Member Avatar for PatrickGlenn

Hello! All mail Outlook stored on a network server. The server crashed. Accordingly disappeared and the Contacts folder. However, when sending a new message when you type the first letter of the address in the email Outlook offers a list of addresses with this letter. Obviously somewhere this list exists on the local computer. Whether it is possible find it and restore address book with its help? If so, how?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by EdwardBarton54

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Brief expert summary and an ordered recovery plan that builds on ’s situation and the replies from and .

When Exchange or another server hosts the mailbox, the server copy is the authoritative Contacts store; the address drop‑down seen while composing is almost always the local Auto‑Complete/suggestion cache rather than the full Contacts folder (as noted). If the server can be restored from backup, that is the cleanest solution because it preserves contact items, distribution lists and metadata that the local cache does not.

Practical next steps (in priority order):

  1. Ask IT to perform a mailbox/database restore or export the mailbox to PST — this restores the official Contacts folder.
  2. Immediately make bit‑for‑bit copies of any Outlook data files found on the workstation (any .ost or .pst). Work only on copies; do not let Outlook overwrite or recreate the originals.
  3. From the copies, extract usable addresses. Two common approaches are: export the Auto‑Complete/suggestion entries to CSV with a trusted utility, or use a MAPI inspector to examine the copied OST and pull Contact items or the hidden autocomplete stream. Exported CSV data can be imported into a Contacts folder or a new PST and later copied back into the mailbox after server restore. Reputable OST→PST converters can also recover contact items when direct server recovery isn’t available.

Key cautions and final notes:

  • Always operate on copies and keep a backup of originals.
  • Auto‑Complete suggestions are incomplete (often missing names, distribution lists and contact fields) — they are a salvage option, not a full replacement for server contacts.
  • Prefer IT/Exchange admin recovery first; third‑party tools vary in quality and risk. This advice complements ’s and ’s starting points and gives a practical workflow for turning local cache or OST copies into importable contacts.

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Member Avatar for rproffitt

I'm going with no. Outlook with Exchange server didn't store the contacts locally so you'll need to restore the server first. Also, who runs servers with no backup? Try not to grill your IT too badly. Let them get it back first and then go over the disaster plans.

Now about the list you think is on the PC. That sounds like the autocomplete is filling it in. Not from some contact list or database.

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Copy-the-AutoComplete-list-to-another-computer-83558574-20DC-4C94-A531-25A42EC8E8F0 and other articles show where the autocomplete file is at.

Once you have that, then you search for or write an extractor.

Member Avatar for EdwardBarton54

You need to find on your local computer (most likely somewhere in Documents and Settings) the local copy of the network folder (with the extension. ost unlike personal folder (. pst extension). This file convert to pst format. The output will receive the pst, which will make the import in .csj personal folder. So maybe will be able to restore the contacts.
Look at this resource and read recommendations. Maybe you'll find a solution.
http://www.filerepairforum.com/forum/microsoft/microsoft-aa/outlook/1911-how-to-restore-contacts-from-outlook-2002

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