what are the reasons responsible for an orphaned .ost file, and how to convert orphaned OST to PST file using the best OST PST conversion tool.

Read further for more information…

What Is An Orphaned OST File?

An OST (Offline Storage Table) is a data file that is used by MS Outlook to store a local copy of your mailbox on an Exchange Server. Though, this allows you to access your Outlook items, such as email, calendar, attachments, contacts, etc. even when you are not connected to your email server.

However, sometimes the situation arises where the .ost file becomes orphaned or inaccessible. This typically happens when an original mailbox or the linked Exchange account is no longer accessible.

On the other hand, we can say, an orphaned .OST file is the offline Outlook file that has lost its synchronization with its equivalent Exchange server mailbox.

What Makes OST Files Orphaned?

Before proceeding to resolve this problem, it is important to know the significant reasons for the OST file orphaning issue.

Well, there are a wide variety of reasons why your OST file may become orphaned. Here, I have divided the causes into two categories:

1. Hardware reasons
2. Software reasons

Hardware Reasons

If your hardware gets damaged while storing/moving your Exchange Server databases (EDB), a data disaster occurs and the server crashes. At this point, the OST data files will be orphaned. The hardware reasons are as follows:

• Unusual Server Shutdown or Power Failure- Improperly shutting down an Exchange server while accessing the databases can lead to database corruption and leave your OST file in an orphaned state.
• Data Storage Media Failure- If your hard drive has some bad sectors & your Exchange Server database is stored in these sectors, it will cause the database to become unreadable or corrupt, resulting in OST file being orphaned.
• Malfunction of a Controller Card- When a caching controller is used with Exchange Server, any malfunction or failure will result in cached data loss & database corruption, resulting in OST file becoming orphaned.

Software Reasons

Below you can find the software reasons.

• Viruses & Malware Attack- The viruses infect and corrupt the Exchange Server databases making them unusable which also makes the Outlook OST file orphaned.
• Erase or Disable Access to a Server Mailbox- When the server admin deletes or disables the Exchange Server mailbox compared to OST file or you are denied access to the mailbox.
• Due to Human Errors- Accidental deletion of databases, mis-formatting the OS, and mis-parceling of storage device leads to the Exchange Server database being unavailable & thus the OST file is orphaned.

How to Convert Orphaned .OST to PST File?

An OST PST conversion tool, like Stellar Converter for OST can help you to convert OST to PST file successfully. This program has the ability to convert an orphaned, encrypted, or inaccessible OST file to PST, RTF, EML, MSG, PDF, & HTML formats.

Moreover, this software can easily open the OST files without an Exchange Server & extract all the mailbox items, like emails, contacts, attachments, calendars, notes, etc. with 100% integrity.

Other Important Key Features:

• Converts oversized OST file.
• Gives free preview of OST file data after the conversion
•  The program displays a preview of the mailbox items saved in the converted .OST file.
•  Multiple saving options for save the converted OST file (PST, MSG, EML, RTF, PDF and HTML
• It can export the OST file to Microsoft 365. (Technician Build only)
• Supports the Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, & older versions.
• Allows to save & load a scanned file.

So, just download & install this OST PST conversion tool on your PC and follow its user guide to convert orphaned OST to PST file:

Steps to Be Followed:

Step 1- Launch the Stellar Converter for OST. Choose Outlook OST under a Home tab. Then a popup will appear to List Profiles or Choose Manually.

Step 2- Next, you will able to see all the OST files saved at a default location in a Profile List tab. Choose the inaccessible OST file from the displayed list & click Convert.

Step 3- Once the conversion process is over, the program previews the mailbox folders & deleted items in the Left side pane. However, you have to check the preview of the mail items by clicking on them & selecting the mail items to save.

Step 4- Now, use “Find Message” option in order to search the emails using numerous search parameters, like ‘From,’ ‘To,’ ‘Subject,’ ‘Date,’ etc., & save them in a group or individually.

Step 5- Go to Home tab >> click on Save Converted File. A popup box will appear on your screen with file formats. Choose a PST file there & click Next.

Step 6- At this time, click on the Browse option to select the location to save the file & then select/unselect the “Restore Deleted items” option & “Auto split PST file” option based on your requirements. You can even click on the link of Apply Advanced Filter to apply the filters >> click OK.

Step 7- Now, you will get a new popup box to select the options to include/exclude the mailbox items based on the email ID and date range.

And you are done!

How to Avoid OST File Orphaning Issue?

If you want to avoid the OST file orphaning issue, then minimize the corruption in Exchange server database by using reliable & trustworthy hardware devices.

Apart from that, it’s highly recommended to back up your Outlook mailbox data regularly. Also, ensure to install quality antivirus software for your Exchange Server system. This will help you to prevent virus & malware infections.

Time to Sum Up

An Orphaned OST file can be problematic as it contains significant data that might not be synchronized with Exchange server anymore. In such a situation, you may lose access to your contacts, email history, and other mailbox-related data. Therefore, it’s important to address this OST file orphaning issue ASAP.

By applying the solution (Stellar Converter for OST) mentioned in this post, you can easily convert OST to PST file in no time with less effort.

Furthermore, follow the precautionary tips revealed in this blog to minimize the risk of OST file orphaning situations in the future.

That’s all…