Easy Solutions to Fix Common Email Problems In Outlook PST and OST Files[2019-2025]

While using the Microsoft Outlook client, it’s pretty much impossible to go for a long time without any problems. Have you ever faced any? There are various problems Outlook users are likely to experience. In this article, we’re going to discuss the most common email problems in Outlook PST and OST files. Also, we’ll learn how to resolve them with some basic DIY tricks.

Microsoft Outlook Data File

Microsoft Outlook client creates an Outlook data file on the local system to store the mailbox content. The mailbox content includes email messages, contacts, calendars, notes, tasks, journals as well as attachments. There are two types of Outlook data files: PST aka personal storage table and OST aka offline storage table. If you’re using the Outlook client as a stand-alone application, it uses a POP or IMAP account and creates a PST file to store your mailbox content. And if you’re using Outlook 365, Outlook.com or an Exchange account, the mailbox content will be stored in an OST file. Since Outlook data file is created on a local system, you can access your information even if you ain’t connected to the Internet or Microsoft Exchange Server.

Sometimes users may face some serious problems while using the Outlook client. Maybe you can’t open an Outlook data file or the file becomes corrupt. Also, you may notice that some items are missing from the file. The situation becomes quite challenging for a novice user. Since the Outlook data file is prone to corruption, you must repair it to save your mailbox content. Through this article, I’ll help you learn how to fix common email problems in outlook and how to repair the Outlook data file. First, we’ll learn how to repair OST file.

How to Repair OST File?

The best way to repair the OST file is by recreating it. Although Microsoft provides you the scanost.exe utility to repair the OST file, it isn’t available in MS Outlook and later versions. If you’re using MS Outlook 2007 or any earlier version, you can use the Integrity Check tool, aka scanost.exe utility. But if you’re using MS Outlook 2010 or any later version, you should do the following to fix your problem of a corrupt OST file:

• First, close the Microsoft Outlook client. And then go to the Control Panel.
• On the Control Panel, click Mail (Microsoft Outlook 2016).

• This will take you to the Mail Setup – Outlook window.

• Click the Show Profiles… button.
• On the Mail window, select the Outlook profile with the account you want to fix. Note: If you’re using MS Outlook 2016, the default profile is named “Outlook”.

• Now click the Properties button.
• On the Mail Setup – Outlook window, click Email Accounts… button.

• On the Account Settings window, click the Data Files tab.

• Now select the email account to be repaired and click the Open File Location… button.
• You can now see the OST file. Right-click it and select Delete.

Note: Before you can delete the OST file, don’t forget to close the “Account Settings” and “Mail Setup” windows.

• Once the OST file has been deleted, launch Microsoft Outlook again to create a new OST file automatically for that particular account.

How to Repair PST File?

If you’re using a POP or IMAP account and your Outlook data file is corrupt, you need to repair the PST file. Microsoft provides you the Inbox Repair tool, commonly known as the scanpst.exe utility. This can scan the corrupt PST file and rebuild the file structure. Follow the simple steps shown below:

• First, close the Microsoft Outlook client. Locate the scanpst.exe utility on your system.
•  Inside the folder, double-click scanpst.exe.

• On the Microsoft Inbox Repair tool window, click the Browse button.

• On the Select File To Scan window, select the corrupt PST file you want to repair.

• Click the Open button to confirm the file selection.
• The selected PST file will be listed in the edit box.

• Now click the Start button to scan the corrupt PST file.
• The scanning process is being conducted on your system.

• You should wait until the process is complete.
• It’ll take a couple of minutes to complete the process. You can now check the report.

• Finally, click the Repair button to start repairing the PST file.
• The repairing process may take some time.

Once it’s done, click OK.

Additional Recovery:

Microsoft Inbox Repair tool can scan and diagnose many problems in the PST file. But sometimes it may happen that the recovery process may require some additional steps in order to recover complete mailbox content. For example, you find that some of the recreated folders in the PST file are empty. Also, you see a “Recovered Personal Folders” or “Lost and Found” folder in the left pane. The items which were repaired but couldn’t be restored are contained in these folders.  You need to follow the steps given below to restore those items from the folders:

• First, open the “Recovered Personal Folders” or “Lost and Found” folder.
• Now select the items which you want to restore.
• Drag and drop the selected items into the folder in which you want to restore them.
• You can now delete the empty folders.

How to Restore Missing Items?

If you think some items are still missing, you can use the PST file backup here. It’ll help you restore the missing items from the PST file. You can find the backup file in the same folder where the PST file is located. Follow the steps shown below:

• First, rename the backup file, i.e. from.bak to.bak.pst.

• Now open the Microsoft Outlook client.

• Click the File tab > Open > Import.
•  On the Import and Export Wizard window, select Import from another program or file.

• Click Next to continue the process.
• On the Import a File window, select Outlook Data File (.pst).

• Click Next to continue the process.
• On the Import Outlook Data File window, click the Browse button to select the PST file.

• Select the import options, and click Next to continue the process.
• Now select the items which you want to import. Also, define other options.

Finally, click Finish to start importing the mailbox content.

Once you’re done, you can use the Outlook client with all your mailbox content and check again for common outlook issues and solutions(if any).

Last Line

I hope now you able to resolve the most common email problems in outlook PST and OST files. Till then keep reading.

Thanks!!

Also Read: How to Convert Maildir to PST and Import Maildir to Outlook Free

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