Hey Readers. This time the post is pretty much simple. Basically simple in the sense that not much needed to be done. Certainly, it is not a trivial post because not many know about the SCANPST.exe utility provided by the Microsoft itself. I am writing about how to use the Inbox Repair tool on a .pst file. You may also use the same procedures for an offline folder (.ost) file. This artical has suddenly appeared because recently I had to use this to manage my Office Inbox. Though easy, yet if you don't know, you will find yourself just like a stranger waiting for some input from your IT Team. So here it goes...
To recover the outlook data, you have to run the Inbox Repair tool. For more information about how to run the Inbox Repair Tool, view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base titled as 'How to find and run the Inbox Repair tool in Outlook' Depending on the version of Windows that you are running, your .pst file might be located in one of the following folders.
disk drive:\users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook, OR
disk drive:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
Now, in case the file is about to the 2-GB size limit (or anything closer to it), you should use the .PST or .OST cropping/minimizing tool to make the file smaller. For more information about the PST/OST cropping tool, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.
To find and run the Inbox Repair tool manually, follow these steps:
Exit your MS Outlook.
In the Search box, type Scanpst.exe.
This file is location depends on the version of Windows that you are running. Normally these are the [laces you can find this
-- disk drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE10 or office 03 or 07 etc
disk drive:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Mapi\1033\
-- disk drive:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Mapi\1033\NT
-- disk drive:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MSMAPI\1033
-- disk drive:\Program Files(x86)\Microsoft Office\Office10 or office 03 or 07 etc
-- disk drive:\Program Files(x86)\Common Files\System\Mapi\1033\
-- disk drive:\Program Files(x86)\Common Files\System\MSMAPI\1033
When you get the program, just double-click it i.e Scanpst.exe. Now open file to scanClick Browse to locate the .pst file. Following are the most probable locations:
* disk drive\Windows\Local Settings\Application Data
** disk drive\WINNT\Profiles\username\Local Settings\Application Data
*** disk drive:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
**** disk disk drive:\users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
Click Start. The Inbox Repair tool scans the file and reports whether it found any errors.
Click OK.
Mission accompalished!!
Say Cheese :)
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Note: (Added in May 2017)
In latest MS Office 15, over Windows 10, the location of scanpst.exe is as follows:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 15\root\office15
Say cheers again. I keep on updating the posts ;)
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