PST and OST files are data files that store Outlook data such as emails, contacts, calendars, appointments etc. PST files are used with POP accounts whereas OST files are used when you use an Outlook Exchange account or Office 365. OST files are mainly used if you want to work offline or in the cached exchange mode.
Working offline means you can work with Outlook even without an internet connection by means of an OST file. For instance, you can read and type email messages in offline mode, but the messages will be sent after you connect to the internet. Also note that as and when you’re connected to the internet, the OST files get updated with data on the server and remains in sync.
If these files get corrupt or damaged, you may have trouble using Outlook or accessing your account. In such cases, you will need to repair the OST file or get a new copy of the file.
Since these OST files are a replica of data on the mail server, you can easily get a new copy of the file at any time. So, let us now see the steps to create an OST file.
Steps to re-create an OST file
- Open Outlook
- Select File menu > Info
- Click on Account Settings > Account Settings
- In the Email tab, select Microsoft Exchange and click on Change
- Clear the checkbox next to Use Cached Exchange Mode
- Select More Settings and on the Advanced tab, click Offline Folder File Settings
- Select Disable Offline Settings and click on Yes in the dialogue box that opens
- Click on Offline Folder File Settings again and click Ok and then click Yes in the dialogue box
- Select the checkbox next to Use Cached Exchange Mode under Cached Exchange Mode Settings
- Click Ok and then click Finish
This will create a new OST file and you should be able to use Outlook without issues.
The automated way to repair OST file
However, if you don’t want to go through the hassle of the manual process described above, which can be risky and time-consuming, you can easily repair your OST file using Remo OST to PST converter. Once the file is converted to PST, it can be imported into Outlook and all attributes such as emails, calendars, appointments etc. can be recovered.
Remo OST to PST converter can be used to repair corrupt, inaccessible or damaged OST files. The software uses a read mechanism, so the original content and structure of the file remain unaltered after conversion.
The software is compatible with all versions of Microsoft Exchange from 5.0, 5.5 to 2016 versions.
When is the conversion from OST to PST helpful?
- When your OST file is corrupt or damaged, you can easily repair the file by converting it to PST.
OST files don’t allow import options, so you can convert the OST file to a PST and import all Outlook items such as emails and contacts easily