Access Offline Folders Outlook 2001 without the "old" server settings

[Augusto needs MPV help!]

I have a Offline Folders file (propably compressed) generated in
Outlook 2001 for Mac connected to our old Server. Server crashed and
can't be restored. Now the user of this Mac (Powerbook G4, OS X Tiger)
opened his outlook (offline) and erased the old server
settings...........

Whoops we can't access the file anymore.
Does Anybody knows a workaround?

It's a known problem/bug/failure of Outlook 2001, I have found a lot of
solutions for the PC on the net.

Greets, Augusto

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

I have a Offline Folders file (propably compressed) generated in
Outlook 2001 for Mac connected to our old Server. Server crashed and
can't be restored. Now the user of this Mac (Powerbook G4, OS X Tiger)
opened his outlook (offline) and erased the old server
settings...........

Is it a PST ?? If yes, you could use the PST importer for Entourage:
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx?pid=download&location=/mac/d
ownload/office2004/pstimport.xml&secid=4&ssid=15&flgnosysreq=True

Corentin

 

[Augusto needs MPV help!]

Dear Corentin,

On my Mac there is no extension (I can't discover it) but the file is
called: Offline Folders.
If I compare it to the PC naming protocol it looks like a *.ost file.
What suprise me I can't find anywere any information what the format is
of an OffLine Folders File.

So the above PST importer doesn't work. If I have read the information
right, it's a solution for Entourage 2004, I have installed Entourage
X. Can I run this import utility also under X or do I have to install
Entourage 2004? Maybe that makes it impossible to run okay. If
necessary I can install Entourage 2004.

But like mentioned above, I'm still afraid that my file is a ost file
and NOT a pst, then the importer will not work anayway.

My knowledge is limited about this subject, but it looks like that
there is a sort "header" in my file that revers still to the old
server. Can't I open this file with a certian kind of program and
alter/delete this info, so that it can be opened or connected to my new
server or offline (with a hexeditor or something else)?

Augusto

 

[Augusto needs MPV help!]

Dear Corentin,
On my Mac there is no extension (I can't discover it) but the file is
called: Offline Folders.
If I compare it to the PC naming protocol it looks like a *.ost file.
What suprise me I can't find anywere any information what the format is

of an OffLine Folders File.

So the above PST importer doesn't work. If I have read the information
right, it's a solution for Entourage 2004, I have installed Entourage
X. Can I run this import utility also under X or do I have to install
Entourage 2004? Maybe that makes it impossible to run okay. If
necessary I can install Entourage 2004.

But like mentioned above, I'm still afraid that my file is a ost file
and NOT a pst, then the importer will not work anayway.

My knowledge is limited about this subject, but it looks like that
there is a sort "header" in my file that revers still to the old
server. Can't I open this file with a certian kind of program and
alter/delete this info, so that it can be opened or connected to my new

server or offline (with a hexeditor or something else)?

Augusto

 

[Augusto needs MPV help!]

Dear Corentin,
On my Mac there is no extension (I can't discover it) but the file is
called: Offline Folders.
If I compare it to the PC naming protocol it looks like a *.ost file.
What suprise me I can't find anywere any information what the format is

of an OffLine Folders File.

So the above PST importer doesn't work. If I have read the information
right, it's a solution for Entourage 2004, I have installed Entourage
X. Can I run this import utility also under X or do I have to install
Entourage 2004? Maybe that makes it impossible to run okay. If
necessary I can install Entourage 2004.

But like mentioned above, I'm still afraid that my file is a ost file
and NOT a pst, then the importer will not work anayway.

My knowledge is limited about this subject, but it looks like that
there is a sort "header" in my file that revers still to the old
server. Can't I open this file with a certian kind of program and
alter/delete this info, so that it can be opened or connected to my new

server or offline (with a hexeditor or something else)?

Augusto

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Dear Corentin,

Hi Augusto,

On my Mac there is no extension (I can't discover it) but the file is
called: Offline Folders.
If I compare it to the PC naming protocol it looks like a *.ost file.
What suprise me I can't find anywere any information what the format is

of an OffLine Folders File.

I really don;t know how Outlook 2001 stores this data, but you can
always try the .PST importer tool. The worst that could happen would be
that the impoirter fails to get anything out of it.

So the above PST importer doesn't work.

You mean you have tried it and it didn't work or you believe it
shouldn't ?? On WIndows, Outlook stores all the e-mails in PST stores
(as far as I can tell).

If I have read the information
right, it's a solution for Entourage 2004, I have installed Entourage
X. Can I run this import utility also under X or do I have to install
Entourage 2004? Maybe that makes it impossible to run okay. If
necessary I can install Entourage 2004.

Ouchhhhhh, that might be a good reason why the importer didn't work...
It definitively needs ENtourage 2004. I suspect it would even work with
the trial version.

But like mentioned above, I'm still afraid that my file is a ost file
and NOT a pst, then the importer will not work anayway.

OST is Offline Folder File. It *might* have a similar structure as the
PSTs. In any case, it's some kind of cache file and not really designed
to be some kind of an archive for your e-mails.

My knowledge is limited about this subject, but it looks like that
there is a sort "header" in my file that revers still to the old
server. Can't I open this file with a certian kind of program and
alter/delete this info, so that it can be opened or connected to my new

server or offline (with a hexeditor or something else)?

Well, what if you simply unplug your access to the internet (ethernet
cable, AirPort...), and then launch the software... Does it let you
access the e-mails?? If it does, you'd be much better of saving them all
in a PST...

Corentin

 

[Augusto needs MPV help!]

Dear Corentin (and other readers),

All solutions till now didn't work out. I had also contact with some
other people, but there is still not any answer that solved the
problem. I will leave this post open just out of curiousity, if
somebody knows a workaroud (if it exists), please reply, it can help
others then (and I will test it).

We have found an "old" Mac with the "old" exchange settings. When we
loaded the Offline Folders file we could open it, offline (we were very
very lucky). this Mac was before connected to the same "old" server and
had he same account settings. Although it was not connected to that old
server (but before it had) the exchange settings are/were still valid
(you have to connect at least once, to validate) But if somebody
doesn't have that luxury, it looks like that he/she "lost" his
information (although the file, with all the info, is still there).

Thank you very much for your help.

Greets, Augusto

PS Hereby I send my Warm "@#4}!" to MS.

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

All solutions till now didn't work out. I had also contact with some
other people, but there is still not any answer that solved the
problem. I will leave this post open just out of curiousity, if
somebody knows a workaroud (if it exists), please reply, it can help
others then (and I will test it).

OK, I installed Outlook 2001 on my Mac and tried to play around with it.
By launching the app and not-entering my password, I was presented the
option to work offline. Can you do that ?? Can you access the data
offline ?? If you can, you can move it to a PST as I mentioned before.

Corentin