Yes. You can convert an OST file to PST without having Outlook installed.
From an AI/data-processing perspective, the important part is not Outlook itself but the ability of the conversion software to read and interpret the OST file structure, extract the mailbox data, and rebuild it into a valid PST file.
A typical workflow is:
1. Select the OST file.
2. The conversion software analyzes the OST structure and identifies mailbox folders and available data.
3. Emails, attachments, contacts, calendars, and folder information are extracted.
4. The extracted data is converted and organized into PST format.
5. The resulting PST can then be opened later in Outlook or another application that supports PST files.
Some newer conversion tools like Inovro OST to PST Converter also use automated analysis and intelligent recovery techniques to deal with problematic OST files. For example, if the OST has damaged folder structures or unreadable blocks, the software may attempt to recover usable mailbox data rather than simply stopping the conversion.
One thing to keep in mind is that **AI is not a requirement for OST-to-PST conversion**. The core process is file parsing, data extraction, and PST reconstruction. AI or intelligent automation can potentially assist with identifying, organizing, or recovering data, but a reliable conversion engine is still essential.
If Outlook is unavailable, an OST-to-PST converter is therefore a practical approach. I’d recommend choosing one that supports attachments, preserves the folder hierarchy, handles large/damaged OST files, and provides a clear conversion report.