Microsoft Outlook uses .pst as the default file format to store copies of email messages and other mailbox data items. Email header corruption in Outlook typically refers to the header corruption of a PST file. You can’t access data if your Outlook PST file’s header is broken or corrupted. If in case, you try to open a PST with header corruption issues you are most likely to face the following error messages:
- Outlook .pst could not be accessed/Access Denied
- Outlook .pst is not a personal folder file.
Header corruption in a PST file is mainly caused due to damage/corruption to the hosting Outlook PST file. The corruption caused to the hosting Outlook PST can have several reasons. Some of the most common reasons are listed below:
- Sharing PST files over a common Network.
- Malware Attack
- Sudden Closure of the Outlook program
Sharing a PST on a common network enables simultaneous access to the file which eventually makes the file more prone to header corruption.
A PST header contains some valuable information like file signature, file size, etc. If under any circumstances, the file is exposed to infectious malware or viruses, you are most likely to face inaccessibility of PST files.
A sudden closure of Outlook application during an ongoing process often results in corruption/damage to the header components of the PST file.
Methods to resolve PST header corruption
PST header corruption can be fixed either by manual means or using an automated tool for recovery. Both these methods have their significance but using a trusted third-party tool to fix PST header corruption is more effective than manual means.
Method 1: Manual method to fix header corruption – Inbox Repair Tool
Inbox Repair or ScanPST.exe is an in-built tool provided by Microsoft to fix corruption issues in PST files. To fix header corruption using the Inbox Repair tool, follow the simple steps.
- Locate the Inbox Repair tool or ScanPST.exe in your system. Generally, the setup for the tool can be found at the following locations in your system.
- Double click on the SCANPST.EXE file to launch the Inbox Repair tool.
- Click Browse and select the corrupt PST file.
- Click Start to initiate the scan process.
- Within no time, the tool executes the repair process. Click OK to exit the Inbox Repair tool.
In our case, we have located the tool at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
The tool will scan the corrupt PST file for possible errors and corruption issues.
After successful completion of the scan process, the tool will tell you whether your PST has errors or not. If there are no errors in the PST, click OK to exit the tool. In case errors are found, click Repair to start the repair process.
Manual methods are not always consistent with providing the best results for your recovery task. Therefore, try using a third-party tool to fix header corruption of a PST file. A trusted third-party tool will save your time and efforts. Recoveryfix for Outlook PST Repair is a standard solution for all your corruptions issues regarding PST. With this tool, you can fix any issue associated with the inaccessibility of PST files.
Method 2: Use Recoveryfix for Outlook PST Repair
Download and Install the application in your windows platform and follow the steps given below:
- Launch the tool. The default interface of the tool will look something like this:
- Click on the Browse button to locate the folder containing the corrupt PST file. Select the file and click OK. Meanwhile, you can change the mode for recovery by selecting one of the preferred modes in the Select Mode section.
- In the Savings Options window, select the output type, format, and provide a destination path to save the recovered file. Click OK to continue.
Browse for the corrupt PST file > Change the mode for recovery > Click Next.
As soon as you click on the Save button, a Savings Options window will appear on your screen.
Note: If the selected PST is large, you can set the Split Option as “Split file” after the recovery. If not, let the settings remain unaltered.
The tool will start processing the corrupt PST file for recovery.
The recovered PST file gets saved to the specified location.
Conclusion
Recoveryfix for Outlook PST Repair is the most recommended alternative to Inbox Repair tool. The tool provides an easy-to-use interface with a minimum number of steps required to complete the recovery procedure.
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