Microsoft Outlook is a part of Microsoft Office suite which is commonly used as an email application. Also includes calendar, tasks, contacts and other items which are stored on your computer and server. The latest version of Microsoft Outlook is Outlook 2013 which is included in Office 2013. Outlook data files are saved in two formats: .pst (Personal Storage Table) and .ost (Offline Storage Table).

Outlook 2002 and its earlier versions use ANSI file format to store Outlook mailbox data. The size limit of the Outlook files saved in this format is 2 GB. These files can be accessed in Outlook 2002 or its older versions. Other Outlook versions including 2003, 2007, 2010 and 2013 store the data in Unicode format (default format). It stores files up to 20 GB. Outlook 2013 file can extend its file size to 50 GB. If maximum file size limit is reached, Outlook files become corrupted.

How to reduce the size of a PST File?

As manual compaction doesn’t reduce the file size to a greater extent but still user can try once only after taking backup of original file.

Note: Deletion of files from personal folder does not change the size of the file unless you compress it.

Click on File menu, then click on Data File Management

menu, then click on Select the file you need to compact, and then click settings

Click on Compact Now.

Learning about how to Compact PST File will clear all your doubts regarding PST and OST compaction

Note: Accessing a PST file from shared network or other computer may lead to loss of data.

Corruption causes complete loss of data and inaccessibility of mailbox files. Some of the more reasons of corruption of PST files are virus attack, power failure, damaged .pst file due to manual mistake, abrupt shut down of outlook, and fault in network device.

One more technique to break a large-sized file is to “Split PST File“. This can implemented manually by using Import and Export function in Outlook.

Simple Solution to Repair Outlook PST File:

Main concern while recovering Outlook mailbox data is to get an efficient way which will not leave user irritated. Throwing light on available solutions, one of the best repair programs is PST Repair Tool. It has fastest recovery algorithm which recovers all the possible data from personal folders and save it in new PST file. You can also save recovered data in other email format – DBX, EML, MSG, MBOX, Archive formats (VCF, ICF and text). Inbuilt repair program is also configured within MS Outlook. It scans and fixes errors. We will now discuss about Microsoft’s Inbox Repair tool in detail.

Inbox Repair tool, i.e. Scanpst.exe (executable program) is inbuilt within Outlook use to diagnose and fix corruption issues in PST file. This Inbox Repair tool doesn’t diagnose those mailbox files which are running on Exchange Server. It also examines intactness of the file structure. Inbox Repair tool resets file structure and fix up the header. Exit Outlook application (if running) and run Scanpst.exe.

To start Scanpst.exe automatically, click on the appropriate link below –

Inbox Repair tool – previous Outlook versions

Inbox Repair tool – Outlook 2013

Open and run this program. After the Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair tool wizard is opened, execute Step 1 given below.

To start Scanpst.exe manually, locate this file by using the locations provided below and double click on it to run, then execute Step 1 –

Outlook 97/98 drive:\Program Files\Common Files\Windows Messaging\scanpst.exe Outlook 2000 drive:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MAPI\<locale ID>\NT\scanpst.exe Outlook 2002 drive:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MAPI\<locale ID>\scanpst.exe Outlook 2003 drive:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MSMAPI\<locale ID> Outlook 2007 drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12 Outlook 2010 drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14 Outlook 2013 drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15

Step 1 – Follow the procedure to repair PST file:

Enter the name of damaged PST file in the text box or click on the browse button to browse the corrupted PST file



You can get specified scan log by clicking on the options button and select appropriate option

button and select appropriate option Click on start to start the scanning process

to start the scanning process The files will be scanned within seconds and the errors (if exist) will be shown to you

If you want to create a backup of scanned files, then check the “ Make backup of scanned file before repairing” box



box Click on repair button to repair the damaged PST file

button to repair the damaged PST file After some minutes, you will get a message box that shows the message “Repair complete”.



Step 2 – Recover data from repaired file to new PST file:

Executing Inbox Repair tool only scans and repairs damaged file. After the repairing process is finished, user need to recover data from repaired PST file. Recovered data then can be saved in new PST file. The procedure is as follows:-

Start MS Outlook and choose repaired PST file.

Select Folder List view from View tab.

You will see a list of recovered personal folders –

Inbox

Outbox

Sent Items

Deleted Items

Calendar

Notes

Contacts

Tasks

JournalThese folders are generally empty. One more folder, i.e. Lost and Found contains all the data files which are recovered by Inbox Repair tool. Lost and Found folder may be empty if the file is not repaired.

Inbox Outbox Sent Items Deleted Items Calendar Notes Contacts Tasks JournalThese folders are generally empty. One more folder, i.e. Lost and Found contains all the data files which are recovered by Inbox Repair tool. Lost and Found folder may be empty if the file is not repaired. In your Outlook profile, create new PST file. The method of creating new PST file is different for different Outlook versions.

Outlook 2010/2013 – File tab > Info tab > Account Setting > Account Settings > Data Files tab > Add > Enter file name > OK Outlook 2007 – File tab > Data File Management > Office Outlook Personal Folders File (in Types of storage dialog box) > OK > Select location and enter file name of new PST file (in Create or Open Outlook Data File) > OK Outlook 2003 – File > New > Personal Folders File > OK (Create or Open Outlook Data File dialog box opens) > Enter file name > OK (Create Microsoft Personal Folders dialog box opens) > Enter file name > OK

Move data items from Lost and Found folder to new PST file.

After dragging all the items, remove repaired PST file including Lost and Found folder.

SCANPST.EXE also works to repair OST file of Server. Recovered OST file can be exported to Outlook by Import/ Export function. Convert OST to PST and secure offline data. Generally Scanpst doesn’t repair heavily corrupted PST file but you can still refer to PST Repair Tool which I have suggested above. It is quite a guaranteed solution.