A Personal Storage File (PST) is a file format used by Outlook to store your e-mail and other mailbox data locally on your device. However, PST files are susceptible to corruption due to synchronization problems, the size of the PST file, virus attacks, sudden power failure, application crashes, software conflicts or a variety of other reasons. If the PST file is corrupted, random errors may occur. In the case of severe corruption, you may not even be able to access the PST data.
Here we'll discuss the different ways to repair and open a corrupted PST file and fully recover the data.
Method 1: Use SCANPST.EXE
If you can no longer open your PST file because it's corrupted, you first need to repair it. You can use the Inbox Repair Tool or SCANPST.EXE to repair the corrupted PST file. SCANPST.EXE is an Outlook-integrated utility for diagnosing and repairing corruption problems in PST files.
Before using this executable, you need to know where it is located. By default, it is located in the Outlook installation directory. Depending on your Outlook version, you can search for SCANPST.EXE in the following offices.
Outlook 2019: C:\NProgram Files (x86)\NMicrosoft OfficeNOffice16
Outlook 2016: C:\NProgram Files (x86)\NMicrosoft Office\NOffice16
Outlook 2013 : C:\NProgram Files (x86)\NMicrosoft Office\NOffice15
Outlook 2010 : C:\NProgram Files (x86)\NMicrosoft Office\NOffice14
Outlook 2007: C:\NProgram Files (x86)\NMicrosoft Office\NOffice12
If you don't know the default storage location for your PST file in Outlook, proceed as follows:
- Go to File > Account settings > Account settings.
- Select the Data Files option.
- Select your e-mail account and click on Open Desktop.
Follow the steps below to use SCANPST.EXE to repair the PST file:
- Close your Outlook application.
- Navigate to the SCANPST.EXE storage desktop.
- Double-click on SCANPST.EXE to start it.
- When the program opens, click on Browse to select the PST file to be analyzed.
- Click on Start to launch the analysis.
- After the check, any errors are displayed.
- Select the option Create a backup of the analyzed file before repairing it, then click on the Repair option.
Note: SCANPAST.EXE is a useful utility, but it can only repair minor damage and does not guarantee data integrity. It is also unsuitable for repairing encrypted or large PST files (over 2 GB).
Method 2: Use a third-party PST repair program
To repair a PST file easily and with total integrity, you can use a third-party Outlook PST repair tool such as Stellar Repair for Outlook. This is an advanced tool that effectively repairs corrupt PST files of all sizes. The tool is easy to use and requires no prior technical knowledge, making it ideal for all users.
Stellar Repair for Outlook extracts the contents of your corrupted PST file and displays them in a preview window. You can select the items you wish to extract and save them in a new PST file. You can also save PST data in other file formats, such as MSG, EML, RTF, PDF and HTML.
Here's how to use the tool.
Step 1: Download and install
Go to the Stella Repair for Outlook product page. Double-click on the downloaded file (.exe) to launch the installation wizard. Follow the instructions to install the tool.
Step 2: Select the PST file
Open the program after installation. On the welcome page, you'll be asked to select the corrupted PST file.
You can click on the Profile list option. The tool lists all profiles connected to the Outlook account.
You can also manually select the corrupted PST file by clicking on the " Select mailbox manually" tab.
Once you've made your selection, click on Repair. The program starts to analyze the selected PST file.
You can monitor progress.
Step 3: Check preview and select items
Once the analysis is complete, the program displays all mailboxes.
From this list, you can select the items you wish to restore. Then click on Save repaired file.
Step 4: Select file format and destination
In the Save as window, select the PST option and click Next. You can also save selected objects in other file formats.
Then select the destination where the repaired file is to be saved and click OK.
The repaired PST file is saved in the selected office. You can then import the file into your Outlook to access the items.
Conclusion
PST files can become corrupted for many reasons. You can use SCANPST.EXE (Inbox Repair Tool) in Outlook to repair the corrupted PST file. However, this tool has certain limitations. In addition, data certainty and integrity are not guaranteed.
Stellar Repair for Outlook is a very good option for repairing a PST file, as it is easy to use and at the same time powerful enough to recover the entire contents of the corrupted PST file. Throughout the process, you have total control over the items to be moved. Stellar Repair for Outlook handles PST files created with Outlook 2019, 2016 and earlier versions.
