PST file is a vital part of the MS Outlook email client. This file contains all your Outlook mail items, such as emails, contacts, appointments, calendar, notes, journals, etc. Sometimes, the PST file gets corrupted due to system crashes, power failures, virus attacks, and other unexpected reasons.
Regardless of the reasons, the Outlook data file (.pst) corruption issue can be resolved by using the inbuilt Microsoft Outlook utility known as Scanpst.exe. Besides, you can also opt for the third-party PST Repair Tool to fix a corrupted PST file of Outlook effortlessly.
Read on to know more in detail.
Why Outlook PST Files Get Corrupted?
Before addressing this problem, knowing the common causes behind Outlook .pst corruption is important. Therefore, let’s have a look at the major reasons:
Power Failure
A sudden power failure when MS Outlook is synchronizing the PST file can lead to a corruption issue.
Hard Drive with Bad Sectors
If the hard drive (stored PST data) contains bad sectors.
Virus or Malware Attack
Harmful malware or virus attack damages the entire system files including Outlook .pst file.
Oversized PST
MS Outlook has the maximum PST file size limit is- (20 GB for Outlook 2007, and 50 GB for Outlook 2010-2019). If the .pst file is larger than the mentioned limit, then it can result in PST corruption.
Improper Shutdowns
Abrupt system shutdowns can also lead to Outlook data file corruption.
Damaged Network Devices
If you have stored PST data over network then network issues can also make the file inaccessible.
After knowing the causes now, let’s move ahead to know the workable methods to repair.pst file with ease.
Methods to Fix a Corrupted PST File Of Outlook
Follow the below effective approaches to fix PST corruption.
Method 1- Use SCANPST.exe Tool
Microsoft offers a free application which is known as Inbox Repair Tool (scanpst.exe). It helps to repair damaged Outlook data file & mail items easily.
So, all you need to do is to follow the thorough steps for repairing PST files with the help of the SCANPST.exe tool:
Step 1– First, you have to locate the ScanPST utility on your Windows PC.
Note: The location of the SCANPST.exe depends on the Microsoft Outlook version that’s installed on your computer.
SCANPST.exe location:
Outlook 2007: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12
Outlook 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
Outlook 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
Outlook 2016: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
Outlook 2019: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\
Outlook 2021: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\
Step 2- After locating the SCANPST.EXE, make double-click on it to open it.
Step 3- Then, click on the Browse button & choose the corrupt PST file you need to repair.
Step 4- After this, click on Start button.
Step 5- Now, the scanpst.exe tool will begin scanning the Outlook PST file for corruption or error.
Step 6- Once the utility identifies any corruption in a file, choose the option “Make a backup of scanned file before repairing to create the backup copy in order to avoid data loss.
Step 7- Finally, click on Repair to begin fixing the PST corruption.
Once the file repairing procedure gets finished, you can now start the MS Outlook with the profile connected with a PST file you just repaired.
Drawbacks of SCANPST.EXE
- Scanpst.exe can’t fix severely corrupted .pst file.
- Inbox Repair Tool cannot repair the Outlook data file more than 2 GB in size.
- There’s a risk of losing data.
- Lengthy and time-consuming.
- To run this tool, it is important to know the location of scanpst.exe and PST file depending on MS Outlook version you’re using.
Method 2- Use Recommended Way- Stellar Repair for Outlook.
If the above free tool (SCANPST.EXE) failed to repair oversized or severely corrupted PST file, you must use the proficient Outlook PST repair tool, like Stellar Repair for Outlook. It can eventually fix severely damaged, encrypted, or oversized PST files successfully.
Also, it recovers all the Outlook mail items, such as attachments, contacts, tasks, emails, notes, calendar items, etc. with 100% integrity.
The best part about this Outlook PST recovery tool is- it shows a preview of all the mail items after fixing the file.
Other Key Features of This Tool:
- Compact and split the large-size PST file.
- Shows previews of all the recoverable items before saving.
- 100% safe & secure.
- User-friendly.
- Saves the mailbox data in the PST, EML, HTML, PDF, MSG, RTF, and MBOX file formats.
Just download & install this program on your computer and try to fix a corrupted PST file of Outlook in no time.
Here is the user guide to this software:
Step 1- Open the Stellar Repair for Outlook tool on your PC >> go to the Home tab >> click Select Outlook Data File option.
Step 2- In the second step, you will have to click on List profile or choose manually option to choose the corrupt PST file. Now, click on the “Repair” option for confirming the outlook PST recovery.
Step 3- At this time, the program will begin scanning and repairing the damaged PST file.
Note: The scanning duration totally depends upon a file size.
Step 4- When the scanning procedure gets over, the software previews all the recovered Outlook mailbox items. In case, if you wish to preview the objects, click on folders.
Step 5- Select the particular item (corrupt PST file) or folder to save. Now, click on the Save Repaired File. Then, select the PST format.
Step 6- After that, click on a Browse option to select destination folder >> OK button. Doing this will save your mailbox data file successfully.
Step 7- Finally, you will receive the confirmation popup message on your screen once your fixed PST file is saved at the chosen location.
And you are done!
Bottom Line
So, this is all about how to fix a corrupted PST file of Outlook.
In this helpful guide, I have discussed both manual as well as automatic ways to fix .pst corruption. For instant resolution, you are highly suggested to opt for the third-party Outlook PST Repair Tool rather than using the manual way.
Furthermore, you should always create a backup of your Outlook data file (PST) to minimize the risk of further data corruption.
I hope you liked this post.