Essential Guide to Convert EDB to PST: Exploring 4 Main Techniques

Have you ever found yourself needing to convert EDB files to PST but were unsure about the process? Fear not. This article is designed to guide you through this seemingly complex process. We will discuss what EDB and PST files are, why you might need to convert them, and we will detail four different methods to convert EDB to PST. This information will be helpful for IT professionals seeking more efficient solutions, and everyday users who want to manage their files independently.

What is Exchange Server?

Exchange Server is a widely-used email server developed by Microsoft. Many organizations employ it as their primary email server due to its high level of security and the protocols it uses, including MAPI, POP3, IMAP, and SMTP. All emails sent through Exchange Server are stored in an EDB database.

Why convert EDB to PST?

There are instances where an administrator might want to access the Exchange mailbox outside the Exchange Server environment. To access this data, the administrator must convert the EDB file to PST format.

How to convert EDB to PST?

There are multiple ways to convert an EDB mailbox to PST, and we are going to look at four such methods in this post.

Method 1: Export EDB to PST using Ex-Merge Utility

Microsoft offers a free tool called Ex-Merge to help you convert EDB Mailbox to PST format. The tool also allows you to convert PST mailboxes to EDB. This tool can handle data up to 2GB. Follow these steps:

1. Download and install the Ex-Merge Utility from the Microsoft website
2. Start the Ex-Merge Utility and click on the Next button.
3. From the Procedure Selection screen, select the Extract or Import (Two Step Procedure) option and click on the Next button
4. From the Two-Step Procedure screen, choose Extract data from an Exchange Server Mailbox option and click on the Next button
5. In the Source Server window, enter your Exchange Server credentials like server name, domain controller name, etc., and click on the Next button
6. From the Data Selection Criteria screen, select the Import Procedure tab, choose Archive data to target store option, and click on the OK button
7. From the Mailbox Selection, select the mailbox that you want to export and click on the Next button
8. In the Target Directory section, select the folder where you want to save the PST file and click on the Next button to start EDB to PST conversion.
9. Once the process is complete, click on the Finish button.

Exporting EDB mailboxes to PST using the X-Merge utility is a time-consuming process. With the help of this tool, you can export data up to 2GB. This tool supports older Exchange versions.

Method 2: Export EDB Mailbox to PST using Exchange Admin Center

The Exchange Admin Center also lets you convert EDB Mailbox data to PST. You need a shared folder with Export permissions for this. This method has three parts:

Step 1: Assigning Export Permissions

1. Sign in to your Exchange account as an Administrator
2. Click on the Permissions and select the Admin Roles tab
3. Select Organization Management and click on the Edit icon
4. Under Rules, click on the + icon
5. From the list of rules, select the Mailbox Import Export option
6. Click on the Add and OK button
7. Under Member section, verify Administrator is selected and click on the Save button
8. Sign out from the Exchange Admin Center and Sign in again

Step 2: Create a Shared Folder

1. Open the File Explorer on your system
2. Go to the Local Disk (C:) and create a New Folder with the name ExportPST
3. Right-click on the folder, select Properties and click on the Sharing Tab
4. Click on the Advanced Sharing, select the Share the Folder option and click on the Permissions button
5. Under Permissions for ExportPST screen, Click on the Add and click on the Advanced button
6. Click on the Find Now button and select Exchange Trusted Subsystem from the list and click on the OK button
7. Under Permissions for ExportPST screen, Select Exchange Trusted Subsystem
8. Select Allow Full Control, Read and Change permission Checkbox
9. Click on the Apply and OK button
10. Again Click on the Apply and OK button
11. Copy the Network Path \\EX19-MBX01\ExportPST and click on the Close button
12. Right-click on the ExportPST folder, select Properties and click on the Sharing Tab
13. Click on the Advanced Sharing, click on the Permissions and click on the Add button
14. Enter Authenticated Users inside the object name and click on the Check Names button
15. Select Authenticated Users and click on the OK button
16. Select Allow Full Control, Read and Change permission Checkbox
17. Click on the Apply and OK button
18. Again Click on the Apply, click on the OK and Close button

Step 3: Export EDB to PST using Exchange Admin Center

1. Sign in to your Exchange account as an Administrator
2. Click on the Recipients and select the Mailbox tab.
3. Go to the Exchange, Select User Mailbox and click on the … dots.
4. Select Export to a PST file option, choose Export only the contents of this mailbox and click on the Next button.
5. Paste the path that you just copied and mention the File Name. The path will look like \\EX19-MBX01\ExportPST\filename.pst.
6. Click on the Next and Finish button.
7. Once the EDB to PST conversion is complete, you will receive a notification.
8. Go to the ExportPST folder, and you will see the PST file there.

Method 3: Convert EDB to PST using PowerShell

For this approach, you'll need a shared folder with the right permissions. If you need to create a shared folder and assign the right permissions, follow the first two steps from the previous method. After you've done that, go through these steps:

1. Open Exchange Management Shell

2. Type or paste the following command and press the enter key to export the EDB Mailbox to PST.

New-MailboxExportRequest –Mailbox USERNAME –FilePath SharedFolderPath\USERNAME.pst

Depending on how big your mailbox is, this process might take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.

3. If you want to see the status, then type the following command and press Enter key.

Get-MailboxExportRequest

Method 4: Convert EDB to PST using EDB to PST Converter

For this method, we'll be using the SysCurve EDB to PST Converter. This tool lets you change your EDB Mailbox into a variety of file formats, like PST, EML, MSG, and more. This software can also repair EDB files and get back all the data from them. To use this converter, follow these steps:

1. Download and install SysCurve EDB to PST Converter
2. Open the software and click on the Add EDB option
3. Click on the Browse button, select EDB file and click on the OK button to start the loading process
4. Click on the folder to fetch the folder item and click on any item to view the message details
5. Click on the Export Multiple options and select the Outlook PST option
6. Select folders that you want to export in PST format and click on the Next button
7. Choose the Export and Create New PST Files option and select the folder where you want to save exported PST file
8. Click on the Next button to start EDB to PST conversion
9. Once the process is complete, click on the Finish button.

Other helpful features

1. Repair corrupted/inaccessible EDB File
2. Preview all emails with attachments
3. Save recovered EDB mailbox to PST, EML, MSG, HTML, and other file formats
4. Import EDB to Office 365 and Live Exchange
5. Maintain folder hierarchy
6. Perform selective conversion based on To, CC, Date Range, etc.
7. Set PST file password
8. Split the resulting PST file as per your requirement
9. Support MS Outlook 2019 and earlier versions
10. Compatible with all Windows versions, including Windows 10

Frequently Asked Questions

The Final Word

Managing your email data efficiently is crucial in any organization, and converting EDB files to PST can play an essential role in that process. The methods provided in this article, whether manual or using a third-party converter like SysCurve EDB to PST Converter, can make the process of conversion a lot smoother.

While the manual methods might be a little complicated and time-consuming, they come with no extra cost. However, if you prefer a quicker, more efficient process, the SysCurve EDB to PST Converter can be a worthwhile investment. We hope that this guide has been beneficial in helping you understand how to convert EDB to PST and choose the method that best suits your needs.

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