Exchange Recovery Mode:

Microsoft Outlook 2003 and newer versions introduce a new feature called Cached Exchange Mode, which is actually an improved version of offline folders in Outlook older versions. Cached Exchange Mode provides many functions to make the synchronization and offline operations efficiently and conveniently. One of them is Exchange Recovery Mode.

When the Exchange server, database, or mailbox associating with the offline folder (.ost) file is reset, or there is an inconsistency between the Exchange mailbox and the OST file, then if you are running Outlook 2002 or older versions, or running Outlook 2003 and newer versions but have Cached Exchange Mode disabled, and choose to work online, then Outlook will create a new OST file for the new mailbox. The old OST file will not be deleted, but you cannot access the data in it. Later when the original mailbox is available again, you will be able to access the data in the old OST file, but those in the new OST file will be inaccessible again. If you need to access the data in both OST files, you need to edit the Outlook profiles manually to redirect them to the corresponding OST files, which is very inconvenient.

However, if you are using Outlook 2003 and later versions, and the Cached Exchange Mode is enabled, then you will see the following warning message when your Exchange mailbox is reset or inconsistent:

Exchange is currently in recovery mode. You can either connect to your Exchange server using the network, work offline, or cancel this logon.

which indicates Outlook and Exchange are currently in Exchange Recovery Mode.

When in Exchange Recovery Mode, you have two options:

  • Offline mode. If you select Work Offline, you can access the data in your old OST file, but not to the Exchange server. The old OST file is still accessible in offline mode.
  • Online mode. If you select Connect, you can access the Exchange server, but not to the old OST file. If you want to access data in the old OST file, you can exit Outlook and start again in Offline mode.

Thus, by selecting different options, you can access the old OST file or new mailbox on the Exchange server selectively.

In Exchange Recovery Mode, you can convert the old OST file into a PST file to migrate its data to the new Exchange mailbox.

If later the old Exchange mailbox associating with the old OST file is available again, then by selecting Connect, you will exit Exchange Recovery Mode automatically.

However, if the mailbox is unavailable permanently, or it is inconsistent with the old OST file due to the OST file corruption, then how to exit Exchange Recovery Mode and make Outlook work normally again? Below is the answer.

Exit Exchange Recovery Mode and Work Normally Again:

If the Exchange mailbox is not available for ever, or it is inconsistent with the old OST file due to file corruption, then please do as follows to exit Exchange Recovery Mode and let Outlook work normally again:

  1. Close Microsoft Outlook and any other application that may access the old OST file.
  2. Find the old OST file. You can use the Search function in Windows to search for the OST file. Or search in the predefined locations for the file.
  3. Rescue the offline data in the old OST file. The old OST file contains offline data, including the mail messages and all other items, in your old Exchange mailbox, which are vital to you. To rescue these data, you must use DataNumen Exchange Recovery to scan the old OST file, recover the data in it, and save them into an Outlook PST file so that you can access all the messages and items in Outlook easily and efficiently.
  4. Backup the old OST file. For the sake of safety, you’d better backup it.
  5. Turn off Cached Exchange Mode.5.1 Start Outlook.
    5.2 On the Tools menu, click E-Mail Accounts, click View or change existing e-mail accounts, and then click Next.
    5.3 In the Outlook processes e-mail for these accounts in the following order list, click the Exchange Server e-mail account, and then click Change.
    5.4 Under Microsoft Exchange Server, click to clear the Use Cached Exchange Mode check box.
    5.5 Exit Outlook.
  6. Rename or delete the old OST file.
  7. Turn on Cached Exchange Mode.7.1 Start Outlook.
    7.2 On the Tools menu, click E-Mail Accounts, click View or change existing e-mail accounts, and then click Next.
    7.3 In the Outlook processes e-mail for these accounts in the following order list, click the Exchange Server e-mail account, and then click Change.
    7.4 Under Microsoft Exchange Server, click to enable the Use Cached Exchange Mode check box.
    7.5 Exit Outlook.
  8. Rebuild a new OST File. Restart Outlook and make sure the settings for the new Exchange mailbox account in Outlook are correct, and Outlook can connect to your Exchange server successfully. Then send/receive your emails on the corresponding Exchange mailbox, which will let Outlook create a new offline folder file automatically and synchronize its data with the Exchange mailbox.If this method doesn’t work, then your current mail profile is incorrect, and you must delete it and create a new one, as follows:
    • 8.1 Close Microsoft Outlook.
    • 8.2 Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
    • 8.3 Click Switch to Classic View if you are using Windows XP or higher versions.
    • 8.4 Double-click Mail.
    • 8.5 In the Mail Setup dialog box, click Show Profiles.
    • 8.6 Select one of the incorrect profile in the list and click Remove to remove it.
    • 8.7 Repeat 8.6 until all incorrect profiles have been removed.
    • 8.8 Click Add to create a new profile and add email accounts according to their settings on the Exchange server.
    • 8.9 Start Outlook and re-synchronize your Exchange mailbox, you will exit Exchange Recovery Mode.
  9. Import the data recovered in step 3. After you exit Exchange Recovery Mode, keep the new OST file for the Exchange mailbox open, and then open the PST file generated in step 3 with Outlook. As it contains all the recovered data in your old OST file, you can copy required items to your new OST file as needed.

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