backup and restore Outlook 2016 OST file -- including advanced calendar options

shmu26 · 13 Jun 2016, 01:44 PM

Outlook 2016

I use it for calendar and tasks, I don't need it for email.
In my calendar I have a number of recurring events that follow a lunar calendar. This feature is supported by Outlook desktop, but not by Outlook.com online calendar.

Thus my question: how to backup and restore OST files?
Microsoft's standard answer is "you don't need to", because Outlook will resync the data as soon as you connect to your account.
But that doesn't help me , because the data I will receive by resyncing will not be good. My recurring events will fall out on the wrong day next year, because Outlook.com calendar does not support recurring events that follow an alternative calendar. It puts them on the schedule of the standard calendar.

Presently. I am storing everything in a PST file, but for various reasons, I would like to switch to OST, if I can set up an acceptable backup solution.

Any ideas?

Killer · 15 Jun 2016, 11:25 AM

Wouldn't it be just simply copy out the OST files as backup?

shmu26 · 15 Jun 2016, 01:00 PM

that is the easy part, yes.
But the hard part is that Outlook does not accept a restore or an import from an OST file.
And you can't just swap out the current OST file and replace it with your backup, because Outlook will refuse to open it. Outlook is very fussy about its OST files.

Killer · 15 Jun 2016, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shmu26

that is the easy part, yes.
But the hard part is that Outlook does not accept a restore or an import from an OST file.
And you can't just swap out the current OST file and replace it with your backup, because Outlook will refuse to open it. Outlook is very fussy about its OST files.

How about instead of just the OST, you need to backup the whole folder. The folder could have contained some other files that are important to the current OST.

lane · 16 Jun 2016, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shmu26

that is the easy part, yes.
But the hard part is that Outlook does not accept a restore or an import from an OST file.
And you can't just swap out the current OST file and replace it with your backup, because Outlook will refuse to open it. Outlook is very fussy about its OST files.

Correct. The only way that I am aware of is to create a pst file, go to a list view in which you can see all your appointments, select them all (ctrl-A), and ctrl-drag them to a calendar folder in the pst file. To restore, do the same in reverse.

You might get better help on www.slipstick.com, which is a specialty site for desktop outlook.

shmu26 · 16 Jun 2016, 10:20 PM

thanks.
I realized the problem is worse than I thought: those recurring events on the lunar calendar don't even show up at all on the outlook.com calendar. So I have backed off from the whole idea.

13 Jun 2016, 01:44 PM	#1
shmu26 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 16	backup and restore Outlook 2016 OST file -- including advanced calendar options Outlook 2016 I use it for calendar and tasks, I don't need it for email. In my calendar I have a number of recurring events that follow a lunar calendar. This feature is supported by Outlook desktop, but not by Outlook.com online calendar. Thus my question: how to backup and restore OST files? Microsoft's standard answer is "you don't need to", because Outlook will resync the data as soon as you connect to your account. But that doesn't help me , because the data I will receive by resyncing will not be good. My recurring events will fall out on the wrong day next year, because Outlook.com calendar does not support recurring events that follow an alternative calendar. It puts them on the schedule of the standard calendar. Presently. I am storing everything in a PST file, but for various reasons, I would like to switch to OST, if I can set up an acceptable backup solution. Any ideas?

15 Jun 2016, 11:25 AM	#2
Killer Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Singapore Posts: 6,762 Representative of: Killer.kkk.sg	Wouldn't it be just simply copy out the OST files as backup?

15 Jun 2016, 01:00 PM	#3
shmu26 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 16	that is the easy part, yes. But the hard part is that Outlook does not accept a restore or an import from an OST file. And you can't just swap out the current OST file and replace it with your backup, because Outlook will refuse to open it. Outlook is very fussy about its OST files.

16 Jun 2016, 10:20 PM	#6
shmu26 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 16	thanks. I realized the problem is worse than I thought: those recurring events on the lunar calendar don't even show up at all on the outlook.com calendar. So I have backed off from the whole idea.