Re: Is it possible to recover recently deleted emails from an Outlook PST file?

From: Craig Earnshaw (Craig.Earnshawat_private)
Date: Thu Nov 14 2002 - 01:48:14 PST

  • Next message: Rod Hauser: "Re: 2 data recovery questions"

    Yes.
    
    A PST file works in a similar way to a database - when a message is 
    deleted it is only flagged up as having been deleted, and is therefore 
    not shown to the user.  The message is only truly deleted from within 
    the PST file when either a) another message overwrites it, or b) when 
    the user compacts the mailbox.
    
    In order to recover deleted messages from a PST file you need to do the 
    following:
    
    1) Make a backup copy of the PST file being examined.
    2) Using a hex editor that you are familiar with replace bytes 7 to 13 
    of the PST file with FF (they're usually set to 00).
    3) Run a tool called "scanpst", which is usually resident in C:\Program 
    Files\Common Files\System\Mapi\1033 on a windows box.  It might not be 
    in this directory, but should be installed by default.
    4) Open the PST file and any recovered messages should have been recovered.
    
    Please note - it doesn't always work.
    
    Best of luck.
    
    Craig G Earnshaw
    Head of Forensic Computing Services
    Lee & Allen Consulting Limited
    London - New York - Hong Kong
    
    Carlos Capmany wrote:
    
    > 
    >-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
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    >
    >Hi, 
    >
    >Does anybody know whether Outlook does actually keep inside the PST
    >file the contents of a deleted email, as long as it is not
    >overwritten by a new one (ie, in the fashion of what happens with the
    >contents of a deleted file in a FAT partition)?
    >
    >Thanks, 
    >
    >Carlos
    >
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    >
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