Summary: This guide includes step-by-step instructions to repair corrupt PST file using the Microsoft's free PST repair tool - Inbox Repair tool or ScanPST.exe. It also covers an advanced Outlook Repair tool from Stellar® that can help repairing PST files, when ScanPST.exe is unable to fix them.
Microsoft Outlook uses PST (Personal Storage Table) files to store a copy of messages, calendar events, and other mailbox data on the local storage. Nevertheless, PST files are susceptible to corruption due to a variety of factors and reasons. A large number of Outlook users are unaware of the causes of corruption in PST files and the procedures involved in fixing damaged PST files. In this guide, we will explain the reasons for the corruption in PST files and see how to repair the PST files using free tools, like ScanPST.exe.
Reasons for PST File Corruption or Damage
PST file corruption can occur due to several reasons, such as:
- Incompatible or faulty add-ins
- Improper or forced system or application shutdown
- System or Outlook application crash
- Unexpected system reboot
- Bad sectors on hard drive
- File system errors
- Large PST file size, particularly in older Outlook versions
- Storing PST files on a network server or storage
- Intrusion by viruses or malware
Free Method to Repair Outlook PST File
ScanPST.exe, also known as the Inbox Repair Tool, is a free utility provided by Microsoft, designed to diagnose and repair errors in PST files. This tool is meant to serve as the first line of action (the first tool to run) in fixing corruption in Outlook PST file. The tool can help Outlook users fix minor PST corruption or errors caused by system or app glitch.
Outlook SCANPST repair tool can help you fix the following errors in Outlook, which might appear while accessing the Outlook account or importing the corrupt PST file to Outlook:
- Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook Window.
- The file xxx.pst is not an Outlook data file (.pst).
- Something is wrong with one of your data files and Outlook needs to close.
These errors are usually a result of corrupt or damaged PST file.
Steps to Use the SCANPST.exe to Repair PST File
To run and use Inbox Repair tool (ScanPST.exe), you should first know its location. Based on the Outlook version and the Windows operating system, the location of ScanPST.exe tool may vary. Here are the default locations:
-
In Outlook 2019
- 32-bit Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office19\
- 64-bit Outlook: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office19\
-
In Outlook 2016
- 32-bit Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16\
- 64-bit Outlook: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\
-
In Outlook 2013
- 32-bit Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15\
- 64-bit Outlook: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15\
-
In Outlook 2010
- 32-bit Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14\
- 64-bit Outlook: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\
Once you’ve located the ScanPST.exe, follow these steps:
- Exit MS Outlook (if it is open).
- Launch ScanPST.exe as administrator.
- Click on Browse to locate and select the corrupt PST file.
The default location of PST file in Outlook may vary. The default path (in Outlook 2013 or later) is: C:\users\YourUserName\Documents\Outlook Files\
- After selecting the damaged PST file, click Start to scan the PST file for errors.
- After scan, the tool will show errors or inconsistencies in the PST file, if it finds any. Then, select Repair.
- The repair task may take a while to complete. This depends on the size of the PST, corruption level, and the system resources.
- Once the PST repair is finished, you can open your Outlook and see if you’re able to access all emails.
Limitations of Free PST Repair Tool (SCANPST)
Despite its usefulness, ScanPST.exe has several limitations:
- In some cases, the tool may not be able to fix all errors. So, you need to run the tool multiple times to get all the errors fixed.
- ScanPST.exe may lead to data loss as it repairs the PST file by purging mail items that are deemed as bad or beyond repair. So, make sure to back up the PST file before repairing.
- The tool can sometimes hang or crash during the repair process. This may happen when you try to repair a PST file which is too large (larger than 2 GB) or severely damaged or corrupt.
Alternative Method to Repair PST File
If ScanPST.exe fails to repair PST file, you can use third-party PST repair tools, such as Stellar Repair for Outlook. It’s a more robust solution designed to handle severe PST file corruption and provides several other features and options for effective recovery of mail items from corrupt, damaged, or encrypted PST file.
Stellar Repair for Outlook is an advanced Outlook repair and recovery tool, which serves as the ultimate solution to fix all kinds (and degrees) of corruption in PST file and recover all the data. In fact, it assures complete recovery, irrespective of the size of PST file and level of corruption.
It offers a range of features, including:
- The tool can help recover all emails, attachments, contacts, calendar events, and more from corrupted PST files with complete integrity and precision.
- It can repair encrypted and/or oversized or large PST file (up to 50 GB or larger).
- It provides an intuitive and easy-to-user interface that guides you through the PST repair process, making it easier to quickly repair and fix PST file corruption.
Steps to Run Stellar Repair for Outlook Software
You don’t really need a high-end PC to install and run Stellar Repair for Outlook. It supports Microsoft Outlook 2019, 2016, and earlier versions on notable Windows versions (old and new). So, whether your PC is running on the old Windows XP or the latest version of Window 11, you can easily use this free PST Repair tool. Here are the steps to use this tool:
- Download and install Stellar Repair for Outlook from the official website.
- Launch the software and select the PST file for repair.
- Click on Repair to start the analysis process. The software will scan the corrupt PST file. The estimated scan duration depends upon the size of PST file and extent of corruption.
- After the scan, you can preview the recoverable data.
- Click Save Repaired File, choose PST, and click Next.
- Choose a save location and click OK. This will save the recovered mail items from corrupt PST file to a new healthy PST file.
Read Stellar Repair for Outlook Review on IBTimes.com by Administrators.
Comparison – Free PST Repair Tool vs Stellar Repair for Outlook
Below is a quick comparison between the free PST repair tool and the advanced Outlook PST repair tool – Stellar Repair for Outlook.
| Feature | Free PST Repair Tool (ScanPST.exe) | Stellar Repair for Outlook |
| Cost | Free | Paid (with free trial available) |
| Repair Capabilities | Basic repair | Advanced repair |
| Success Rate | Moderate | High |
| User Interface | Basic | User-friendly and intuitive |
| File Size Limitations | May struggle with large files | No limitations |
| Supported Outlook Versions | All major versions | All major versions |
| Supported Windows Versions | All major versions | All major versions |
| Repair Speed | Slow | Fast |
| Recovery of Deleted Items | Limited | Comprehensive recovery |
| Selective Recovery | No | Yes |
| Additional Features | None | Preview of recoverable data, Options to save to new PST, MSG, EML, RTF, HTML, and PDF formats |
| Ease of Use | Moderate | Easy |
| Technical Support | Limited | Full support |
Conclusion
The Inbox Repair Tool, also referred to as ScanPST.exe, is a free PST Repair tool that serves as the first line of action in fixing various forms of errors/corruptions in PST file. By following the detailed process to run and use Outlook Inbox Repair tool (ScanPST.exe), explained in this post, you can restore corrupt PST file and get access to all your email items. By repairing the corrupt PST file, you may also resolve common Outlook errors.
However, at times, when the corruption is too severe, the Inbox Repair tool may be futile in repairing the file. In case Microsoft’s inbuilt ScanPST.exe fails to fix the problem with the PST file, use a more advanced PST repair tool such as Stellar Repair for Outlook. Unlike ScanPST.exe, the software can repair severely corrupt, encrypted, and large PST files in a few clicks. You can free download and use Stellar Repair for Outlook on your system to repair and preview the damaged PST file.
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