1 How to Repair an Outlook PST File
Angeline Clow edited this page 2026-01-18 19:09:07 +08:00
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Using the software, you can repair and rebuild a PST file of any size, irrespective of the cause of corruption. Unlike the SCANPST tool, it wont crash halfway if the corruption level is high or file is large. ScanPST mostly validates and corrects errors in the internal data structures of a .pst file. Therefore, structures such as BTrees and reference counts, are checked and repaired as necessary.

Repair your .pst file quickly with our proven tool

The folders might just be empty and redundant, or they might contain recovered data that Outlook couldnt place in its original locations. The Inbox Repair Tool is an in-built utility from Microsoft to overcome the Outlook PST file corruption issues. Users can Outlook sync help from FixTechGuide fix Outlook PST files using this utility, but firstly you need to locate the Inbox Repair Tool (ScanPST.exe) in their system. We are going to share a table below with the default location of this utility for different Outlook versions, like Outlook 2010, 2013, or 2019. In addition, it turns into leading Outlook errors, which might affect overall productivity and efficiency and can increase downtime. Therefore, users should put some effective solutions into action to deal with inaccessible or damaged PST files as soon as they encounter Outlook issues.

Step 1 - Exit Outlook and start the Inbox Repair tool

However, deleting the PST file isnt ideal as you may lose some mailbox items. Here are some methods FixTechGuide mailbox repair steps you can follow to rebuild the Outlook PST file. If you can't start the Inbox Repair tool automatically or manually, you may try to repair your Office application.

Situations When You Need to Repair Outlook Data File Without SCANPST

Two methods, manual and professional will be explained FixTechGuide fix for stuck folders here along with their stepwise working procedure to fix Outlook data files or Personal Storage Table (PST). The manual solution will uncover the step by step guide on the Inbox Repair Tool (ScanPST.exe). Lets start learning from the basics of how to fix corrupted Outlook PST files. Whether you are a Microsoft Outlook, Exchange or Office 365 user, you may come across or encounter the PST files. These Outlook data (PST) files store users data, including email messages, calendars, tasks, journals, etc. You can try any of the methods listed above to rebuild the PST file.

Locating the Outlook Data Files

ScanPST mostly validates and corrects errors in the internal data structures of a .pst file.At a higher level, the more visible changes that you see involve folders and messages.However, deleting the PST file isnt ideal as you may lose some mailbox items.After renaming the file successfully, you can then launch your Outlook program.

If youve tried Outlooks recovery tool with no luck, it might be time to consider something more powerful. If you can open the original Outlook Data File, you might be able to recover additional items. The Inbox Repair tool creates a backup file with the same name as the original, but with a .bak extension, and saves it in the same folder. There may be items in the backup file that you might be able to recover that the Inbox Repair tool couldn't. This guide walks you through the steps to rebuild OST files in Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013, and 2010—using both manual methods and EdbMails for secure recovery.

If youre tried using it with no luck, the best fix might be a third-party tool. The Inbox Repair tool is built to diagnose and repair many potential errors with Outlook data files, but it isnt always the best solution. For example, it cant help if your file was permanently deleted or corrupted beyond its repair abilities. After running SCANPST.EXE, you might find a folder called Recovered Personal Folders in your files that contains your default Outlook folders or a Lost and Found folder.