Summary: Since critical mailbox information is saved within Outlook OST and PST files, many users make use of encryption to safeguard their data stored within these files. However, encrypting these data files makes information recovery from them a challenge. So how can users perform deleted email recovery from encrypted OST/PST files if they delete the mails?
Microsoft Outlook is one of the most popular means of email application that is used by clients all across the world for business purposes. The Microsoft Outlook application serves as a personal manager that helps organize the data and files in an efficient manner. It is known to make use of OST and PST files as its major data repositories. Both these data files are known to be storehouses containing the entire data and files of the user’s mailbox including emails, tasks, contacts, calendar entries, and journals, etc.
What if a user loses mailbox items of encrypted OST/PST or the file gets damaged?
Microsoft’s inbuilt Inbox Repair Utility (ScanPST.exe) can fix normal data corruption issues, they may not be effective in case the file damage is severe. As such, the users should look forward to deleted items from Outlook PST or OST files by using advanced techniques. Let us explore a few methods here.
How to recover deleted items from encrypted OST/PST files?
To recover deleted items from an OST or PST file, follow these steps:
Step 1: Locate & Backup the PST
To do so, first shutdown the Outlook application. Thereafter, locate the respective PST or OST files and take their backup.
Step 2: Open the file with a HEX editor & corrupt it manually
Next, open the particular file with the HEX editor. You can use a freeware like HxD for the purpose. It comes with the portable version. After opening the file, follow the below mentioned steps:
- Delete the 7th position through the 13th position with the help of the space bar. In the given HxD (Hexa-Decimal) system, the process aims at deleting 13 characters at the positions including 00007 through 00009, 0000a through 0000f, 00010 through 00013.
- Alternatively, you can commence with the value beginning from 07 to the succeeding 13 values. Now, go to the option “Go to” -> “Edit” -> “File Selection” -> “OK.”
- This action will help in replacing the values to 00.
- Once you have cleared the respective operations, you can now save the files. Now, you will have a corrupted file.
Step 3: Now scan the file with Inbox Repair Utility
Once you have a corrupted encrypted file, try using Microsoft’s Inbox Repair Utility to repair it. In this case PST file, this utility will be ScanPST.exe. Locate the executable file in Outlook’s installation directory and launch it by double-clicking. Thereafter, follow the instructions it presents.
If the Inbox Repair Utility is unable to repair the corrupted file, you don’t need to panic. Just download and use commercial PST/OST deleted email recovery software from encrypted PST like Stellar Toolkit for Outlook. The advanced application helps eradicate all sorts of errors and corruptions from damaged OST and PST files and makes them usable again. The software comes packed with a ton of helpful features and a fully interactive GUI to assist users to fight data corruption in the best possible manner. In addition to repairing corrupt OST/PST files, the software also helps recover deleted items from them and restore them to a working data file.
Step 4: Create a new Outlook Profile
Once you have a repaired OST/PST file, you can proceed with creating a new Outlook profile. Make sure that your IMAP is working properly and synced accordingly. Verify the overall flow of the emails. After this, open the repaired files (you are not required to import the files). Copy the mail from one inbox to the other. Give time for syncing.
Conclusion
So that was the process of performing deleted email recovery from encrypted OST/PST files. Remember to always backup your critical data files and don’t forget your encryption passwords. In case the files get severely corrupted or you lose the passwords and the manual methods of repair don’t work, you can rely on the competent tool Stellar Toolkit for Outlook. The Microsoft Outlook Toolkit conveniently recovers data from encrypted OST/PST files and restores it to working data files which can be directly imported into Outlook to access all mailbox information. Apart from you can manage your Outlook Data File with other advanced software: Repair corrupt PST, Convert OST to PST, split and compact PST, Merge or Join multiple PST files, Remove Duplicates from MS Outlook and Recover lost password of PST file. All this are available in one software so what are you waiting for and run the demo version.
