Top Methods to Repair PST Files: The Helpful Guide

Last updated on October 18th, 2022 at 05:40 am

PST file is automatically created in the local system when the email account is added to Outlook. Outlook restores all the mailbox items like messages, calendars, events, and contacts in the PST file. If the file gets corrupted, it leads to many issues. Users cannot send or receive emails and it stops any further functioning. So, it is most important to fix the corruption as soon as possible.

Most of the users ask “how to use PST Repair Tool to repair corrupted and damaged Outlook PST files in Bulk?”. In this article, you will get the answer and learn how to repair PST files from multiple methods. Microsoft offers an outlook repair tool to get rid of the issue from Outlook itself. Before moving to the repair process, you should know why your PST file got corrupted. 

Reasons Why PST file Gets Corrupted

There could be multiple reasons for the corruption of the Outlook PST file. The reason may be a power failure, fluctuation in the internet connection, hardware or software failure, etc. Let this discuss in detail so you can understand the actual cause that helps you to aware of any future damage. 

1. Oversized PST File: When the PST file exceeds the recommended file size limit, Outlook’s performance goes down. It can lead to errors and PST failure.
2. Sudden Shutdown: If the system suddenly shutdown while Outlook is running, it can affect the PST file stored in your system. Some errors are irreparable and cause serious data loss.
3. Hardware Damage: Unhealthy Hardware or internal damage can corrupt the PST file. 
4. Malware or Virus Attack: The virus can attack by opening a harmful link or email received in Outlook. It can encrypt the data or damage the PST file.
5.  Incompatible add-ins: Incompatible add-ins can cause various issues in Outlook. It may slow down Outlook performance, occurs errors in sending or receiving emails, and even corrupt the PST file. 

PST file may be corrupted due to any one of the above reasons. The damaged PST file doesn’t allow Outlook to access emails, contacts, journals, and other data. So these were the reasons why users repair PST files. Let’s discuss the process to repair the corrupted PST file. 

Manual Methods to Repair the Corrupted PST File 

Here we will discuss various methods to repair outlook data file. Have a look at all the methods described below and choose the best suitable one for you. 

Method 1: Run Outlook in Safe Mode

Firstly run Outlook in safe mode. If there is any minor issue it will detect and fix it. Try to disable all the suspected add-ins while running Outlook in safe mode. 

1. Press Win + R to launch the Run Command dialog box.
2. Type Outlook/Safe and click OK or Enter.

This will run Outlook in safe mode. If the issue still remains the same, you should move to the next method.

Method 2: Repair PST Files by Using the Outlook Repair Tool

Inbox Repair Tool is the in-built feature available in Outlook. You can find SCANPST.EXE in different locations on different Outlook versions. Some locations are mentioned below:  

2016 version of Outlook: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

2013 version of Outlook: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15

2010 version of Outlook: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14

2007 version of Outlook: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12

1. If Outlook is running in the background, close it to begin the process of outlook PST repair.  
2. Go to the above location to open the SCANPST.EXE file. 
3. Double-click on SCANPST.EXE and let the application open. 
4. Click on the Browse button to search the Corrupted PST file.
5. Select the File and hit the OK button. 
6. Tap the Start button to scan the file to fix the errors.

When the scanning process gets completed, it will show all the errors. To resolve these errors to repair PST files follow the given below steps:

1. Mark the checkbox Make a backup of the scanned file before repairing to take backup of the file. 
2. Enter the location to save the backup file or click the Browse button.
3. Click the Repair button.
4. If the message shows “Repair Complete”, hit the OK button.

It doesn’t sure to fix the repair and It is one of its limitations. It is more important to know all of its limitations before following the method.

Limitations to Repair Outlook Data File Manually

Using the manual method can lead you to some trouble. It has many limitations which we will discuss below:

1. High risk of data loss: There is a high risk of data loss in the manual process. A single mistake in the repair process can corrupt your PST file. 
2. Run multiple times: To fully outlook PST repair, you need to run the SCANPST.EXE file multiple times. 
3. Doesn’t fix high-level corruptions: The manual method can only fix minor errors. 
4. Required technical expertise: The manual method is not suitable for non-technical users. It requires technical know-how to understand and perform the function.
5. Lengthy process; The process is quite lengthy and consumes lots of time. It can repair a single file in a go. 

So these were the reasons why the manual method is not suitable for you. Professionals recommend the automated method to repair PST files for quick repair and to avoid any data loss. It restores all mailbox items like Email, Calendar, Contacts, etc. from corrupt Outlook PST files. The automated method not only repairs the corrupted file but also restores the deleted emails. It easily repairs large files because there is no size limit. Using this method doesn’t require any technical know-how. It is easy to understand and the GUI is user-friendly. 

After discussing all methods, we should conclude which one is better to choose.

Conclusion

We have discussed the manual method and the automated one. All two manual techniques require more effort and don’t ensure data security. But we found the automated method far better to repair PST files. It is specially designed to keep in mind the user’s convenience. Hence, the automated method is a good choice to go without hindrance. Thanks for being up to the end.