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How to Repair Outlook Data Files .PST and .OST – Quick Tips

Overview: It can be incredibly frustrating when an Outlook Data file becomes corrupted. When .pst or .ost files get corrupted, they can lead to the malfunction of the Outlook application. As a result, it becomes essential to perform Repair Outlook Data Files. Within this informative piece, we have outlined a comprehensive method for restoring Outlook Data files using the Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair Tool. For quick and trustworthy recovery of PST files, IT experts suggest opting for the Cigati PST Recovery Tool.

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Brief on PST files and the causes behind their corruption

PST files, which stand for Personal Storage Table files, serve as repositories for diverse Outlook data like emails, contacts, and calendars. Unfortunately, these files are susceptible to corruption, typically caused by abrupt system shutdowns, software glitches, hardware issues, or malware intrusions. When corruption occurs, it hampers access to stored data and can disrupt the normal functioning of the Outlook application.

Methods to Repair Outlook Data Files?

In the next part, we will talk about how to fix Outlook Data Files that have problems. First, we’ll explain a step-by-step method using the Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair Tool (SCANPST.EXE). Then, we’ll introduce a more accessible option: the Cigati PST Recovery tool.

Fix Outlook Data Files using SCANPST.EXE

The SCANPST.EXE or Inbox Repair Tool is a program used to find and Repair Outlook Data Files. You can utilize this tool to mend small problems in your PST file. To repair your PST file, follow these steps:

Note: Before you start, ensure you close Outlook.

Step 1: Launch the Inbox Repair Tool

Automatic Start:

  1. Click Open or Run when the File Download box appears.
  2. Then, follow the instructions from the wizard.

Move to Step 2 once the tool starts. If it does not start review the next section to open the tool Manually. 

Manual Start:

If the tool doesn’t start automatically, do the following:

  1. Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14.
  2. Open SCANPST.EXE.

Step 2: Fix the Corrupt PST File

When SCANPST.EXE is open, follow these steps to initiate the Repair Outlook Data Files:

  1. Firstly, click Browse to locate and choose the PST file you want to repair. If you’re unsure about the file’s location, you can find it by visiting this link.
  2. Now, hit Start to initiate the scanning process.
  3. Then, click Repair to initiate the repair process.

Note: After clicking Repair automatically creates a backup of the scanned file. If you want to keep the backup, select the location to save it. 

Once the repair is done, open Outlook with the same profile linked to the fixed Outlook Data File.

Step 3: Retrieve Fixed Data to a New Data File

  1. Open Outlook and go to the Folder pane.
  2. Find the folder named Recovered Personal Folders containing your standard Outlook folders or the Lost and Found folder.
  3. The repair process might recreate some empty folders, and the Lost and Found folder holds items recovered by SCANPST.EXE. These items might not be in their original structure.
  4. You can create a new Outlook data file.
  5. Drag and drop the repaired items from the Lost and Found folder into the new data file.

Once all repaired data is moved, you can delete the Recovered Personal Folders and Lost and Found folder.

After following the steps, a user can Repair Outlook Data Files. However, the SCANPST.EXE method has some limitations. These limitations are highlighted in the next section. 

Shortcomings of SCANPST.EXE

Some of the shortcomings of using SCANPST.EXE are:

  • You might have to execute SCANPST.EXE multiple times to mend a single PST file completely.
  • Also, this tool is ineffective in repairing extensively damaged PST files.
  • Finally, there’s a significant chance of data loss.

To tackle these shortcomings, IT Experts suggest using the following method to safely recover PST and OST files.

Recover Outlook Data Files using a Professional Tool

Cigati PST Recovery Tool is a one-stop solution for all the issues related to PST and OST files. It is capable of recovering the maximum data from Corrupted Outlook data files. This software is safe and quick to Repair Outlook Data Files. Moreover, we have the best and most Free PST Repair Tool to recover corruption from your Outlook data files. Additionally, it also has some advanced features and filters. Some of these features are:

  • Save the recovered PST files into different formats like EML, DBX, MSG, etc. 
  • This tool supports ANSI and UNICODE.
  • It is also capable of recovering password-protected PST files.
  • Offers 3 different Recovery modes.
  • The software is a very interactive User Interface and is highly compatible with all versions of Windows OS.

Steps to Recover PST files using the PST Recovery Tool

The following section will highlight the simple steps to Repair Outlook Data Files using PST Recovery Tool. 

  1. Install and Run PST Recovery Tool as an Administrator. 
  2. Now, click on Open and the corrupted PST Files.
  3. Simultaneously, choose the recovery mode and click OK.
  4. From the tree-structured format select the corrupted PST files/folders. 
  5. Finally, Click Save and define the path and opt for the additional features and click Ok.

Conclusion

Outlook Data files can be corrupted due to improper shutdown, virus attacks, application errors, etc. By following the above-mentioned guide a user will be able to repair Outlook Data Files. For minor corruption, you can use SCANPST.EXE. But PST files that are beyond repair can be recovered using Cigati PST Recovery Tool.

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