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How do you fix a corrupt .pst Outlook Data File

Ing. Miguel A. Gómez Barnola 0 Reputation points
2025-11-13T17:35:27.2133333+00:00

My .pst Outlook Data File corrupted and I cannot access it any more.

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home

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  1. JANSHER LIWAG 8,840 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-11-13T19:21:21.05+00:00

    Hi Miguel,

    Thank you for posting, I am here to help. I’m Sorry you are having this Problem. Possible cause of this is due to issues like sudden program or system shutdowns, oversized files, hard drive errors, virus attacks, and problems with network connectivity.

    To fix this problem kindly follow this steps:

    Exit Outlook and browse to one of the following file locations:

    Outlook 2019: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

    or

    Outlook 2016: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

    Open SCANPST.EXE

    Select your corrupted PST file to scan then click start to begin. If scan find error choose repair. When the repair is complete, start Outlook with the profile associated with the Outlook Data File you just repaired.

    For more details you can check this article:

    Repair Outlook Data Files (.pst and .ost)

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/repair-outlook-data-files-pst-and-ost-25663bc3-11ec-4412-86c4-60458afc5253

    I hope you find this information helpful. Please let us know if you have any further questions If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer".

    Best regards,

    Jansher

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  2. AI answer

    2025-11-13T17:35:53.14+00:00

    To fix a corrupt .pst Outlook Data File, you can use the Inbox Repair Tool (Scanpst.exe) that is included with Microsoft Outlook. Here are the steps to repair your .pst file:

    1. Exit Outlook: Make sure Outlook is closed before you start the repair process.
    2. Start the Inbox Repair Tool:
      • You can start it automatically by selecting Open or Run in the File Download dialog box, or you can start it manually by locating the Scanpst.exe file using Windows Explorer.
    3. Locate Your .pst File: In the Inbox Repair tool, type the path and the file name of your personal folders (.pst) file or select Browse to locate the file.
    4. Repair the .pst File: Select Start to begin the repair process. You may need to run the tool several times to fully repair the file.
    5. Recover Repaired Items: After the repair, you may need to create a new .pst file to recover the repaired items. Drag the recovered items from the Lost and Found folder to your new .pst file.
    6. Remove the Recovered Personal Folders: Once you have moved all items, you can remove the Recovered Personal Folders (.pst) file from your profile if you are satisfied with the recovery.

    Keep in mind that the Inbox Repair Tool cannot fix every problem, and some items may not be recoverable if they were permanently deleted or severely corrupted.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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