The OST file works like a replica of the exchange sever mailbox user account in the absence of a dedicated network connection. Therefore, during server downtime, the sent or received messages or the changes done to the mailbox items are stored in the OST file instead of the Exchange Server. Upon re-establishment of the network connection, data synchronization between the OST file and Exchange Server takes place and all the changes are replicated in the exchange mailbox account. However, it may also happen that data synchronization process is severed completely, in which case, the local email client is not able to access the offline work.
Such situation arises during permanent server downtime, corruption of Exchange Server database or deleted/ disabled user account in the server and the OST files are termed as orphaned. In such cases, to access the offline work, OST file repair tools like Kernel for OST to PST Conversion are used. These tools are also used to recover OST data during OST corruption. The basic mechanism of these OST files repairs tools are that the corrupt or orphaned OST files are converted into PST file format. Once these are converted to PST files, users are able to aces them from the local email client like /MS Outlook. Hence, every mailbox items be it the mails, contacts, address book, notes, tasks, journal or distribution list, can be easily recovered using OST file repair tools.
Upon conversion to PST file format, the mailbox items can be viewed through MS Outlook without any alteration to the properties, metadata or format of the original OST files. Kernel for OST to PST conversion tool recovers mails in html, plain text or rtf format and provides options to save them as PST, MSG, EML and DBX file format so that users can access the OST file contents through both MS Outlook and Outlook Express email client.