How to Fix Damaged or Corrupted OST File

For using MS Outlook when connection is not available, client has to depend on OST file, or PST file. If you are using latest data on your computer, you are using OST file. If you are using archived data, you are using PST file. In offline mode, what will happen if any of the OST or PST files get corrupt? You have to repair it manually or by help of a repair tool. 

 

Inbox Repair tool is inbuilt into MS Outlook to repair PST files. If you have a PST file, you don’t have to take backup. If OST file is damaged then also there is an OST Integrity Checker available. OST Integrity checker can check the consistency of the OST file. Both the tools are automatically installed when MS Outlook is installed. If OST Integrity Checker is not able to fix the OST problem, there is always an option to create a new OST file and synchronize it with the server to collect all the data of Exchange mailbox.

Using OST Integrity Checker

To scan and check the consistency of OST file, follow the underlying steps.

1. Close MS Outlook.
2. On the Start menu, click Run option.
3. In the Open box, type <drive:>\Program Files \ Common Files \System \Mapi \LocaleID \scanost.exe. This is the path of OST Integrity Checker tool. LocaleID is the LCID of your installed MS Office application.
4. Click OK button.
5. Click Scan all folders option or Choose folder to scan. Scan all folders may take more time.
6. Select the Repair errors option.
7. Click Begin Scan.

Events logged during the repair by the scanost.exe are saved as a message in Outlook Deleted Items folder with subject as ‘OST Integrity Check’.

Creating a New OST File

To disable the current damaged OST file and create a new one, follow the underlying steps.

1. Run MS Outlook application.
2. On the Tools menu, click E-mail Accounts.
3. Click View or change existing e-mail accounts. Click Next.
4. Click Microsoft Exchange Server list option, and then click Change.
5. Click More Settings.
6. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Offline Folder File Settings.
7. Click Disable Offline Use.
8. In the File box, type the path of new OST file. It has a default name of Outlook.ost.  You can use a new name for new OST file.

If the above solution does not solve your problem, you can try OST Repair software.