Repairing a Personal Folders file (.pst)

You may need to use the Inbox Repair Tool if you open your Outlook .pst file and receive this message:

Unable to expand the folder. The set of folders could not be opened. Errors could have been detected in the file drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst. Quit all mail-enabled applications, and then use the Inbox Repair Tool.

Note The path to the file specified in the message may vary depending upon the operating system you are using on your computer.

To repair the .pst file

1. On the Start menu, click Run.
2. In the Open box, type

drive:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Mapi\LocaleID\scanpst.exe

where LocaleID is the locale identifier (LCID) for your installation of Microsoft Office. For example, the LCID for English (United States) is 1033. For a list of LCIDs, see Microsoft Office Help.

3. Click OK.
4. In the Enter the name of the file you want to scan box, type the path and file name given in the error message above.

Note You may not be able to use the Browse button to locate this file because it is located in a hidden folder.

5. To change the options for logging errors during the scan, click Options. If you choose Replace log or Append to log, the log file is saved to the same directory as the .pst file.
6. Click Start.
7. When the file scan is completed, select the Make a backup of scanned file before repairing check box.
8. Click Repair.

If the file is successfully repaired, you will see a Repair complete message. If the Inbox Repair Tool was unable to repair the file, you will need to use a backup of your file.

To begin using your backup file as your new primary file

1. Start Outlook.
2. On the File menu, click Data File Management.
3. Select the .pst that is damaged, and then click Remove.
4. Click Add, select Personal Folders File (.pst), click OK, and then select the .pst file you want to use as the new primary file.
5. Click OK.

You should not rely solely on the Inbox Repair Tool for disaster recovery. A system of regular backups of your .pst file is an important part of preventing data loss. You can back up the file in several ways, including copying it to another location, backing up all of the files on your computer (help), or by using the Personal Folders Backup utility, available on the Microsoft Office Online site.