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Many Outlook errors are related to OST files. It happens in the latest Outlook version (2019) too. Our discussion would be about the situation where the user is not able to start or launch the Microsoft Outlook 2019 due to the “missing .ost file” error.
An Exchange account utilizes an Offline Outlook data file as a storage file on the system (where Outlook is installed) to keep a copy of the Exchange mailboxes. It allows users to access, read, and work on previously downloaded emails, contacts, etc. even without the server connection (offline). The server connection is required only to send emails and download new emails.
Note: This .ost file cannot be ported, but a new one can be created in another system just by configuring the Exchange account there.
If you are dealing with the inaccessibility of Outlook data due to error “missing .ost file,” then first know why this happens. The most common reasons for this error are:
The above issues are not the only reasons for the problem which you are facing. Still, you can troubleshoot the issue by trying different solutions.
Let us troubleshoot and fix the issue of “missing .ost file.”
Verify that the server, as well as the network connection, don’t have any issues. Also, make sure that configuration settings are correct.
If the issue has arisen after any recent hardware attachment, then check for such external hardware and remove it if not vital to your system. If any hardware requirement is there, then check for its authenticity and replace it with the new one (in case it is damaged).
Third-party add-ins can interfere with applications like Microsoft Outlook and its synchronization process. So, try to find and remove the faulty add-ins from your Outlook application.
To disable faulty add-ins in Outlook program, perform these steps in the given order.
Note: If Outlook application starts at the end of the last step, then it can be concluded that one or more add-ins were responsible for the issue, which you can track by enabling add-ins one by one and restarting the application.
We know that updates are introduced to add the latest features, services, bug fixes, etc. but some updates affect the program adversely.
It is advised to install the previous version of the program again if the Outlook error has occurred after the recent update. After the installation, rerun the Outlook application.
As we stated, one of the reasons for this issue could be corruption in the .ost file. In that case, we should repair the corrupt OST file. We can do it on our own utilizing the utility scanPST.exe.
This application scans and repairs errors in both the Outlook Data Files (.ost and .pst). It can repair minor corruption errors in the files limited to size up to 2 GB only.
The default location of this utility is – C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
And the default location of the Outlook data file is – C:\users\username\Documents\Outlook Files
Recreate OST file is another way to fix the issues with the Outlook application. The process of recreation of .ost file is like this.
We sincerely hope that these solutions will work for you, and you can now access Exchange mailboxes in Outlook with the help of .ost file.
If the methods given above fails, we would like you to try Kernel OST to PST Converter tool which can repair .ost files corrupted up to any extent. Also, it helps to recover specific data from .ost mailboxes to .pst file format. In this way, the data is always secure and can be imported to Outlook anytime. It is surely the best way to repair and recover .ost files data.
So, try this efficient and reliable OST to PST converter utility as your final solution.
Good Luck!
OST file errors are unexpected and can occur due to multiple reasons like network issues, faulty add-ins, hardware failures, unexpected shutdowns, corrupt OST and more. One such error is discussed thoroughly in this blog along with some manual solutions. A smart and reliable utility to recover .ost file data is also suggested.
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