Whenever it comes down to corruption in the Outlook mailbox, the Inbox Repair Tool is the very first thing you should always be looking for. It’s commonly known as the scanpst exe utility. So whenever you encounter an error message while opening the Outlook data file, maybe it’s corruption and you need to repair PST file in time.

Here is the list of the most common Outlook errors you may encounter due to corruption:

• “The file xxxx.pst is not a personal folders file.”
• “Errors have been detected in the file xxxx.pst. Quit Outlook and all mail-enabled applications, and then use the Inbox repair tool(Scanpst.exe) to diagnose and repair errors in the file. For more information about the Inbox repair tool, see Help.”
• “Microsoft Outlook has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.”
• “Unable to display the folder. The file xxxx.pst could not be accessed.”
• “The file xxxx.pst cannot be found.” 
• “File xxxx.pst could not be accessed. Data error. Cyclic redundancy check.”

So if you’re facing any of these common Outlook errors, it’s better to run the Inbox Repair tool to scan the corrupt PST file. Apart from these errors, the Inbox Repair tool can also be used if you notice some specific symptoms like these:

• Outlook client crashes while displaying a mailbox folder or writing data to it;
• mspst.dll errors are found in the event viewer;
• Outlook fails to complete the import/export process;
• Errors are encountered during send/receive operations; etc.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the process to repair PST file by using the Inbox Repair tool. But before that, I’ll show you how to locate the scanpst utility on your computer.

The Inbox Repair Tool

Microsoft provides a freeware built-in repair utility in Outlook, called the Inbox Repair tool. It gets installed on the local system during the Outlook installation. The Inbox Repair tool is commonly known as the scanpst utility. Its primary function is to check the PST file for integrity errors. It can diagnose the problem, and attempt to fix it. Generally, the Inbox Repair tool fixes the header corruption issues and rebuild the file structure.

Below are the key features of the Inbox Repair tool:

• Closely examine the tables whether they’re correctly associated with the folders or not;
• Intensive scanning of every row in the tables to check whether the messages or subfolders are available in the system or not;
• Remove the entire row if the messages or subfolders are missing;
• Smartly validate the messages as well as mailbox folder; etc.

SCANPST Location

Before you can run the Inbox Repair tool, you must locate its executable file. Sometimes novice Outlook users may find it difficult to locate the scanpst utility. Generally, the SCANPST location depends on your Outlook version. Below is the list of scanpst location according to the Outlook version:

Run the Inbox Repair Tool

Once you successfully locate the scanpst exe utility, double-click the executable file and choose “Run as administrator”.

This will launch the Inbox Repair tool on your system.

Now click the Browse button to select the corrupt PST file.

Once you select the file, it’ll be listed on the edit box.

Now click the Start button to scan the PST file.

The scanning process is being conducted on your system. Don’t cancel it.

Once the scanning process is successfully completed, it’ll generate a scanning report where you can see the number of errors found during the scanning process.

Also, you can click the Details button for more information about the problem. Finally, you can click Repair to repair PST file.

Within a couple of minutes, the repairing process will be completed.

If the Inbox Repair Tool fails…

If the Inbox Repair tool has successfully repaired the Outlook data file, you can easily open it with no problem. But if you still encounter the error message, you should try running it again. And if it fails repeatedly, maybe corruption is severe. Sometimes Outlook users receive this error message while running the Inbox Repair tool:

“The Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair Tool does not recognize the PST file xxxx.pst. No information can be recovered.”

If the corruption is severe, the Inbox Repair tool may fail to recognize the PST file. In such a situation, you should always look forward to a professional solution. Or maybe before that, you should use the backup to restore the PST file from it. But if there’s no backup available, you must use a professional PST Recovery tool.

Professional PST Recovery Tool

The Inbox Repair tool can only fix minor corruption issues. And, it often fails if the PST file is severely corrupted. In such a situation, a professional PST Recovery tool can repair PST file and recover the mailbox content from it. It works as a lifesaver for Outlook users that can save the crucial mailbox data from being lost. Unlike the scanpst utility, this professional solution can handle high-level of corruption without requiring any prior technical expertise. It can successfully restore emails, contacts, calendars, notes, tasks, journals, etc. as well as attachments, and save them into a new fresh PST file. Additionally, it can restore your data from the Deleted Items folder. Even you can recover the accidentally deleted email messages.

The PST Recovery tool is available with the demo version for free evaluation. The demo version allows you to scan corrupt PST file and check the preview of the mailbox content which you can actually recover. And if you’re satisfied with the results, then only you should purchase the software.

How to Prevent Corruption?

Generally, file corruption is inevitable. However, there are certain things you should try to prevent Outlook mailbox corruption:

PST File Size Limit

PST file has a definite size limit, i.e 2 GB for ANSI and 20 GB to 50 GB for Unicode. Since an ANSI PST file can only store up to 2 GB of mailbox data, it’s likely to be more corrupted than the Unicode PST file. You should never let the PST file size grow at any cost. Because if it reaches near the maximum size or crosses it, the PST file becomes prone to corruption. So whenever you notice that the PST file is about to reach its maximum size, you should split the file into two or multiple parts. Also, you can compress PST file by size by using the built-in Compact feature.

Unexpected Computer/Outlook Crash

A computer system can crash at any time due to any reason, and it may lead to severe issues. Even the Outlook application is also prone to crash. So if your computer crashes while Outlook is running, this may put the PST file at high risk of corruption. Whenever this happens, you must run the Inbox Repair tool for the PST file on which you were working before the computer/Outlook crashed down. Also, try to find out the root cause of the crash so next time you won’t experience it again.

Closing Outlook Client Abnormally

Any computer application should be closed in the correct way as it’s recommended. If you close the Outlook client abnormally, this action may put the mailbox content at high risk of corruption. In order to prevent this from happening, make sure that you close the Outlook client by using the File menu. Also, you should wait a few minutes between closing the Outlook client and turning off your computer system. It’s just because the Outlook client keeps running as a process for a short time even after you close it. Always use a UPS device that provides you power backup in case of a sudden power failure that leads to unexpected system shut down.

Virus Infection

There’s no computer file immune to virus infection. Since the Outlook client is connected to the Internet, a virus can easily enter your Outlook data file through incoming email messages. It may infect the complete PST file and make it corrupt. So make sure you always use an Antivirus program that supports scanning of the incoming email messages. The Antivirus program also helps you scan the computer to detect the viruses. You should scan the computer for viruses on daily basis.

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