.OST File Recovery

A recent new hire needed an Exchange 5.5 mailbox. I created it and changed his Outlook 2K Exchange profile to point at my server and his box. After he had connected, he wondered why the offline folders he had from his previous company were no longer available. I located the .OST file, but can’t get it open. He desperately needs those folders. MS says that they are gone forever, but I’m hoping someone here is smarter than Microsoft.