Outlook OST file Corruption Reasons and their Solutions

Updated On - October 25, 2024 by Henry Bray | Reading Time: 4 minutes

Summary: Over the years, MS Outlook has become the most trusted way of exchanging information. But sometimes, this data can get damaged or corrupted due to multiple reasons. So, here we will discuss various solutions for retrieving corrupt OST files. At last, we will also mention about an OST recovery software for efficient and quick data recovery.

Introduction
MS Outlook is known for organizing and saving information such as emails, attachments, tasks, journals, and calendars. But have you ever wondered how it keeps so much information easily? Well, the credit goes to the OST file format that it supports. This file format helps to access the data even offline. OST files are the mailbox replica and are stored on the Exchange Server. It continuously keeps on synchronizing data and saving the items in the mailbox.

MS Outlook users rely on the OST file format to a great extent. However, it isn’t always that safe to proceed ahead with this. The OST files are prone to corruption and damage. As a result, one might lose a lot of data in this process. But why does this happen? Why are the OST files always subject to such risks? Is there any way to save your data?

These questions are typical for users with critical information saved in OST files. Let us first understand why it occurs and then explore the standard solutions to fix it.

Most Common Reasons for OST file Corruption

There are several reasons why OST files are damaged. Here are some of the most common reasons for the same:

• Malfunctioning of the storage device, hard drive and sudden power loss can be a reason for damaged OST files.
• Failure of MS Outlook to process information and synchronize data on a real-time basis.
• Storage limitations in MS Outlook can also result in data corruption to a great extent.
• Synchronization errors can be a reason behind this too.

Now that we know why our OST file formats are vulnerable to corruption, let us know more of the solutions which can be deployed to get back the data.

Six Verified Solutions to Repair Corrupt OST Files

Here are the solutions that you can follow for repairing your corrupt files and access inaccessible OST files.

Solution 1. Start MS Outlook in safe mode

Running MS Outlook safely can be an easy way to protect OST files from damage. MS Outlook runs on add-ins, and these add-ins can be faulty too. These faulty add-ins must be turned off by running MS Outlook in safe mode. Users can press Windows + R key to open the run dialogue box and then use the command – “outlook.exe/safe.”

Solution 2. Update the Folder

If your OST files are corrupt and inaccessible, then this is the method you can follow. All you have to do is to change the properties of the files and folders. For this, follow the given steps:

1. Right-click on the folder and then click on Properties.
2. A dialogue box will appear. Click on the ‘Clear Offline Items’ option. Hit the OK button.
3. Click on the Send/Receive chance on the ribbon.
4. Click on Update Folder to save the changes.

Solution 3. Disable Firewall settings

Disabling Firewall can be a great way to protect the OST files from corruption. This is because Firewall is a defender that will scan every incoming and outgoing email. This ends up disrupting the mechanism and causing multiple problems in running MS Outlook. That is why disabling Firewall is one of the ways to save the OST data files from corruption.

Solution 4. Compact OST Size

Storage is definitely an inherent problem for MS Outlook. The limited size of the storage is something to take note of while handling data in MS Outlook. Therefore, deleting the files might help to an extent. But once you delete the files in MS Outlook, they go to the deleted files folder. You will have to delete all the items from the folder to clear up additional space.

Solution 5. Use SCANOST.EXE Tool

MS Outlook has an inherent tool to scan and repair the data file. The SCANOST.EXE Tool helps to improve minor complications of the OST file in a hassle-free manner. It is an excellent method for beginners. It helps to detect the issues and fix them in no time. Follow the steps to run this tool in MS Outlook.

1. Exit MS Outlook. Go to the location of the OST files in your system using File Explorer.
2. Double-click on the file.
3. Choose the Profile connected with the OST file.
4. Select the folders to be scanned and click on the ‘Repair errors‘ box.
5. Click on ‘Begin Scan‘.
6. A notification will prompt stating that ‘OST corrected successfully.’
7. Click OK to finish the process.
8. Open MS Outlook once again to see if the issue has been fixed.

Solution 6. Use Professional tool to Recover Corrupt OST Files

The methods we discussed above are helpful in repairing damaged OST files, but they may not be the best ones. It is because every manual process has got its limitation. While some methods may not be supported on the latest versions of MS Outlook, others may be burdened with complicated steps which beginners cannot get. That is why relying on professional solutions like Regain OST Repair Tool becomes essential at this hour.

Free Download100% Secure Buy NowPrice: $39

Software Features:

• Seamless convert OST files to multiple formats, such as EML, PST, MSG, MBOX, ICS, VCARD, and HTML.
• Repairs data from damaged and corrupt OST files.
• Recover permanently deleted files along with attachments, calendars and journals.
• Comes with a user-friendly interface for beginners.
• Removes duplicate data from files to create additional storage.
• Splits excessively large OST and PST files to enhance the quality.
• Exports OST files to Office 365 and other Cloud Email Servers.

The Regain OST Repair Tool is the fastest and the most reliable method to repair corrupt OST files. It has a good speed and works great on every version of MS Outlook.

Conclusion

With this, one can understand that fixing the corrupt OST files cannot be an issue if you follow the proper steps. This article has provided you with enough information to fix this error. Even if the manual methods are not working well for you, you can use this Regain OST Repair Tool, an automatic method to recover any data.