Microsoft Outlook uses the PST (Personal Storage Table) file to store all the mailbox data, such as messages, attachments, contacts, calendar items, etc. When the PST file grows large, it impacts the Outlook performance and may get corrupted. PST file may also get corrupted due to a variety of other factors, such as abrupt system or application shutdown, system crash, storage drive issues, etc. A corrupt PST file might be an absolute nightmare if you do not have a backup of your mail items. Fortunately, you can easily repair the corrupt PST files. There are two simple ways to repair Outlook PST files – using SCANPST.EXE (an inbuilt Inbox Repair tool in Outlook) and using a specialized third-party PST repair software. Let’s discuss these two ways in detail.
Repair PST using ScanPST.exe
ScanPST.exe, also known as Inbox Repair tool, is an inbuilt utility in Outlook to fix issues with PST file. You can find this utility in the Outlook installation directory. First, find ScanPST.exe in the directory on your system and then follow the below instructions to repair your corrupt PST file:
- Double-click the ScanPST.exe file to launch it.
- Locate the PST file you want to fix by clicking the Browse option.
- Next, select Start to begin scanning the PST file.
- After the scanning procedure is complete, select the Repair option.
- After repair, the Repair finished dialog box will appear. Click OK.
However, ScanPST.exe has several restrictions and downsides, such as:
- ScanPST.exe is restricted to repair PST files up to 2 GB. So, if you’ve a large PST file, it may fail to repair it.
- It is an internal tool that can only fix minor issues of corruption.
- The process includes various steps and requires technical knowledge.
Use a Third-Party PST Repair Tool
To overcome the limitations of ScanPST.exe and quickly repair the corrupt PST files, you can use a third-party PST repair tool, like Stellar Repair for Outlook. The software has a powerful PST scan engine that thoroughly scans the corrupted or damaged PST files and retrieves all the data with complete integrity. It can even repair highly corrupted PST files of any size (up to 50 GB or more). A free trial version of the software is available that enables you to examine the recovered data before buying the software.
The Stellar Repair for Outlook software can restore all the mailbox contents to their original state. The program can also fix PST files that are password-protected. It can also recover deleted emails that were accidentally deleted. It also provides preview of the email body text and embedded hyperlinks, along with calendars, tasks, notebooks, and contacts. The tool also enables recovery of certain emails and items.
You can save the repaired PST file in a fresh PST with the original folder structure or in a number of other file types, including MSG, EML, RTF, , PDF, and HTML. The mailbox items from fixed PST files can be exported to Office 365 using the software’s Technician edition.
Key Features of Stellar Repair for Outlook
- Fixes severely corrupt PST file of any size
- Recovers all mailbox objects, such as contacts, calendar events, tasks, and notes
- Restores deleted mailbox items
- Provides preview of all the recoverable data
- Exports repaired PST to Microsoft 365 (Office 365)
- Saves repaired PST data in formats, like EML, MSG, and HTML.
Steps to use Stellar Repair for Outlook to Repair PST File
1: Launch Stellar Repair for Outlook. On the Home tab, click Select Outlook Data File. A pop-up window : will open to Browse or Find the PST file.
2: If you know the PST file’s location, select Browse. Alternatively, use Find to search the PST on your system. After selecting the file, click Repair to start the procedure.
3: The program scans the corrupt PST file. The size of the PST file and the level of corruption affect the expected scan time.
4: After scanning, the software displays the recovered Outlook mailbox items. You can see the preview of any item by clicking on it.
5: Click “Save Repaired File” to save the recovered data. You can choose the PST file format from the pop-up menu. Then, click Next, choose the destination path, and click OK.
6: A confirmation message will appear after the PST file is saved at the designated location.
Last Words
If your PST file is corrupted, you can try ScanPST to repair it. However, this Outlook’s Inbox Repair tool has certain limitations. For easy and quick PST repair without any limitations, you can use Stellar Repair for Outlook. It has advanced algorithms that help repair severely corrupted PST files. Additionally, it allows to save the repaired PST file in a new PST and other file formats, such as MSG, EML, RTF, PDF & HTML. The software supports all the editions of Microsoft Outlook. You can free download the software to scan the corrupt PST file and preview the data.
