In this article we will try to understand how this is possible repair a corrupt OST file. Using the possible solutions indicated, you can easily repair a damaged OST file and recover the data contained in it. If you have any doubts, leave your comment below.
OSTis the archive file format of Microsoft Outlook which also allows it to function offline. The primary function of the OST file is precisely to allow users to work offline on Outlook or even use the program in conditions of no connection to Exchange Server. In these situations, thanks to the OST file, you can still perform actions such as reading or deleting existing mail, saving drafts, composing new messages, etc… All these changes are automatically synchronized with the server (Exchange Server) as soon as you reconnect to Internet. A failure of the Exchange server or a damaged database on the server side does not affect the OST file (fortunately).
However, these OST files can be prone to damage or corruption. At some times, such as when syncing OST files, you may receive an error message stating that the OST file is corrupt or damaged. Other times it may appear that some elements within the OST file are missing or deleted. In such scenarios, the question arises spontaneously: How to repair corrupt OST file?
Before the release of Outlook 2010, repairing a corrupt OST file was much easier. In the latest versions however, as Microsoft has removed the repair tool as the tool OST Integrity Checkr (Scanost.exe), the repair of the OST file must be done in other ways. Below we highlight the 3 ways possible to repair a corrupt or damaged OST file.
How to Repair Corrupted OST File
Here are the three solutions we propose to repair a corrupt or damaged OST file.
Solution #1: Update OST File
You can repair your corrupt OST file by simply updating it, or better yet, deleting and recreating it. That’s right. Here’s how to do it.
A) In the Windows search box (bottom left) copy and paste this path:
%LOCALAPPDATA%MicrosoftOutlook
Click on the found folder to directly access the folder containing the OST file
Right-click the file ost (which has problems) and select the option Delete.
After doing these simple steps, open the desktop version of again Microsoft Outlook to update and recreate the .ost file (for the account you intend to restore)
Solution #2: Use ScanPST to repair OST file
ScanPST is a free utility that can be used to repair both PST files and OST files. You can run the file scanpst.exe to repair damaged ost file. This tool checks for errors and tries to repair them. If ScanPST fails to do the repair it will ask you to recreate it and then you can import the data contents into the mailbox again. To use ScanPST here are the steps to follow:
- Press Windows key + R to open the Run command.
- Type the following path and click the OK button: C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft OfficerootOffice16. If you are using Outlook 2013, use this path: C: Program Files (x86) Microsoft Office Office15.
- Double-click the SCANPST.EXE file to start Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair.
What if none of the above manual methods work? In this case, all you have to do is rely on OST file repair software
Solution #3: Software to Repair OST Files
There are several software that help to repair your corrupt OST file easily. Some of these programs are well known, while others are not highly recommended. The choice of software is very important because a wrong choice, instead of repairing your corrupt OST file, could damage it further.
One of the best software tools that we want to highlight is the program OST to PST Converterwhich is capable of not only repairing the OST file but also maintaining its integrity.
The first thing to do is download and install the free demo version of the program from the following link:
Open the program and import the OST file to be repaired:
After importing you will be able to immediately view the data contained in the OST file:
Finally you can select the data to recover and export it to a PST/MSG/EML/RTF/HTML or PDF file
