Summary: If the Outlook Inbox Repair Tool (SCANPST.EXE) is repeatedly appearing on the screen when you launch or work on Outlook, it indicates a problem with your Outlook data file (PST), Outlook client, or system. In this post, we will discuss the issue in detail and help you fix this issue. We will also mention an advanced PST repair software that can come in handy if SCANPST.EXE fails to repair the PST file.
The Inbox Repair tool or SCANPST.EXE is a built-in utility in Outlook that is designed to help users get rid of errors and inconsistencies or minor corruption issues in the Outlook PST data file. Users need to go to the SCANPST.EXE location to launch the tool when they need to repair the Outlook data file.
However, some users have reported experiencing an issue where the Inbox Repair tool keeps appearing again and again. The tool keeps reappearing even after repairing the PST file. Below, we will try to find out the reasons behind the Outlook Inbox Repair Tool keeps appearing issue and see how to fix this issue.
Reasons for the Outlook Inbox Repair Tool keeps Appearing Problem
There are several factors that can cause the Inbox Repair Tool to appear repeatedly:
- PST file is severely corrupt or damaged
- PST file is large
- Lack of sufficient storage space
- Conflict with antivirus or others apps
- Issues with the storage media or hard drive
- Corrupt or damaged Outlook profile
- Incompatible or faulty add-ins
Solutions to Resolve Outlook Inbox Repair Tool keeps Appearing Issue
In case you’ve repaired your PST file but the Inbox Repair tool is still appearing again and again, then follow the below solutions to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.
1. Check and Change Prompt Repair Value using Registry Editor
You may receive the Inbox Repair Tool prompt continuously if the PromptRepair value in Registry key is set to 1. You can use the Registry Editor to check and edit the PromptRepair value to control or prevent the Inbox Repair Tool (ScanPST) prompts. The detailed steps are as follows:
- Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type regedit and press Enter. This will open the Registry Editor.
- In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path:
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\PST
Note: Change the version number (16.0) based on your version of Outlook or MS Office. For instance, Office 2013 = 15.0, Office 2010 = 14.0, Office 2007 = 12.0.
- In the PST folder, find a value named PromptRepair.
- If it does not exist, you can create it by right-clicking on the right pane and then choosing New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. You can name this PromptRepair.
- Now, double-click on PromptRepair. In the value field, enter the value 0.
- Click OK and close the Registry Editor.
- Finally, restart Outlook for the changes to take effect.
2. Disable Antivirus Email Scanning
Security apps or other apps may conflict with Outlook program or data file leading to such issues. For instance, antivirus program is running background scans on system files and folders to detect any infected file and remove it.
While scanning, the antivirus program locks the PST file. So, if you launch Outlook at this stage, the client may fail to read the PST file and thus, launch Inbox Repair Tool.
However, if this is happening continuously, you need to disable the email scanning features in your antivirus software or add the PST file and the folder location as exception to prevent such issue.
You may also reach out to your antivirus provider for more help on this.
3. Update Microsoft Outlook
Updating Outlook app helps get rid of any bugs and bring new features that may be required to run the application properly. To check and update Outlook, follow these steps:
- Open Outlook, and go to File > Office Account > Update Options.
- From the available options, choose Update Now.
- If a new update is available, download and install it and then restart the system.
Launch Outlook and see if the issue is resolved or not.
4. Check Hard Drive Status
A faulty hard drive or hard drive with file system errors or bad sectors can also trigger Outlook to launch Inbox Repair tool again and again. In such a case, you can scan and check the drive health. For this, you can run a CHKDSK scan by running the chkdsk /r command.
Alternatively, you can right-click on the drive volume, go to Properties > Tools, and then click Check.
5. Create a New Profile
Damaged Outlook profiles are also known to cause various issues in Outlook. However, you can create a new profile and add your email account under this new profile to resolve the issues. The steps to create a new profile are as follows:
- Open the Control Panel, go to User Accounts, and click Mail.
- In the Mail Setup dialog box, click the Show Profiles button.
- Click Add, type any name for this profile, and click OK to create a new profile.
- Then, follow the sign-in wizard and prompts to configure your email account in the new profile.
- Set the new profile as the default one if there are more profiles. Just select “Always use this profile” and click Apply > OK.
- Also, from the available profiles, select the problematic profile, and click Remove. Confirm the removal when prompted.
6. Repair the corrupt PST File
Since Inbox Repair tool is continuously starting and could not fix the PST file, it is recommended to use an advanced Outlook PST repair software, such as Stellar Repair for Outlook. The software comes in handy when the SCANPST or Inbox Repair tool fails to repair the PST file. Unlike SCANPST, the software can repair your severely corrupt or large size PST file and get rid of this problem.
It’s an easy-to-use tool with intuitive user interface that can repair severely corrupt, inaccessible, encrypted, or large-sized PST files (up to 50 GB) with complete integrity and precision.
Conclusion
The repeated appearance of the Outlook Inbox Repair Tool indicates some serious issue with your Outlook PST data file, client, or system. This post helps you understand the reasons that may trigger this issue in Outlook and shares some solutions to fix the problem. You can use an advanced Outlook PST repair software, such as Stellar Repair for Outlook, when the built-in SCANPST or Inbox Repair tool keeps failing or does not repair the PST file. Unlike the Inbox Repair tool, the software can repair severely damaged, corrupt, or encrypted PST files with complete integrity and precision. You can save the recovered mail items from damaged PST file to a new healthy Outlook importable PST format or export directly to Microsoft 365 or live Exchange Server.
