Missing All Emails Before a Certain date!!!

[KornFuse]

Hello

Im in a soup!

I pulled back a user's PC to re-image it. While configuring Outlook Standard 2003 on the fresh image, for 'Deliver New Email To The Following Location' I selected the option 'Mailbox - <Username>'.

Earlier, the this option was set to Personal Folders.

After changing that option all of the user's emails prior to the re-configuring of Outlook did not show up and only emails coming in after that were showing up in the inbox. User is receiving all incoming emails fine now, BUT is not able to see old messages.

I could not even save any PST files before reimaging the machine!!!

Is there a way to get back all the old emails from the Exchange System Manager? PLEASE HELP!

System Config: MS Exchange 2003 running on Win 2k3 server.

 

[Fatboy0341]

So - where are the Personal Folders (where former mail was delivered to) located? Locally on the machine or on a network share?

If you didn't actually open the pst containing all their former mail - none of it wold show up...so you need to open that pst file.

From the main screen in Outlook click - "File" > "Open" > "Outlook Data File" and then browse to the pst location (By default pst files are created in C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook). When you locate it - double-click on the pst file and it will open in their Outlook Folder List.

If the Personal Folders were located on the PC and you didn't back that file up before imaging - there is no way to retrieve them short of having someone do forensic recovery on the hard drive.

Hope this helps...



"He who laughs last probably made a backup. He who laughs loudest probably hasn't checked his backups in a while."

 

[KornFuse]

Thank you for the insight and prompt response.

UNFORTUNATELY, I think his outlook was set up to deliver his emails to his Personal Folder and NOT Mailbox-<username>. (dont know for sure cuz i did not set up Outlook for him)

But the funny thing is that while his primary PC was being reimaged he was using a temporary PC. He claims that he was able to see all the email in his Inbox just fine (while I was reimaging his primary one).

It is ONLY AFTER I reimaged his primary PC and set up the new Outlook to Deliver mail to the Mailbox-username, at THAT point in time he came to me and said...im getting email msgs but i dont see any of my previous emails!!!

How is this possible???

 

[johng75]

i dont know how long you will be able to recover, but logon to OWA and in the options tab, at the bottom there is a recovery option.....hopefully it will help you recover atleast some of the gone email




Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention
of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body,
but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up,
totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

--"WOW-- What a Ride!"

 

[KornFuse]

Hi johng

Wasnt quite sure what OWA meant!? let me know. thnx.

 

[Zelandakh]

outlook web access - internet explorer to yourmailserver/exchange and log in.

 

[Fatboy0341]

If he was able to see all that email while logged on to a different PC then that mail is either:

1) Stored somewhere on the exchange server
2) In a pst file on a network share and someone set his Outlook profile on the temp PC to open it.

Changing the location of delivery of new mail messages does not delete messages located in the former delivery location.

The ONLY way these emails are gone is if they were in a pst on the original PC and were not backed up before the systemn was imaged OR if someone deliberately deleted all the messages.



"He who laughs last probably made a backup. He who laughs loudest probably hasn't checked his backups in a while."