How to Repair Corrupted PST in Account using IMAP

When you configure Microsoft Outlook with an IMAP server, all your e-mails are downloaded to a locally stored file called PST (Personal Storage File). An IMAP server allows to down load the message with or without the message body. But an IMAP PST is prone to several factors that may lead to its corruption. Such events eventually result into errors that can prevent the file from being accessed or Outlook from starting. However, you can recover from situations if Inbox Repair Tool (Scanpst.exe) proves competent to repair the file, e-mails are present on the server or there is a valid backup available. But if none of the solutions is relevant, you can use a PST Repair utility that can safely retrieve lost e-mails from a corrupted PST.

To illustrate such problems of PST corruption, suppose you use a PST for downloading e-mails for a webmail account (for say, Gmail account). The account is configured to sync using IMAP. The system crashes unexpectedly when MS Outlook was accessing the PST. As a result, the next time when you try to expand the PST folders, the below error message pops up:
“The set folders cannot be opened. Errors have been detected in the file file_path/file_name.pst. Quit Outlook and all mail enabled applications, and then use the Inbox repair tool (Scanpst.exe) to diagnose and repair erros in the file. For more information about the Inbox repair tool, see Help You may also encounter some other error message that suggests to run the Inbox Repair Tool.

Cause
Outlook PST used by the webmail account is corrupted due to unexpected crash. If the file is opened and the crash occurs that can corrupt it.
Solution
The below mentioned solutions can help you recovering from the given problem:
You are suggested to backup the file before trying these solutions.
1-Run Scanpst.exe: Locate the Scanpst.exe file and specify the PST file path to start repairing it. If the file location is unknown, open Outlook and click Tools Account Settings Data Files and note it.
2-Create a new account and sync: Create a new IMAP account in Outlook and sync the e-mails from the server.
3-Use backup: Restore from the last backup.
4-Use a PST Repair Tool: If the e-mails have been deleted from the server, no backup is available and Scanpst.exe fails, you need to use a PST Repair utility to repair and restore the corrupted file.

How to Repair an Encrypted PST?

PST file encryption allows to convert its data into a format that is unreadable to others, except from owner. This adds a level of security to confidential e-mails and prevent undesired intrusion. Microsoft Outlook provides three encryption setting options: 'No Encryption', Compressible Encryption', and 'High Encryption' and implement the similar encryption to the file as suggested by their name. An encrypted PST is safe from uninvited access, but on the other hand, is prone to corruption. Such a file can get corrupt due to common factors, like file oversize, unexpected shutdown, network sharing, and virus attack. To repair the file, you can either use Inbox Repair Tool or a third-party Outlook PST Repair utility. However, if a valid backup is available, that should be the prime option to recover.

You can consider the following example to understand such problems. For say, you create an Outlook PST and configure it for 'High Encryption' setting. You backup the file on a storage media and further, try to import it in Outlook. But, the procedure fails and the following error displays:

“The file file_name.pst is not a personal folders file.”
The e-mails and other objects in the file cannot be accessed.

Cause

The encrypted PST is corrupt. If you backup the PST when Outlook was opened, this can corrupt the PST.

Solution

To solve the above described issue, the following measures are applicable:
Use Scanpst.exe to scan the corrupted file for errors and repair. To do so, follow these steps:
1-Click Start Find or Search
2-Type 'Scanpst.exe' in the Search for files or folders named box
3-Double-click the file to start Inbox Repair Tool
4-Specify the file name and path (using 'Browse').
5-Click Start to begin the file scanning

The above process may ask for the decryption key.
1-If the tool doesn't repair the file, restore from the available backup.
2-In case backup is too irrelevant, you need a PST Repair file solution that can repair an encrypted PST. An Outlook PST Repair tool uses a powerful set of algorithms to repair a corrupted PST. Also, these software are easy to use.

Pst Repair Tool - Tips to Solve Issues when Outlook Junk E-mail Filter Stops Working

The Junk E-mail Filter is Outlook's default feature that tags the incoming e-mails on the basis of some keywords and/or sender's address and then, archives/blocks them as junk e-mails. The default Outlook configuration has its protection level setting to 'Low'. Junk E-mail Folder of Outlook Personal Folder stores all the messages that are caught by this filter. If the filter stops working, there can be multiple reasons behind it. One of them is that your Outlook PST might be corrupt. For this reason, it is always suggested to backup your PST at suitable time intervals. But if you lose data because of corruption in PST when no valid backup is available, you need to employ some PST Repair tool techniques.

The following reading describes a problem when Junk E-mail Filter stops working for no apparent reason. Consequently, you receive all the junk e-mails in your Outlook Inbox. The messages are not moved to Junk E-mail folder.

Cause

Some possible reasons causing this behavior in Outlook are as follows:

1-The Junk E-mail settings have some issues

2-You have recently installed some updates

3-The current Outlook profile is corrupt

4-The Junk E-mail folder and/or Outlook PST is corrupt

Solution

To solve the above discussed issues of Junk E-mail Filter, you can proceed with the below mentioned measures:

1-Check for the correct Junk E-mail settings. For this, open Outlook and then click Tools | Options and see if the associated option is enabled.

2-Remove all the recent updates that you have installed. Run 'Detect and Repair' or reinstall Outlook if required.

3-Create a new Outlook profile and start Outlook with this new profile.

4-Repair the corrupted PST. To do so, you can compact your PST and/or run Inbox Repair Tool (Scanpst.exe).

In case, the PST corruption issues still exists, you can delete the corrupted PST provided a good backup is available. If not, you are recommended to opt a third-party Microsoft Outlook Recovery solution to repair and restore it. A PST Recovery tool uses a safe and powerful set of algorithms to scan a corrupted personal folder effectively and finally, result file repair.

Stellar Phoenix Outlook PST Repair is a feature-rich application that repairs a corrupted PST and restores it as a new, Outlook-usable personal folder. The advanced Microsoft Outlook Recovery tool supports Microsoft Outlook 2007, 2003, 2002, and 2000. The software provides a 3-pane view plus powerful features.

Pst Repair - How to Burn an Outlook PST to a CD or DVD?

Pst Repair - You often require to backup your Outlook personal folder file (.pst) to prevent the post-consequences of hardware failure, unexpected data loss or when transferring data between hard disks and computers. In this interest, CDs and DVDs are being used as the most popular media for the reasons, such as faster speed, reliability, and portability Therefore, burning the PST to a CD or DVD is the easiest way to backup, however, an improper set of techniques used to backup the file can corrupt it. Consequently, you may run into several issues which demand PST Repair as the solution.

If you need to burn your PST to a CD or DVD, you are strictly recommended to adhere to these steps:

1-Close all the messaging applications that might be accessing the PST, like Microsoft Outlook.

2-Locate the PST while making sure that the hidden and system files are included in the search. The default location of PST is

C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\

Or

C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\ (in Windows Vista and 7)

3-Insert the CD/DVD and open the CD/DVD burning application

4-Opt to create a data disk

5-In add files/folders section to burn the CD/DVD, choose your PST

6-Select the minimum burning speed possible

7-Start the burning process and make sure you don't interrupt the process

8-When the process is complete, exit from the tool and take out the CD/DVD

It is highly recommended that you check if PST is readable by Outlook before actually deleting the original. Odds are that your PST may become unreadable and inaccessible to Outlook after backing up. In such situations, the PST can give an error, such as mentioned below, when you try to restore it:

“file_name.pst is not a personal folders file”

To prevent such issues from occurring, you should consider to:

1-Close Outlook before starting the file backup

2-Choose the lowest burning speed

3-Not interrupt the backup procedure

You can repair the corrupted PST using Microsoft Inbox Repair Tool (Scanpst.exe).In case the tool fails (generally due to file oversize or highly corrupted file), you should use a third-party Outlook PST Repair utility. A PST Repair software scans the corrupted Outlook data file using high-end scanning algorithms and repair it safely.

Stellar Phoenix Outlook PST Repair is a reliable and advanced solution that repairs corrupted PST and restores it as new PST that can be imported in Outlook for further use. The powerful Outlook PST Repair utility has an Outlook-similar interface with 3-pane view. The software supports MS Outlook 2007, 2003, 2002, and 2000.

Error Importing DBX Folders 'The specified message store could not be opened'

The Outlook Express email store is a sensitive database system and is prone to several corruption factors. Interaction with third-party data security tools (such as antispam, antivirus etc.), background compaction and incorrect updates are some of them. As symptoms, you may find your Outlook Express email folders missing or application behaving sluggishly when sending or receiving email messages. The further reading will describe an issue when you cannot import DBX mail folders as they are corrupt. Such mail folders should be restored from backup or you can use Dbx Repair utilities to repair and restore them intact at a safe location.
For instance, when you try to import email folders using Import mail from an OE5 store directory or Import mail from an OE6 store directory option, you might receive an error message, similar to:
“The specified message store could not be opened. It may be in use by Outlook Express”
When you click OK to this error message, it gives another error as below:
“No Message can be found or another application is running that has the required files open. Please select another folder or try closing applications that may have files open”
You can also get the similar symptoms, as above, when restoring from Recycle Bin. You do so when the compaction fails and you try to import DBX mail folders from the backup copy that Outlook Express has stored in Recycle Bin.
Cause
One or more .dbx files in your mail backup folder are corrupt, which are preventing rest other folders to get imported.
Solution
Try to trace out the corrupted .dbx file. For this, exclude the folders one by one and then try to import them. Also, make sure you use the correct method of importing.
You should delete the corrupted DBX folder and import other folders, provided the damaged folder contains no important email messages. Alternatively, you can choose to repair the damaged files using DBX Repair software. These are commercial Recover Outlook Express products incorporated with secure scanning algorithms and highly interactive user interface.
Stellar Phoenix Outlook Express Recovery is a powerful solution that repairs and restores damaged DBX files at a secure location. It is an advanced DBX Repair utility that supports Outlook Express 5.x and 6.x. The tool can restore all file objects, while adhering to data integrity. It is a reliable file repair utility and proves competent in each scenario of OE file corruption.