How to Resolve the Exported PST File Empty Issue?

Outlook users need to export their mailbox items to PST file for archiving, creating mailbox data backup, migrating mail items to another Outlook or system, and other purposes. This PST can easily be opened or imported into any Outlook account, when required. However, sometimes, when accessing the exported PST file, users encounter a situation where they find some folders are empty or the entire PST file empty, even when the file size indicates that it contains data. There are various reasons that can lead to such an issue, such as faulty view settings, corruption in the PST file, etc. In this blog, we’ll see how to resolve the ‘exported PST file empty’ issue.

Methods to Resolve the Exported PST File is Empty Issue

Here are some methods you can follow to fix the exported PST file is empty issue.

Method 1: Check and Change View Settings

You may not able to see some folders or find them empty if the View Settings in Outlook are not properly configured. So, you can check the View settings in your Outlook and change them if required. Here’s how you can do it:

1. In your Outlook, click on the View tab.
2. Click on the Change View option.

• From the dropdown, select Compact and then select the Apply Current View to Other Mail Folders option.

• Restart Outlook and check if you’re able to see all the items in the folders.

 Method 2: Use MFCMAPI to Change Folder Properties

Some folders may appear as empty if the folder properties are changed or not correct. You can use MFCMAPI, a diagnostic tool provided by Microsoft, to change these properties and fix the issue. Here’s how you can do this:

1. Download MFCMAPI and install it on your system.
2. Open MFCMAPI, click on Session and then select Logon.

3. Select the desired Outlook profile and click OK.

4. From the list, double-click the profile you need to fix.

5. Find the affected folder under IPM_Subtree and select it. Now, look for PR_CONTAINER_CLASS and double-click on it to open Property Editor.

• In Property Editor, change IPF.Imap to IPF.Noteandclick OK.

Repeat the above steps for each affected folder. Then, close the window and click Logoff under Sessions on the main screen.

When done, restart Outlook and check if the issue is resolved.

Note: This method only works if you have an active Outlook account. It doesn’t work if you have an archived or exported PST file.

Method 3: Repair the PST File

You may find some folders or the entire PST file empty, if the file is corrupted or damaged. In such a scenario, you can use the in-built tool in Outlook – Inbox Repair Tool (also known as SCANPST.exe) to repair the corrupted PST file. Follow the step-by-step instructions given below to repair the PST file using the SCANPST.exe:

1. Close your Outlook application. Go to the SCANPST.exe location on your system. It is located in Outlook installation directory. If you’re not able to find the tool’s location, read How to Find ScanPST.exe Location in Outlook.

• After locating the SCANPST.exe, double-click to open it.
• Click Browse to select the PST file you need to repair.

• After selecting the PST file, click Start to initiate the scan. The Inbox Repair Tool takes some time to scan and detect issues in the PST file, depending on the file size and level of corruption.

• Once the scan is complete, the Inbox Repair Tool shows the number of inconsistencies and errors found in the file. Ensure that the Make backup of scanned file before repairing option is selected. Then, click on the Repair option.

• After the completion of repairing process, start Outlook and try to access the PST file.

Sometimes, ScanPST.exe can freeze during the scan or even fail to fix corruption in the PST file. This can happen if the PST file is large, severely corrupted, or encrypted. In such a case, you can use a professional Outlook PST repair tool, such as Stellar Repair for Outlook. This PST repair tool can repair highly damaged or corrupted PST files with ease and without any file size limitations. It offers an intuitive user interface that makes it easy to repair the PST file for users with minimal technical expertise. After repairing the PST file, it allows to save mailbox items in a new PST file or formats like PDF, MSG, HTML, EML, RTF, etc.

Conclusion

Outlook users sometimes come across a situation where they find the exported Outlook PST file empty after importing it into the application. This can happen due to various reasons, like incorrect view settings or corruption in PST file. If corruption in the PST file is the reason, then you can use the ScanPST.exe or Inbox Repair Tool. If the Inbox Repair Tool fails to repair the PST file, you can use a more powerful Outlook PST Repair tool, such as Stellar Repair for Outlook. It can easily repair severely corrupted Outlook PST files of any size with ease.

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About The Author

Shivom Sharma

Translating tech talk into everyday language—because everyone deserves to understand their software.