How to Repair Corrupt Outlook PST File?

Hello Guys, welcome to this post!

This write-up contains comprehensive information about why PST file gets corrupted, how to repair corrupt Outlook PST file, and how to avoid further .pst corruption.

PST (Personal Storage Table) file corruption is an annoying issue often encountered by Outlook users. When this happens, users can’t access their Outlook files or fail to access certain emails or other information.

However, Outlook PST file gets corrupted due to various reasons, like:

Large-sized .pst file
Sudden application or system shutdown
Hardware failure
Virus or malware attacks
Due to faulty add-in
Software issue.

Irrespective of the reasons, it can be fixed with the help of the inbuilt MS Outlook tool (Scanpst.exe) that we will mention in this blog. Besides, we will also mention a 3rd-party PST repair tool to repair PST file that is severely corrupted.

To know the complete steps of these tools, let’s get started…

How to Repair PST File Using Inbuilt MS Outlook Tool (Scanpst.Exe)?

Inbox Repair Tool or SCANPST.EXE is an unpaid utility provided by MS Outlook to diagnose & repair corrupted or damaged PST files. However, you can use this utility to fix minor corruption in your Outlook PST file. But before using it, ensure to exit Outlook.

Here’s how you can use this repair tool.

Step 1- Locate SCANPST.EXE

SCANPST.exe is usually located in an installation directory of MS Outlook. However, the SCANPST.exe location entirely depends on the Microsoft Outlook version installed on your PC.

Location of SCANPST.exe:

In Outlook 2007- C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12
In Outlook 2010- C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
In Outlook 2013- C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
In Outlook 2016- C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
In Outlook 2019- C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

Step 2- Repairing Corrupted PST File

Once you have located the ScanPST, follow the below instructions carefully to deal with Outlook PST file corruption:

Open the SCANPST.exe by double-clicking on it.

Then, click the Browse option in Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair Tool window to locate the PST file you wish to repair.

Once you have located the file, select it and then click the Start option to initiate the scan.

After completion of the scanning process if the utility finds errors, then click on the Repair button.

Please Note: While the scanning & repairing process, it creates the backup file. However, to change the location or default name of a backup file, you have to give a new name in the box “Enter name of backup file.” Also, you may have to run the scanpst.exe utility several times to repair the MS Outlook Data File (PST).

As soon as the repairing process gets over, start the Microsoft Outlook with a profile associated with the PST file you just fixed.

Limitation of the SCANPST.EXE Tool

Scanpst.exe cannot repair PST files with more than 2 GB of size.
Unable to fix severely corrupted .pst files.
Requires knowledge of scanpst.exe location and PST file location depending on the Outlook version.
It cannot repair Outlook PST file headers and directory structure.
In some circumstances, the scanpst.exe tool shows errors & fails to fix severe file corruption.
There is an extensive risk of data loss.

What to Do If SCANPST Does Not Work?

As stated above, the built-in SCANPST.EXE utility can’t fix large-sized or severely corrupt PST files. In such a situation, you should use a third-party tool, such as Stellar Repair for Outlook. This program is integrated with the innovative algorithms that assist to repair severely corrupted Outlook PST file of any size.

Moreover, it recovers all the email items, such as attachments, contacts, emails, tasks, etc. successfully. Also, it is 100% secure, user-friendly, and easy-to-use software so anyone can use it without any tech skills.

All you need to do is to download & install this PST Repair Tool on your computer & follow the below user guide to solve the Outlook data file corruption.

Steps to Use Stellar Repair for Outlook:

Launch the Stellar Repair for Outlook program on your computer >> click on Home tab and then Select Outlook Data File option.

In the second step, you have to click the List Profile or Choose Manually option to locate and choose the corrupted PST file. Then, click “Repair” option.

After that, the corrupt Outlook data file (.pst) scanning procedure will initiate. Repairing process will run simultaneously.

Once the file scanning process gets over, the program will display the preview of the recovered Outlook PST file – mailbox box items such as mails, calendar, notes, etc. Though, if you want to preview the mailbox items, then simply click on the folders.

At this time, you can choose a particular mailbox item, folder or complete PST file that you wish to save. Then, click the “Save Repaired File”.
After this, choose a format from a popup window. Click on OK button. This will successfully save all your mailbox data.

Finally, your fixed Outlook PST file will be automatically saved at the preferred location.

Precautionary Measures to Avoid PST File Corruption

To prevent Outlook PST file corruption in the future, follow these tips:

When Outlook is running, do not shut down your system.
Create a backup of your vital PST files regularly.
Never store the Outlook PST files on Network drive/server.
Split PST.
Don’t exceed the limit of file size.
Avoid file header corruption.

To Sum Up

Above, we have mentioned the effective ways to repair corrupt Outlook PST files. To manually fix the PST file in Outlook, you can use the ScanPST utility.

Nevertheless, the manual procedure is lengthy & time-consuming. A quick & easy solution is to go for third-party software, such as Stellar Repair for Outlook. It is one of the feature-loaded tools that helps to repair PST file that is severely corrupted or damaged.

In addition, follow the preventive tips revealed in this post to minimize the risk of .pst file corruption in the future.

That’s all…