How to repair Outlook data files

If your Outlook data files are damaged, you can use Inbox Repair Tool to save the data. This guide shows how to quickly repair your data.

Inbox repair tool

The "Inbox Repair Tool" is shipped with Outlook 2010. It checks whether the file structure of your Outlook data files is intact. If discrepancies are found, the software resets the existing data file structure and tries to fix existing problems.

Restore Outlook data file

To repair your Outlook data file in no time:

1. Important: Outlook must be closed while using the "Inbox repair tool". The software cannot be accessed from Outlook.
2. Depending on whether you have installed Windows and Outlook in the 32-bit or 64-bit variant, open the following folder using Windows Explorer: "C: \ Program Files (x86) \ Microsoft Office \ Office14" (32-bit ) or "C: \ Program Files \ Microsoft Office \ Office14" (64-bit).
3. In one of these two folders you will find the "scanpst.exe" file, which you can now open with a double click.
4. Click on "Browse" to select your Outlook data file or enter the name in the "Enter the name of the file to be checked" field (see image gallery).
5. To specify the audit log options, click the Options button and select one of the 3 options specified. You can choose between "Create / overwrite log file", "Attach to existing log file" or "Do not create a log file". If this is your first time doing a repair, the first option is recommended.
6. After all settings have been made, click on the "Start" button. If errors are found during the check, you will be prompted to start the repair.
7. A backup file is created during the repair. To change the default name or location of the file, click Browse or type the new name in the "Enter backup file name" field.
8. Now click the "Repair" button to start the repair. The log file can be found in the same folder as the PST file.

So it goes on after the repair

After the repair is complete, you can start Outlook with the profile that contains the repaired data file. Click on the "Folder List" item in the navigation area of ​​Outlook or use the key combination "CTRL-6" to switch there.

1. In the folder list you will find "Recovered Personal Folders" with the default Outlook folders or an "Unallocated Items". The recovered folders are usually empty because it is a newly created PST file. In the "Items without mapping" folder you will find the folders and items that have been restored by the "Inbox repair tool".
2. Via the menu item "Start - New Items - Other Items - Outlook Data File" in Outlook you can create a new PST file and drag the items in the "Items without assignment" folder into the new file. Once you have moved all of the items, you can remove the above-mentioned "Recovered Personal Folders" and "Items without Mapping" folders from your profile.

Tested under Windows 7 and 8 with Outlook 2010. Read this practical tip to find out how you can back up your e-mails from Outlook.

Latest videos

Microsoft Inbox Repair Tool.

Select one of the exam protocol options.

Here you create a new Outlook data file.