ScanPST.exe Alternative – Fix Corrupt PST Files Safely

ScanPST.exe alternative – Best Way to Repair Corrupted PST Files

Microsoft Outlook is one of the most widely used email clients for both personal and professional communication as it allows their users to manage emails, contacts, calendars, notes and tasks in one place. Outlook stores this information in PST (Personal Storage Table) and OST (Offline Storage Table) files format.

However the PST files can sometimes become corrupted due to the large file size, improper Outlook shutdown, malware attacks or due to system crashes and when this happens Outlook users typically try to repair the file using the built in Inbox Repair Tool known as (ScanPST.exe). It’s Free to use for users but comes with limitations.

Although ScanPST is a very useful utility for fixing minor issues and many users find that it fails when they try with a PST file that is severely damaged or extremely large. In such cases users start to look for a reliable ScanPST.exe alternative option that can repair their corrupted PST files easily and also recover their important Outlook data safely.

In this guide we will learn how ScanPST works, what its limitations are and we will also discuss the best ScanPST.exe alternative available to repair your Outlook PST files effectively.

A Common User Query

My Outlook PST file has become corrupted and I am unable to open Outlook. I tried using the Inbox Repair Tool but it repeatedly fails to repair the file. Is there a reliable alternative to ScanPST.exe that can recover my emails and attachments without any data loss?

If you are facing the similar or same issue where the ScanPST fails to repair your PST files well this article will help you understand all the problems and you will find a suitable solution.

What is ScanPST.exe (Inbox Repair Tool)?

ScanPST.exe also known as the Inbox Repair Tool and it is a free built in utility provided by Microsoft and It is designed to scan for and repair minor corruption issues present in Outlook PST files.

This tool analyzes the internal structure of a PST file and attempts to resolve inconsistencies found within the mailbox data. But the problem for the user is it only handles and repairs minor corruption issues such as corrupt headers or minor structural irregularities.

However when the level of corruption is severe or your PST file is excessively large this tool may fail to fully repair the file.

Once located users can easily launch the tool to start repairing their PST files.

How ScanPST.exe Works?

Well after you locate the Inbox Repair Tool you simply need to follow these steps to repair PST files.

1. Double-click on ScanPST.exe to launch the tool.
2. Click the Browse button and select the corrupted PST file.
3. Click Start to begin the scanning of your file.
4. The tool will analyze the file and detect errors.
5. If errors are found you can click the Repair button.
6. After the repair process ends you need to click OK.

The tool performs multiple phases of scanning and repairing the issues or to attempt to restore the complete PST file structure.

Common Problems When Using ScanPST

Many Outlook users report problems while using the Inbox Repair Tool. Some common issues are as follows:-

• ScanPST stops responding during the scan
• ScanPST stuck at scanning phase
• ScanPST fails to repair PST file
• Outlook crashes after repair
• PST file remains inaccessible after repair

These issues usually occur when your PST file is heavily corrupted or it is very large in size. And if you want to know how you can Reduce PST File Size safely this guide is the perfect solution.

Why You Need ScanPST.exe Alternative?

As there are many limitations and disadvantages that users face while using scanpst.exe. Some of them are listed below:

1. This tool will only repair the minor corruption in the Outlook data file.
2. There are chances of data loss as it is vulnerable to external threats like malware and virus attacks.
3. It will not be able to recover the password protected files.
4. It completes the entire process in 8 several phases. Thus, it makes the process so lengthy and time-consuming.

Hence, to overcome these shortcomings with this utility, we have the alternative for scanpst.exe that will help to eradicate Outlook PST error without any hindrances. Read further to know more!

Signs That Your PST File Is Corrupted

Many users may notice all these following symptoms when their Outlook PST file becomes fully corrupted:-

• Outlook crashes while they opening PST files
• Emails or folders disappear from the mailbox
• Outlook becomes very slow or unresponsive
• Error messages appear during send/receive operations
• And Inbox Repair Tool fails repeatedly

If you notice any of the above problems well it is likely that your PST file is severely corrupted and you must require a professional repair solution. You can also check how you can Repair PST File Without ScanPST using this quick repair guide.

What is the Best Scanpst.exe Alternative?

As mentioned earlier, there are many drawbacks to the Inbox repair tool. An alternative of this manual tool could be the PST repair software. It is specially designed to recover the deleted data from Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, 2003.

The tool has the quick and advanced scanning mode to repair the extremely corrupted files. Additionally, the tool also supports the recovery of password protected PST files and high encryption PST files.

You can easily download and install this software. And use as the scanpst.exe alternative freeware.

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ScanPST.exe vs PST Repair Tool

The above comparison shows why many users prefer using a professional ScanPST.exe alternative option.

How This Tool is Advisable for ScanPST.exe Alternative?

This tool has lots of advance features that helps the users in many ways.

1. Restored the corrupted files in multiple formats like PST, EML, MSG, PDF, HTML.
2. Able to repair multiple Outlook data files in bulk.
3. The tool has an option for quick and advanced scanning mode to repair highly corrupted files.
4. Capable to decrypt SMIME and OpenPGP encryptions of the Outlook database.
5. The tool keeps the metadata of the original PST file intact.

How Smartly ScanPST.exe Alternative Works?

After downloading and installing this automated software. Follow the steps below:

Step 1: Launch the PST Repair Tool and click on the Add File button to insert the corrupted PST files.

Step 2: After adding the files, select the Quick or Advanced Scan option.

Step 3: Now, the tool starts the scanning phase. After the completion of the scanning process. Preview all the contacts, notes, tasks, journals, folder list, calendars highlighted in red color at the left panel of the software.

Step 4: Now, select the destination location where you want to save the Output file. Click on the Export button.

Step 5: Finally, the tool repaired all the corrupted PST file. Hit the OK button.

Conclusion

There are many situations, when users come across when the Scanpst .exe fail to work in Outlook. In such situations, they want some alternative to scanpst.exe. So, here in this blog (ScanPST.exe Alternative), we have mentioned a scnpst.exe alternative that can easily repair the corruption issues in the PST file. It is a secure and safer way to perform recovery.