Top 2 Methods to Repair Corrupted Outlook PST File

Every individual and business organization uses Outlook as an important email communication platform. Outlook keeps your important data in PST file format, which may get corrupted due to various factors. In this blog, we will define the various solutions including the PST Recovery Tool to repair Outlook data files.

When a PST file gets corrupted, it can lead to data loss, errors in Outlook, inaccessible data files, and many more issues. PST file corruption happens due to different reasons. Let’s discuss this in detail:

Reasons Behind Outlook PST File Corruption

PST files in Microsoft Outlook can get corrupted for various reasons. Understanding these causes can help to prevent corruption and keep your essential data safe. Here are some common reasons why PST files get corrupted:

• Device failure: Due to device software failure, the Outlook application didn’t work, which led to the corruption of PST files.
• Power failure: Due to power failure, the users may face sudden Outlook exits, which leads to the corruption of PST files.
• Damaged network devices: When you have stored PST files over the network, any kind of network issue will lead to the corruption of PST files.
• Virus attacks: Virus attacks damage whole system data, including the PST files.
• Oversized PST files: When your PST file gets large, this will also lead to PST corruption.

After understanding these common causes, you can move to the methods to prevent PST file corruption and protect your valuable Outlook data. 

How Do I Repair Outlook Data Files?

There are several ways known to repair corrupt PST files. In the upcoming section, we will describe the distinct methods to repair corrupt Outlook data files including manual and reliable solutions. Let’s proceed with the next section and simplify them one by one separately:

Method 1: Repair Outlook PST File Using Outlook PST Repair Tool

To repair PST files, Microsoft provides the Inbox Repair Tool, or ScanPST.exe, within the Outlook program. This approach is especially useful for repairing minor corruptions within PST files.

Steps to use SCANPST.EXE

1. Navigate to ScanPST.exe Location. Depending on your version of Outlook

The location of ScanPST.exe varies:

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

1. Double-click on SCANPST.EXE to start the program.
2. Click on the Browse button to choose the damaged PST file. 
3. Then, press the Start option to initiate the scanning for any errors.
4. If SCANPST.EXE finds errors, select the Make backup of scanned file before repairing option.
5. Choose a backup location for the resultant output files, and click Repair to begin fixing the file.
6. After the repair, a Repair Complete popup will appear.
7. After that, click OK to finish.

If you have a backup of your PST file, restoring from a backup can be the simplest solution. This assumes you have been maintaining backups of your Outlook data. With the help of this approach, you can repair Outlook PST files without the ScanPST method.

Method 2: Create A New PST File and Import Data

Also, you can create a new Outlook data file to repair corrupt Outlook data files. The steps are mentioned below to create a new Outlook data file:

1. Download and open the Outlook email client application.
2. Click on New Email, and in the new email, select Outlook Data Files. 
3. Provide the desired destination or location for the PST file and click OK. In this way, a new PST file is created.  
4. Set the new PST file as the default with the steps listed below:

1. Open the Outlook application in your system.
2. Then go to File >> Info >> Account Settings.
3. Tap on the Data Files tab and choose the new PST file.
4. Select the Default option, then restart your Outlook.

Method 3: Opening Outlook in Safe Mode

Opening Outlook in Safe Mode can help in bypassing issues and errors of PST files.

1. Open the Run dialog by pressing the Win + R shortcut keys.
2. Type outlook.exe /safe, and press Enter.

Outlook will start in Safe Mode. Try accessing and moving your data to a new PST file.

Note:-  In the case of severely damaged or corrupted files, manual methods are not sufficient. Considering a professional tool is a better option in this scenario.

Method 4. Use An Automated Tool to Repair Outlook Data Files

DRS PST Recovery Tool to repair corrupted Outlook PST files. This utility scans the damaged and corrupted PST files and recovers the data from the PST files. You can also export those PST files to Office 365, Exchange Server, and all. Also, it keeps the security and integrity of the data and provides numerous features. Some of them are mentioned below:

• This software completely recovers mailbox data from a highly corrupt PST file.
• It can save the restored file in multiple file formats according to your requirements.
• Moreover, it provides a preview panel to see and confirm your selected data. 
• The advanced search option scans a particular folder for the Outlook file for precise output.
• Along with that, it has multiple recovery modes to repair any level of PST corruption.
• This tool also supports both PST file types: 32-bit version (ANSI) and 64-bit version (UNICODE).
• Additionally, it is widely supportable with all versions of Windows OS.

Simple Steps to Repair Outlook Data Files:

1. Firstly, download and run the PST Repair Tool on your system.
2. After that, click the open button to select PST files to recover.
3. Browse the corrupt PST file, and click the OK button. 
4. Now select the recovery modes: Standard, Advanced, or Deep accordingly. 
5. Provide the PST file details, like file type and file encryption type.
6. Next, choose a location on the system to save the recovered data. 
7. Also, you can go for the additional features of the software for better results.
8. Lastly, click OK to start the saving process of your recovered PST data.

Conclusion

After going through the complete blog, you have a better understanding of how to repair Outlook data files. We discussed the distinct solution to accomplish the task. However, the manual strategy is quite long and difficult for the novice users. Therefore, it is recommended to proceed with the given utility to keep all your important Outlook emails and other data in one place and safe. Also, you will get a free trial or demo version of the software to understand and accomplish it properly. Along with that, there is no need for technical knowledge to use this software. As a result, it is applicable for both technical and novice users.