How to Repair Corrupted PST File in Outlook

PST file corruption is one of the most common problems in Microsoft Outlook. When a PST file becomes damaged, Outlook may fail to open, display error messages, or stop showing mailbox data such as emails, contacts, and calendar entries.

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What Is a PST File?

A PST (Personal Storage Table) file is the primary data file used by Desktop Outlook to store emails, contacts, calendar items, tasks, and other mailbox data. If this file becomes corrupted, Outlook cannot access your data properly.

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Common Causes of PST File Corruption

PST files may become corrupted due to:

• Oversized PST file
• Unexpected Outlook shutdown
• System crash or power failure
• Hard disk errors or bad sectors
• Virus or malware attacks
• Improper PST file transfer

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Common Outlook Error Messages

If your PST file is corrupted, you may see errors like:

• “The file xxxx.pst is not a Personal Folders file.”
• “Cannot start Microsoft Outlook.”
• “Outlook data file cannot be accessed.”
• “Microsoft Outlook has encountered a problem and needs to close.”

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Method 1: Repair PST File Using ScanPST (Inbox Repair Tool)

Microsoft Outlook provides a built-in utility called ScanPST (Inbox Repair Tool) to repair minor PST corruption issues.

1. Close Microsoft Outlook.
2. Locate the ScanPST.exe tool on your system.
3. Browse and select the corrupted PST file.
4. Click Start to begin scanning.
5. If errors are found, click Repair.

Limitation: ScanPST can fix only minor corruption. It may fail in case of severe damage or large PST files.

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Method 2: Repair Severely Corrupted PST File

If ScanPST fails to repair the file, professional PST repair software is required to deeply scan and restore mailbox data.

The software helps you:

• Repair severely corrupted PST files
• Recover deleted emails and folders
• Maintain original folder structure
• Preview mailbox data before saving
• Support all major Outlook versions

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Steps to Repair PST File Using Outlook Email Recovery Software

1. Download and install the software.
2. Launch the application.
3. Select the damaged PST file.
4. Start the deep scan process.
5. Preview recovered mailbox items.
6. Save the repaired data to a new PST file.
7. Open the repaired PST file in Outlook.

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Related Outlook Recovery Guides

• How to Recover Permanently Deleted Outlook Emails
• Outlook Not Opening PST File: Causes and Solutions
• How to Fix a Damaged PST File Without Using ScanPST
• How to Recover Deleted Outlook Folder
• Recover Emails from an Inaccessible PST File in Outlook

Conclusion

PST file corruption can prevent Outlook from functioning properly. While the Inbox Repair Tool can fix minor errors, severely corrupted PST files require advanced repair software to safely restore mailbox data without loss.