Outlook is a well-known email client and it stores all its mailbox data in a personal storage file (.pst) on a user computer. The Personal Storage Table or PST is the email backup system that saves Outlook mailbox when emails are archived. This file can be easily located in the Outlook folder in C:\Users\admin\Documents\Outlook Files with extension ‘.pst’. One may refer to this file in case some emails are missing and need to be recovered. Every file is likely to be corrupted with time. There are many probable causes that make a PST file inaccessible to a user. Hence, in this post, the different ways as to why PST files get corrupted and how to repair it have been described. Once the main cause has been determined fix can be applied according. There are multiple ways to fix a corrupt PST file. Read more to find which is the most preferred method.
Probable Reasons For PST File Corruption
There are a number of reasons leading to Outlook PST file corruption. During this, the storage file stops working and users can not access their emails. Some of the main reasons why PST files get corrupted have been described below:
- Hardware Related Issues: Any physical damage to the sector that contains the PST file may cause the Outlook PST file corruption.
- Abrupt Outlook Termination: Any sudden closing of MS Outlook application may prevent PST file from saving data accurately. So, the next time the file is opened, there will be discrepancies. This will lead to errors while accessing the PST file.
- Large PST File: In earlier versions of Outlook, users can only save up to 5GB of data. This becomes quite difficult in cases where large data communications going on for months. Anything over the size limit which causes the PST file to crash and hang the application.
- Virus Attack: Often users open email attachments from MS Outlook interface that turns out to be a virus. A virus is a malicious entity that can corrupt data on a system including a PST file.
- Bad Recovery Software: Sometimes the file recovery tools used can cause more harm than good. At times, garbage values are added in front or end of files that can lead to PST file header corruption.
How to Repair Damaged PST File
There are multiple ways following which users can repair corrupted PST file. Below are some of the methods explained step by step. Follow them sequentially to repair a damaged PST file.
Solution#1 Using the SCANPST.EXE Tool
This is a free Inbox repair tool provided by Microsoft. It is an inbuilt tool that can be used to repair minor corruptions in an Outlook PST file. Follow the steps below in order to start using this scanpst.exe tool.
- Step 1: At first, find the scanpst tool located in the mail folder of MS Outlook. Follow the steps below to determine the scanpst location within the system.
- Firstly, Right-click on TaskBar and click Task Manager.
- Now, go to the Processes Tab.
- Next, Right-click on Outlook and choose Open File Location. This will open a window where the scanpst file will be saved.
- Step 2: Then, Double click on the scanpst.exe file.
- Step 3: Next, Browse to the folder location where the corrupted Pst file is saved.
- Step 4: Then, click Start. This will start the repair process.
Solution#2 Using A Third-Party Tool
PST file corruption can be a serious issue preventing access to the mailbox and the items within it. In this post, possible reasons as to why PST files get corrupted and how to repair damaged file have been discussed. The best way to repair corrupt PST file is to use Outlook PST file repair software. It is very easy to use and recommended by many data recovery agents. As soon as the tool scans the PST file it repairs any minor or major corruptions within it. The software is so advanced that it could even repair highly corrupt PST file data and display it for user preview.
Final Words
There can be multiple reasons for what caused the MS Outlook storage file to be corrupted. Some of them can be fixed easily by just upgrading software version or having an antivirus check for malware. Other difficult solutions involve manually repairing damaged Outlook PST file with an inbuilt tool by Microsoft. This can work very well for any minor corruption. However, it might be efficient for highly corrupt files. In such cases, users look for workarounds to make their PST file work again. Such professional solutions are very much sought after. They are easy-to-use and relevant when compared with the manual solution that may not guarantee the outcome file will be same as the one before. Many times users see that the folder hierarchy or email formatting is not the same.
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