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How To Deal With An Outlook PST Error

Microsoft Outlook is a popular e-mail messaging tool used by millions of computer owners throughout the world. In this program, all the folders in a user’s mailbox are saved and stored in one or more PST, or Personal Storage Table, files. An increasing number of users are opting for the latest version, Outlook 2010, because it is generally more reliable, but file corruption can still occur with this version, and users still find themselves encountering Outlook PST error messages, especially during start up

What Causes An Outlook PST Error?

It is possible to find a PST file corrupted for a number of reasons, including intrusion of a virus via the host server, improper system shutdown, or accidental deletion of data. When there is a corrupted Outlook file, the user’s mailbox can be rendered inaccessible. If this occurs, there are various error messages that may be displayed, one being simply: “Outlook.pst inaccessible.” Alternatively, the message could read: “File Pathfilename.pst could not be accessed, data error, cyclic redundancy check.” An Outlook recovery tool will be required to recover the files.

Another possible message might be “abc.pst has reached maximum size limit.” This will be because earlier versions of Outlook restricted the maximum file size to 2GB, so that files from these versions could become corrupt as soon as this limit is exceeded. To deal with this, it should be possible to access the repair tool scanpst.exe via the Search function in the Start menu, and use this to repair the files.

Common Outlook Error Messages

A very common Outlook PST error message is “.PST is not compatible with this version of the Personal Folders,” which occurs when a user tries to import a PST file from an earlier version which supported the ANSI format, into a later version which supports Unicode. If the corrupted Outlook file supports ANSI, you can create a new ANSI format in the later version of Outlook, and use the import/export wizard to move the information from the PST file corrupted to the new file.

In Outlook 2003 or 2007, a message that may appear when you try to start the program is “The file drive: filename.pst could not be found,” meaning you are unable to get access to your existing PST files. This might be a sign of a corrupted Outlook file, or it could be because the server is temporarily unavailable. If corruption is the cause, you should be able to use scanpst.exe, or if this does not solve the problem, a PST recovery software program.

Other common error codes or messages include: “PST file has become corrupt or locked,” “Outlook cannot find your PST file,” “An unknown error has occurred,” “Ol97 Error opening a shortcut to an item in a PST,” or “XCLN Error Msg. Opening PST: The folder could not be opened.” By the time you receive one of these messages you could find your PST file corrupted already, so you need to run a scan straight away. If possible you should repair your files without delay, using a reputable repair software program.

With so much vital data stored in PST files, it can be very frightening to encounter an Outlook PST error. Never ignore an error message, as this could cause you to lose your data permanently. Always ensure your e-mail files are backed up at all times, and check that you know where to find Outlook repair software necessary to deal with these problems.

(By clicking the Download button and installing Outlook PST Repair (16.5 MB Download, 99 USD), I acknowledge I have read and agree to the End User License Agreement and Privacy Policy of this site.