How to Repair PST File Without ScanPST

Outlook PST files store important data associated with email, contacts, calendar events, tasks, and more, used in conjecting with Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft 365, or standalone versions of Outlook.

However, if your PST file is damaged or corrupt, it can affect all your information. While Microsoft provides the ScanPST tool as a default solution to repair PST files, it may not always be effective or accessible.

So, we should know how to repair PST files with and without ScanPST and our guide will help you learn that.

repair pst file without scanpst

How to Repair PST File Without ScanPST

PST file is like the local copy of your Outlook account through which you can access to their mailbox data even when you are not connected to the internet or when there are issues with the mail server.

It can sometimes be consuming to repair the file with the help of ScanPST. So, let’s look for alternative ways.

Method 1: Create New PST

This method will work only if the old PST opens via Outlook. 

Note: Make sure to take a backup of your old PST file.

Follow the steps to create a new PST and copy content from the old PST:

1. Go to Outlook, click on File, and then on Open, and select the Outlook Data File to open it.

2. Now to create a new PST file, follow the path on:

  • Outlook 2010: Home tab > New Items > More Items > Outlook Data File
  • Outlook 2007 and older: File > New > Outlook Data File

3. Copy data from the old PST file and paste into the new PST file.

Once done, you need to set the new PST file as default in Microsoft Outloook. 

4. Go to File and click on Data File Management

5. Select your new PST file and click on the Set as Default button.

Select your new PST file and click on the Set as Default button

6. Restart Outlook and disconnect the old PST file. 

Also Read: How to Fix Corrupted Outlook .ost and .pst Data Files

Method 2: Restore and Import

If your PST files is quarantined, it won’t be repaired by ScanPST. In such cases, here’s how you can repair it:

1. Go to the security services, click on antivirus, and then on Quarantine.

2. Tick the checkbox for Outlook PST and click on Restore.

3. You’ll see a prompt informing to abort the process. Click on No and wait for the restorarion process to be completed.

4. Once done, click on Back to go to the antivirus program homepage and turn off Enable Real-Time Protection.

5. Now, open Outlook, select the file, and click on Import and Export.

6. Click on Import from another program or file and then click on Next.

7. Select the PST file, and then the location.

8. Click on Browse, select the Outlook,pst file, and click on Next. Finally, click on Import.

Once done, you need to delete the ibfected PST file.

9. Open Outlook, scan the mails, espcecially the recent ones, and delete the ones with attachments. 

You can save the attachments on a hard disk or external drive and later scan them individually.

10. Empty the junk folder as well.

11. Lastly, close Outlook and tick the box for Enable Real-Time Virus Protection

Method 3: Use Outlook PST Repair

Instead of ScanPST, you can use advanced inbox repair tools such as Stellar Repair for Outlook to repair your corrput PST file. It works with Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, and 2003.

1. Download and install the Stellar Repair for Outlook tool.

2. Open the tool, select List Profiles, and then select the PST file youu want to repair.

3. Click on Repair and wait for the scanning process to be completed.

4. Once done and you see the recovered data on the left panel, verifyy each, and lastly select Save Repaired File.

select Save Repaired File

5. Choose the location to save the repaired PST file.

6. Now, to set the repaired file as default, click on File > Account Settings > Account Settings > Data Files.

7. Click on Add, select the repaired file from its location, and click on Set as default.

Also Read: How to Recover Data Corruption Issues in Microsoft Outlook

How to Repair PST file using ScanPST

As you already know, ScanPST, also called the inbox repair tool which is a built-in utility in Outlook can be used to fix corrupt PST files. Here’s how:

1. Close Outlook completely and browse to one of the following locations installation directory of Microsoft Office:

Windows 32-bit version

  • Outlook 2019: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
  • Outlook 2016: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
  • Outlook 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
  • Outlook 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
  • Outlook 2007: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12

Windows 64-bit version

  • Outlook 2019: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
  • Outlook 2016: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
  • Outlook 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
  • Outlook 2010: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
  • Outlook 2007: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12

2. Open the SCANPST.EXE tool. 

3. Click on Browse and select the Outlook Data File (.pst) and click on Start.

4. If there are errors then click on Repair.

If there are errors then click on Repair

5. After the repair process is completed, restart Outlook. 

How to Repair OST File Outlook 365

OST files (Outlook Data File) stores data assosicated with Exchange accounts. You can repair OST files in Outlook 365 in the same was as PST files. So, refer to the sections above: How to repair PST file without Scanpst and How to repair PST file using ScanPST.

You can also use the Repairit for Email tool:

1. Download and install Repairit for Email, open it, and click on Select Files.

2. Click on Find to upload the OST file, and then click on Repair at the bottom.

3. After the repair is completed, click on the Save button.

Also Read: How to Change Outlook Layout

Top 3 Online PST Repair Tools

Many tools are specialized in repairing corrupt PST files for maintaining Outlook data, such as:

  • Aryson Outlook PST Repair: It is specially designed to repair and recover corrupted and damaged PST files. It can easily recover emails, contacts, calendar,s and many more.
  • Voimakas Outlook PST Recovery: It is designed with great speed and efficiency to recover PST files. The quality of data is never compromised using this tool.
  • Recovery Toolbox for Outlook: This tool can repair both the PST and OST files in Outlook. It is of great personal as well as business use as it helps in recovering emails, attachments, and many more. 

Best Free OST Repair Tools

OST files are very important in Outlook as they save all the important data offline so that the data can be accessed without the need for a network. So, it’s important to repair it as soon as it is damaged or corrupted. Here are some best tools:

  • KDE Tools OST Recovery Tool: It lets you recover any kind of corrupted or damaged OST file even if it is password protected. Moreover, using this tool, you’ll not need to worry about the compatibility of the system.
  • SysTools OST Recovery: It is filled with all the advanced features to fix corrupt files. Even if the files are huge in size, they will still be recovered with speed.
  • Kernel OST Recovery Tool: It can retrieve all kinds of data files and also allows you to save them in different kinds of formats to make them compatible for use on any device. It can even recover the deleted items. 

We hope our guide helped you repair a PST file both without ScanPST and with ScanPST. 

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