OST File Corruption: Is data recovery possible?

Most of us are familiar with that frustrating feeling when you’re unable to access your OST files due to one reason or another. Usually, these data files become inaccessible due to file corruption. Now the main question is, can data still be recovered from corrupt OST files?

Recovering data from your data files isn’t an inherently difficult task but it solely depends on the severity of OST file corruption. We’ll be going through some easy to perform methods to repair your corrupt Outlook OST files below. Additionally, we’ll also give an overview of a reliable OST repair tool.

Why is my OST file corrupt?

There are a great number of reasons due to which the OST files get corrupted and become inaccessible. To help you understand the issue better, we’ve given the most common reasons of OST file corruption below:

• Unstable or poor network connectivity gives rise to synchronization issues with the email server.
• Power surge or outage while editing the OST file can result in the file getting corrupted.
• Oversized OST files often negatively affect the performance of Outlook and lead to data corruption.
• Certain add-ins of Outlook can create issues or conflicts within the application, leading to OST file corruption.
• Sudden system or Outlook crash can lead to corruption and data loss.
• Virus or malware attacks can severely corrupt your data files and lead to permanent data loss.

How to repair corrupt OST file?

Minor corruption in OST files can be easily resolved with the solutions given below. Make sure to take a backup of all your data files before attempting to repair them. Also check that you’ve a stable internet connection and you’ve updated Outlook to the latest version. Apart from that, things you must do before rebuilding OST files are:

• Check that you aren’t facing any synchronization issues.
• You’re not working in Cached Exchange Mode.

Method 1. Create a new OST file

To rebuild your OST file from scratch, you need to locate your current corrupted OST file. The location of OST files differs in each Outlook version and Windows OS.

After successfully locating your data files, recreate damaged OST files and move all the data to the newly created healthy file. After successfully creating a new OST file and shifting all the data, you can delete the damaged file.

Method 2. Create a new Outlook profile

A corrupt Outlook profile can severely damage your OST files and even lead to permanent data loss. Follow the steps below to create a brand-new profile in Outlook:

• Close all instances of Outlook and open Control Panel.
• Select Mail (Microsoft Outlook) from the given options.

• Click on Show Profiles in the Mail Setup window.

• Enter credentials such as Name and email address, and then click Next.

• Wait for your profile to get configured successfully and then click Finish.

• In the Mail window, click on the Always use this profile option and click OK.

Method 3. Disable Outlook add-ins

Outlook add-ins are extra features offered by the email client to enhance the functionality of Outlook. These utilities allow users to use external services without having to leave their mailbox. Follow the steps below to disable add-ins in Outlook:

• Launch Outlook and go to File > Options.

• Choose the Add-ins tab and click on Go beside the COM Add-ins list. Then click on OK.

• Now in the COM Add-ins window, uncheck all the problematic add-ins and click OK.

Method 4. Use ScanOST to repair corrupt OST file

Scanost.exe is a free utility developed by Microsoft Outlook to scan and repair minor corruption in OST file. You can find ScanOST in Outlook depending upon the version of Outlook that you’re using currently. In some cases, this tool rebuilds the OST file, too.

Limitations of manual methods

These manual methods are efficient to resolve minor OST file corruption. However, they may fall short if you’re dealing with severely corrupted data files. Some of the most common challenges faced while performing the manual methods are:

1. Manual methods don’t guarantee the full recovery of corrupt OST files.
2. You can’t recover orphaned OST files with manual methods.
3. These methods are extremely time-consuming and carry a high risk of errors.
4. Any single mistake, human or technical, can lead to further corruption and permanent data loss.

Use a professional OST recovery tool

Manual methods aren’t the most suitable way forward if you’re dealing with severely corrupt OST files. Along with carrying a high chance of data loss, there’s no guarantee that your data will get recovered. What’s the best way for an easy recovery then? We’d recommend you use a reliable OST recovery tool.

Kernel OST to PST converter is the top choice for recovering data from damaged OST files and save them in different file formats. Additionally, this tool allows users to recover deleted mailbox items in their original folder hierarchy and data structure.

Conclusion

OST file corruption is one of the major reasons for major data loss and impacts productivity negatively. We have discussed some potential reasons of OST file corruption and a few easy to perform methods to repair them. However, if your data files are severely corrupted then you must use a professional OST recovery tool to keep your data safe.