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OST to PST Converter

Our top expert tips for a smooth and successful OST to PST conversion

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Microsoft Outlook has around 400 million users worldwide. It is so well-known that you probably
recognize its interface even if you don’t use it daily. While many people are familiar with
Outlook.com, we will focus here on the desktop version, which many professionals use to
manage emails, calendars, and contacts.

One key aspect of using Outlook is understanding and managing OST and PST files. These file
types serve different purposes. Note that knowing when and why to convert an OST file to a
PST file can make a big difference! In this blog, we will explain what OST and PST files are,
why you might need to convert them, and how to do it smoothly and effectively.

What are OST and PST files?

When you use Microsoft Outlook to manage your emails, calendars, and contacts, your data is
stored in files on your computer. The most common types of these files are OST and PST files.
OST files are used when you use Outlook with an exchange server, a type of email server often
used in businesses. Search files allow you to work with your email and other data even when
you are not connected to the Internet. For example, you can still access your emails if you are
working offline or traveling. Whatever changes you make will automatically sync with the server
the next time you are online.

PST files are used to store your data locally on your desktop. They are commonly used for
POP3 and IMAP email accounts and also for archiving old emails. Search files also allow you to
keep a backup of your emails, contacts, calendar entries, and other valuable Outlook data.
Moreover, you can manually create PST files to archive older emails or to transfer data from
one computer to another.
You can call PST the predecessor of OST.

Why is it important to convert OST to PST file?

Converting OST to PST has been a buzzword across the web, but you need to know why it is so
important.

Here are some situations where turning an OST file into a PST file is essential:

  1. Backing up data : As you already know, PST files serve as a backup for your emails and other Outlook data. When you convert an OST file into a PST one, you create a local copy of the data that you can store securely. This is highly beneficial if you want to protect your data from potential issues with the server or if you are transitioning between email systems.
  2. Server maintenance: If you regularly maintain the exchange server, it might temporarily restrict access to your mailbox data. In this case, you need to convert the OST file to PST to provide offline access to your mail during this downtime.
  3. Job change : When you switch to a new job or client, your old OST file, which was linked to the previous organization exchange server, becomes accessible online. Therefore, you need to convert the OST file to PST format to use your old mailbox data at your new job.
  4. Archiving old emails: If you want to archive older emails stored in your OST file, you must convert them to PST format. This conversion lets you store and manage your email separately from your current exchange account. Therefore, you can effectively organize your data and free up space on the
    server.
  5. Data recovery : If you accidentally delete emails from an OST file, you can easily recover them by downloading a new OST file from the server. However, if the data is also OST from the server, the only option is to convert those OST files to PST to recover deleted items. There are many specialized recovery tools for this.
  6. Corrupt files : OST files can become corrupted due to various issues, such as viruses, software errors, or hardware failures. If the corruption is severe and standard repairs don’t work, then the only solution is to convert the OST file to PST format.

Top Expert tips for a smooth and successful OST to PST Conversion

Here are some tips that help you convert OST to PST files in a smooth way.

  1. You must always create a backup of your OST file before starting the conversion.
  2. Next, always choose a well-reviewed and trustworthy OST to PST conversion tool.
  3. If you find any corruption in your OST file while using the Outlook repair tool, repair the
    issue before conversion.
  4. Make sure the conversion matches your conversion of Outlook and OST files.
  5. You must carefully follow the instructions provided by the conversion tool to avoid any
    mishaps.
  6. After conversion, open the PST file in Outlook to check that all your data is intact.
  7. Now, arrange your data in the case file to make it easy to manage and find.
  8. You must protect the PST file with encryption and strong passwords.
  9. Don’t forget to use encryption code and a strong password to protect the PST file.
  10. Remember to back up your PST file to avoid data loss, no matter how busy you are.

What is the best method of OST to PST conversion?

When it comes to converting OST files to PST, the Goldytools OST to PST Converter comes first due to its unique features, as mentioned below.

  1. Handles large and encrypted files : Goldy converter efficiently manages large OST files, including encrypted ones. Therefore, it can handle different file sizes and security levels for Outlook versions from 2000 to 2019.
  2. Extracts all mailbox items : You can easily extract every item from your mailbox, like emails, attachments, contacts, notes, calendars, tasks, and journals. Additionally, the tool allows for the recovery of deleted items so that nothing important is lost.
  3. Free initial conversion : The tool lets you convert the first 20 emails for every folder free of cost.
  4. Multiple formats : The Goldy tool supports multiple formats for converting OST files into PST, EML, or MSG formats.
  5. Best for large files : The tool can handle big OST files efficiently so that your data is converted accurately without crashing.
  6. Split large PST files : If your PST files are too large, the Goldy tool can help you split them into smaller parts. Thus, it avoids corruption and keeps data organized.

Conclusion

Converting OST files to PST can be super beneficial for keeping your data safe, solving server
issues, or recovering lost information. And you can’t do that effectively without a professional
converter tool. Goldytools OST to PST converter is always a win-win option. It has amazing
features and budget-friendly options.

OST to PST Converter

Common Issues Faced During OST to PST Conversion

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OST to PST conversion is a common process for users who work offline and require Outlook
data or who want to shift from one system to another. OST (Offline Storage Table) files enable
users to do their work while disconnected from the Exchange server, and when the user gets
connected, all the changes made are then synchronized with the server.

However, these files are often corrupted and have certain problems, which is why it is
necessary to import them to PST (Personal Storage Table) files to work with them more
effectively.

Although the process of conversion appears to be quite simple, users are faced with a number
of issues. This article describes the problems that may be encountered during OST to PST
conversion and the ways to solve them.

Common Issues Faced During OST to PST Conversion

While you may face many problems while converting from OST to PST but the most common
ones are as follows:

Corrupted OST Files

Among all the issues that are generally faced during the OST to PST conversion, file corruption
is one of the most common issues. OST files can get damaged for a number of reasons, such
as power failure, system shutdown, network crash, or virus attack. OST files are read-only files,
and when they become corrupted, they become non-readable and cannot be converted to PST
files.

Large OST File Size

Another common problem that some users face is the size of OST files, which are usually large.
When using emails, attachments, and other data, users tend to store more data in OST files,
making the file larger. When working with large OST files, there are high chances that the OST
files become corrupt and the conversion rate is slower or may not happen at all. Also, if an
attempt is made to convert a huge OST file to PST, it may cross the PST size limitations if
Outlook is not updated.

Compatibility Issues

One of the challenges that can occur when converting OST files to PST is compatibility
problems that may arise with different versions of Outlook or Exchange Server. An OST file
created in one version of Outlook may not be compatible with another version of Outlook, which
leads to errors during conversion. Also, third-party tools for the conversion may not support all
versions of OST files, making the process even more challenging.

Password-Protected OST Files

At other times, OST files may be encrypted or even password-protected in order to improve
security further. While this adds an extra layer of protection, it can also lead to issues during
conversion. As it has been noted, the OST file can only be exported to the PST format with the
help of a password or decryption key.

Incomplete Data Conversion

One more problem that users come across is partial data conversion. In the course of the OST
to PST conversion, certain items may not be converted or may be skipped due to their
enormous size or because of OST file damage. This can lead to the loss of emails, contacts,
calendar entries, or any other data in the PST file, making the file to be incomplete.

How to Resolve Common OST to PST Conversion Issues

Repair Corrupted OST Files

For the solution to the problem of OST files, there is a built-in Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair
Tool known as Scanpst.exe. This tool can fix small corruptions in OST files so that they can be
migrated to PST files. However, if the OST file is severely corrupted, then the best way is to use
OST recovery software that can fix the OST file and retrieve the data.

Split Large OST Files

A large OST file size may be a problem; if so, then the OST file should be divided into several
parts before conversion. Some of the third-party OST to PST conversion tools provide an option
for splitting large OST files into small PST files.

This not only prevents corruption but also makes the conversion process less complicated. In
this case, the users can categorize old emails and attachments and move them to the archive to
minimize the size of the OST file.

Ensure Compatibility

The compatibility of the Outlook or Exchange server version should be the same as the one that
was used to create the OST file. If this is not possible, make sure that the OST to PST converter
you are using is compatible with multiple versions of Outlook as well as Exchange Server.

There are some tools available in the market that are compatible and can convert OST files
from one version to another version without losing any data.

Unlock Password-Protected OST Files

If the OST file is password protected, then the user has to remove the password for the
conversion process.

This can be done in the following way:

  1. Entering the correct password if one is remembered
  2. Using password recovery if the password is forgotten.

Some of the OST to PST conversion tools also come with features that enable them to delete
or even ignore passwords.

Auto Archive Setting

Outlook email client provides the facility of archiving data options to save the OST mailbox
folders in PST file format. It can export all the items of the OST mailbox to PST format. This
feature does not create a backup of contacts, but you can transfer other items in the mailbox.
The correct procedure is as follows:

  1. Firstly, make sure that your Microsoft Outlook application is opened.
  2. In the case of MS Word, go to the “File” tab and then the “Archive” tab.Microsoft Outlook application
  3. Now select the file/folder that needs to be archived.
  4. Navigate for the location to save the archived file.
    save the archived file
  5. Finally, click Finish, and your resultant file will be saved in the location on your PC you
    selected at the start.process is finished

Use Professional Conversion Tools

In order to gain complete conversion of all the data, it is recommended to use professional OST
to PST migration tools like the Goldy Tools OST to PST Converter.

This tool has been developed to address some of the challenges that are common with the
software, such as corruption, large file sizes, and compatibility. It can also import all emails,
including those in the OST files, contacts, calendar events, and even attachments, without any
loss of data.

Conclusion

Conversing OST to PST is a very necessary process for many users, but it is not without its
problems. Some of the issues that the users may encounter include file corruption, compatibility
problems, and much more.

By using the ways mentioned above or trying easy and advanced Goldy Tools’ OST to PST
converter, all these problems can be easily solved, and thus, OST to PST migration becomes
successful.