Recover Hard-Deleted Emails with DumpsterAlwaysOn option in Microsoft Outlook

In Microsoft Outlook, there are two types of delete actions: hard deletes and soft deletes. A soft delete is when an item is moved to the Deleted Items folder in the Microsoft Outlook mailbox; the deleted item can be recovered any time before the Deleted Items folder is emptied. A hard delete is when an item is deleted without first putting it in the Deleted Items folder. (Pressing Shift + Delete in Microsoft Outlook executes a hard delete.) Hard deletes also take place if the remote server uses IMAP and doesn't have a Deleted Items folder.

After a hard delete, you may still be able to recover mail items from an Exchange mailbox -- it depends on what the Exchange server's delete retention time is set for. Typically 14 days for emails, contacts or other items and 30 days for mailboxes. You can change the settings on EMC Server Configuration Mailbox Right-click Mailbox Database Properties Select Limit Tab

This functionality is typically only enabled for the Deleted Items folder. Items hard-deleted from Sent Items, Drafts, Outbox or Inbox are usually gone for keeps.

If you want to set delete-recovery for those folders, you need to edit the client registry accessing the Exchange server through Outlook:

1. Open the registry.



2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARE\Microsoft\Exchange\Client\Options.



3. Add a DWORD value named DumpsterAlwaysOn and set it to 1.



4. Restart Microsoft Outlook to make the change take effect.

This option can also be rolled out as part of a policy change or made permanent through a .REG file.

Note that even with this option activated, Microsoft Outlook 98 will not support deletions from non-mail folders, such as Contacts and Notes. Microsoft Outlook 2000 and 2003, however, will allow non-mail deleted items to be recovered with this option enabled.

Recover Deleted Items in Outlook

Provided you configured the Windows Exchange mailbox store to hold deleted items, users can restore their own emails from within Outlook 2003. All they have to do is click on the Tools menu, and then select Recover Deleted Items from the drop down menu. See diagram opposite. Naturally, the user can select which emails to recover. Any emails that they select Outlook will miraculously move to the Deleted Items Folder. If the option Recover Deleted Items is deactivated, then go to Deleted Items folder and delete one email for which you already have a backup. After you delete one item, the recover deleted item would be visible with past deleted items.

Slightly surprisingly, users can also recover deleted items using Exchange 2003's Outlook Web Access. In this case, select Options (menu) and Recover Deleted Items is right at the bottom of the page.

Helpful Links:

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/exchange2003/exchange2003_recovery_deleted_item.htm

http://searchexchange.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid43_gci1024524,00.html