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Fix Microsoft Outlook Errors – Outlook Troubleshooting

Editorial Team ~ Modified: 28-Sep-2021 ~ Common Errors ~ 5 Minutes Reading

Outlook errors are attributed to corrupt PST file. If PST file is linked with your default MS Outlook profile that has been corrupted or trying to open your MS Outlook you get a cryptic error message.

Since all your messages are not direct to comprehend, various users are not cognisant of how to resolve them.

This blog will help as your go-to manual in such circumstances as we have collected a list of most common Outlook errors, which you may see if Outlook PST file is corrupted. We have also shown in commended solution at end so that one can fix any error at the end.

Common Outlook Errors

Error 1: “The file is not a Personal Folders File”

This error is due to corruption of PST file header. The header covers information about data within file comprising file signature, compatibility, size, etc. If this part of PST gets smashed, MS Outlook fails to recognize it and treats as corrupted.

Error 2: “PST recovered from Scanpst.exe is empty”

Consider a scenario that you practice ScanPST.exe to recover damaged PST and it finishes procedure successfully. However, on opening your repaired Outlook PST, you discover that it is empty and all content of your mailbox is missing.

This is caused again because of lack of inbox repair tool to precisely repair badly corrupted or deeply damaged PST as shown in the case where it repaired Outlook PST file but concluded in causing loss throughout the process.

Error 3:  “Errors have been detected in the PST file”

As indicated above, PST file comprises 2 parts –file header and data itself. If MS Outlook fails to read its header above-mentioned error is stated. On other hand, if Outlook fails to declaim data part of PST due to some errors, this error is stated with suggestion to use in-built Inbox repair tool “ScanPST” to patch-up it.

Error 4: “Fatal Error: 80040818”

ANSI PST files usual to Outlook 2002 and earlier editions tend to heave this error on getting their size limit of 2GB. However, if you are using Outlook 2003 or later then, PST files would be in Unicode format and will not be restricted to size. Hence, you may not get this error with recent Outlook editions.

Error 5: “The Inbox Repair Tool does not recognize the file xxxx.pst”

Here xxxx.pst is name of your Outlook PST file. This error is stated when Inbox Repair Tool (ScanPST.exe) is unable to recover damaged PST. While this application is an effective in various cases, mostly, it is incapable to recover severely corrupted or even large PST files. It

Error 6: “PST file size reaches or exceeds the 2GB limit”

This issue is usual to Outlook 2002 and previous editions. In these editions, maximum size of PST is limited to 2GB and any file larger than this size will limit you from initial / using Outlook or adding new the data to it. Moreover, Microsoft does not provide any in-built solution for this issue, though it does give a tool called pst2gb as temporary way that can bring back file to usable state. But this tool fails to work with the oversized Outlook PST files.

Error 7:  “An unexpected error prevented access to PST file”

An error is reported in already stated scenario that is, when an inbox repair tool (ScanPST.exe) is not able to recover PST file. This generally occurs in case of harshly corrupted or even large PST files.

Error 8:  “xxxx.pst cannot be accessed – 0x80040116”

The xxxx.pst is a name of your Outlook PST file. This error may come-up on initiation of MS Outlook when it stabs to use Outlook PST. It is triggered due to damage of PST file index.

Error 9:  “Inbox repair tool hangs”

While vexing to recover corrupted or even damaged Outlook PST infrequently inbox repair tool (ScanPST.exe) may dangle boundlessly, display status ‘Not Responding’ in the Task Manager and bounce same result on ending. This is due to complex as well as deep corruption within PST file foremost to endless dead-loops within it.

Error 10:  “Recover accidentally deleted emails from Outlook”

Deleting email or another object from MS Outlook by using ‘Del’ key grounds it to be migrated to ‘Deleted Items’ folder from where simple right-click reinstate operation is likely. However, with ‘Ctrl + Del’ accidentally or deliberately on any item deletes it enduringly without any recovery chances.

Error 11:  “Data loss when using Inbox Repair Tool”

An error again points out inability of inbox repair tool ScanPST.exe to recover badly corrupted PST file. Even if tool accomplishes to recover heavily damaged Outlook PST, some data will absolutely be lost of shortened from it.

Error 12:  ” The file xxxx.pst cannot be opened”

An error is more serious one retiring from either various damaged PST or due to development of bad sectors on hard disk where PST (xxxx.pst which is your PST file) is set. To repair hard disk a recommended solution is to make complete image of failed hard disk via competent tool dedicated to purpose.

Summing Up

To overwhelmed an inefficiency as well as drawbacks of Microsoft’s inbuilt tool you need to go for some reliable, premium third-party software like BitData Outlook Export. This tool is a one-stop solution for all the burning issues with your Outlook and repairs your PST files with remarkable accuracy.