
Microsoft provides Scanpst, also known as the Inbox Repair Tool, for correcting most problems with damaged Personal Folders .pst files.
Before you can use scanpst, you need to find it. Microsoft doesn't add a shortcut for it to the Start menu so you'll need to look for it. The easiest way to access it in current versions of Office is by holding down Shift as you right-click on any Office app icon pinned to the Taskbar and choosing Open File Location. You won't see this option on the context menu if the app is open though, but since all Office .exes are in one folder, you can Shift + right-click on any Office app icon (Word, Excel, etc). Type S on the keyboard to jump to it (Press S there times if you use Word or Publisher shortcuts to open File Explorer.)
If you don't see Open File Location, you'll need to go into File Explorer and find scanpst yourself.
Open File Explorer then browse to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office if you use 32-bit Office on 64-bit Windows or C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office if Office and Windows are the same bitness then type scanpst in the search field to find it. With Outlook 2013 and 2016, most users will find it at C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office*, which is the location for click-to-run installs
If you are using a Windows Store version of Office (currently being shipped pre-installed on many new computers), scanpst can be found in a path similar to C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.Office.Desktop.Outlook_16010.9001.2171.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\Office16. (The version number will vary with your installed version.)
You will need to know the location of the .pst file that you want to repair. If you can open Outlook, you can get the pst location from the File, Data File Management screen. Select the pst file and click the Open Folder button.
Outlook 2010 and newer use the locations below for IMAP data files while the default location for POP3 pst files is in My Documents\Outlook Files.
Note: IMAP caches a copy of messages to the local computer and I recommend that you delete the IMAP data file. When you restart Outlook, it will rebuild the data file. This is generally better than trying to repair it using Scanpst or a commercial tool.
If you use Outlook 2007 or older and the pst file is in the default folder location, you can find it in the following locations:
Windows 7/8 or Vista:
C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
Type or paste this shortcut in the scanpst dialog to jump to the location:
%localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook
Windows XP or Windows 2000:
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
Type or paste this shortcut in the scanpst dialog to jump to the location:
%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
See Outlook Backup and Dual-Boot for additional information on file locations and ways to determine the location of a .pst file that you can see in Outlook.
See How to use Scanpst.exe to repair Outlook data files if you need Step-by-step instructions for Scanpst.
Usage | Notes | Tools | More Information
Usage
When you run Scanpst.exe, it performs a number of tests. If it finds errors, it asks whether you want to make a backup copy of the original file (always say Yes), then tries to correct the errors.
If you run Scanpst.exe against a .pst file that Outlook 2003 created for a local copy of Windows SharePoint Services events and contacts lists, you will get an error message that you can ignore. See You Receive an Error Message When You Use the Inbox Repair Tool to Scan a .pst File
For seriously corrupted PST files, try running Scandisk.exe (look under Programs | Accessories | System Tools) first, then Scanpst.exe, repeating 3-4 times until neither program returns an error. We've known this technique to restore data that the user thought was lost forever.
And if that doesn't do it, you can try our tips to repair a 2gb Personal Folders file or Offline Folders in Microsoft Outlook.
If the file is on an NTFS volume, you can't use Scandisk.exe so easily. One approach is to open the drive in My Computer and use the Tools menu commands to scan the disk. You may need to restart Windows for the scan to run.
Notes
While you can use Scanpst.exe on offline folder (.ost) files used for cached or offline access to Exchange Server folders, we recommend deleting the ost file and letting Outlook recreate it. It's generally faster to resync the data than it is to repair the ost and a new ost file results in fewer problems. If do use try to repair an OST file and it's corrupted beyond the ability of Scanpst.exe to repair it, delete the ost. When you reopen Outlook it will make a new ost file.
There may be cases where you need to run both ScanPST and PST2GB. See OL2000 Error Message When You Start Outlook 2000 or Try to Open a Personal Folders File.
Another approach is to use a hex editor remove a single byte from the middle of the PST file, then run Scanpst. A hex editor is a tool for editing raw files; every Windows shareware site has several to choose from. Eugene McCarthy of FAO Headquarters in Rome recommends the free iHex editor, which loads only 64kb of the file at a time, making it ideal for tinkering with extremely large PST files. For simple Scanpst repairs, Eugene recommends changing the first byte of the PST file from hex 21 to 00.
There is no comparable program for cleaning up corrupted Personal Address Book (.pab) files. You may be able to view and recover PAB data by opening the file with a hex editor.
Tools in the Spotlight
DataNumen Outlook Repair is a powerful tool to repair and recover corrupted Outlook PST files. Main features: recover mail messages, folders, posts, appointments, meeting requests, contacts, distribution lists, tasks, task requests, journals and notes in PST files; support to recover attachments; support to recover deleted Outlook items; support to recover oversized 2GB PST files; support to split the output PST file into several small ones; support to recover password protected PST files; support to convert PST file from Outlook 97-2002 format into the new Outlook Unicode format. | |
Outlook PST Repair software repairs the corrupted PST file and for recovering its entire mailbox items. This software even repairs file which are larger than 2 GB and also recovers deleted emails. Stellar Outlook PST Repair software has several powerful features like repair password protected and encrypted files and also recovery of selected folders. This software works with almost all latest Outlook versions and has good compatibility with Windows 8, 7, vista, 2003, 2002 and 2000. |
Tools
CopyPST repairs Outlook data files by exporting it to a new file, ignoring any error. It requires that the data file can still be opened in Outlook. Exporting a file breaks links, which can be repairs using OLfix program. Free | |
Kernel for Outlook PST Repair Tool recovers and restores emails and other items from damaged, corrupted or broken PST files. The demo version shows you exactly that how many emails and other items will be recovered using the full Kernel Repair PST Software. Kernel for Outlook PST Repair supported versions are Outlook 97, 2000, XP, 2003. It successfully recovers all items from the PST file including emails, drafts, calendars, journal, notes, tasks, contacts etc. OST repair tool available. | |
Outlook Recovery locates Outlook files and databases automatically. If you experienced a hard drive failure or deleted an Outlook database by an accident, Outlook Recovery will perform a full scan of that disk in order to locate and undelete/recover the database. If a database is corrupted, Outlook Recovery will repair it so that it can be used with Microsoft Outlook again. Outlook Recovery can recover Outlook databases in PST and OST formats, saving them for using with Outlook or any email application that supports the EML format. | |
OutlookFix is an Outlook repair software tool for damaged, erased or large Outlook PST files. Restores Outlook files, will undelete emails and files, and lets you reduce the size of Outlook (Outlook 2gb limit fix) solving the common 2Gb size problem. | |
Recovery for Outlook repairs corrupted Outlook mailboxes (.pst). The program also supports Exchange Offline Storage Files (.ost). Supported Outlook versions: 2007, 2003, 2002, 2000, 98 and 97 | |
Recover data from Outlook pst files. Recover Exchange ost files and/or convert them into Microsoft Outlook pst files. Export data from pst files into eml and vcf files. | |
RecoveryFix for Outlook is PST repair software that repairs the corrupt, damaged and inaccessible PST files and restores them to new PST, EML or MSG file formats in a single go. The tool comes integrated with smart and enhanced repairing features that rigorously scan, repair and restore the complete Outlook data files within a matter of minutes. Its advanced algorithms and interactive GUI makes this tool an ideal Outlook PST repair utility for non-technical users to perform complex recovery process with utmost convenience. |
Diane, I have a problem with my PST file that I’m hoping you can point me to a solution. Yesterday I experienced a crash of my Outlook 2010 while trying to send an email. As usual, after restarting my system I ran the scanpst.exe tool against my Outlook PST file. I ran the scanpst several times until I could get the “no errors found” message. However this time I was never able to get to that message. After three or four passes I received a message that said there were errors in the file and to click REPAIR, but the repair button now did not appear in the lower half of the scanpst tool which was grayed out. I opened Outlook and it seems to open properly and appears to work correctly, but I suspect something is wrong since I could not successfully run the scanpst tool. I have tried to fix the PST file on a 2nd machine I have running the same version of Outlook and operating system, and I receive the same message about being unable to complete the repair. I have daily backups of my PST file and so I began to… Read more »
Moving new mail: Is this a pop account? If you leave mail on the server for 14 days, it will download and you can file it.
if you don't have a lot of folders you file in or its not a lot of mail, create a search folder for mail received 8/20 and later then open both pst in the profile and copy from one to the other.
If there is a lot of mail, you can export to the older pst - use a filter in the export to export mail received 8/10 or later and choose the option to replace duplicates.
Thanks Diane. Your suggestion of using a Search folder with date criteria worked perfectly! Stay safe... -Bob
- Bob I rmemeber a recent Windows 10 update that caused issues just like you are having, for Outlook users. It is actually a FALSE error being reported. See : Bob Dawson
https://www.zdnet.com/article/outlook-not-working-microsoft-works-on-fix-for-buggy-june-update/T
Hello, I run Office 2013 with Outlook, on Windows 10, 64 bit. I get a few minor irritating bugs with OLK2013, that are easily fixed by doing a send/receive all (for the object not found error during a manual move to archive), or a restart of Outlook when I get "cannot display the folder" message (usually after I have switched from one account folder back to another). I have run the 2013 version of scanpst.exe, but as I see FLT slot errors during a folder walk, even after NO update or move activity, I don't trust its accuracy. QUESTION: I have access to my son's laptop, and as he runs Office 2016, I see that his version of scanpst.exe is a later version - will this later version be "aware of" the 2013 header bits, and format differences between the levels - that is, if I transfer this over with a USB stick, will it be safe to run it to check for minor errors to be sure?
I think scanpst is the same on both...
This is an imap account? on object not found, switching folders usually fixes it too. on cannot display folder, it might be a corrupt view. Try changing the view or resetting it.
Hi Diane, I tried the Office2016 version of scanpst, It appears to check its expected product paths (and probably other env stuff as well), so would not run, just exits immediately - no error shown). It seems a bit more stable since Outlook/Office 15 updated to version 15.0.4867.1003
Whats about the compatibility between different "scanpst.exe" and Outlook-PST-files? Do I have to use the exact matching scanpst.exe or can I use the newest scanpst.exe (from Outlook 2016) to fix errors in a PST from Outlook 2007?
cannot open default emails
copy.pst cannot be opened
I am lost as to what & how to correct this (not technical savy but can follow directions)
What version of Outlook do you use? Do you get any error messages? When did the problem start? Are their any windows updates waiting for a reboot?
I created a new Outlook folder in which I transferred in important emails.. The folder is gone. How do I get it back?
thanks!
Is this in a hotmail account? Did you create it in Outlook or online? Generally speaking, if it's not online and not in deleted items (or deleted item recovery), it can't be recovered.
Hello Diane,
I am using outlook 2010 since past 3 years with the same PST file and suddenly it stopped receiving emails. The outgoing mails are working fine but I can't receive any emails. I have done repairing the pst using the scan-repair pst utility but it didn't help. Finally, I created a new folder under inbox and changed the message delivery to that new folder and it started receiving emails.So now how do I get it back to my original Inbox folder? Please help me with this as I don't want to transfer all of my sub folders (which are too many) to a new pst or profile. PLEASE HELP!!
How many messages are in the inbox? Is this a Unicode PST? (if you created it in 2010 it should be Unicode.)
If you need to make a new PST, you can export and it will maintain your folder structure.
Hi Diane, Thank you for the prompt reply. I am not sure how to check if it is a unicode pst. However, my inbox has about 3000 emails right now.
That's not too many - i was expecting 50,000ish. Right click on the pst name in the folder list and choose Data File Properties then Advanced. Does the Format field include "Outlook 97 - 2002"
I checked and it is in Unicode format. What is the best option for me a) to repair the pst 2) export to a new pst (not sure how to do that 3) any other solution to this issue of emails not downloading in the original Inbox folder. Your solutions have always helped me in the past, So am eagerly awaiting your reply :).
Setting it back to use the Inbox doesn't work? (That would be my first step.) Then run scanpst on it. Oh, and if you haven't rebooted in a while, reboot.
Hello my outlook 2007 keeps downloading thousands of old emails over and over . what can I do
The mailbox manager file that records what messages were downloaded but left on the server is likely corrupt. See https://www.slipstick.com/general/outlook-downloads-duplicate-emails-from-pop3-account/ for possible causes and solutions.
Hello Diane,
I think i mess up with one of my .pst files. I´ve shift deleted and even with recover tools (like recuva or remo), adding again that pst file on "open data file option", it says ".pst is not a personal folders file". On scanpst, tells me the repair tool doesn not recognize the file and, no info can be recovered (even with 811MB). I really dont know how can i save this pst file ;(. Can you help me with some tricks?
Specs: W7 86, Outlook 2007.
Thanks.
Best regards