Major Reasons for OST File Corruption
There are several reasons why an OST file can become corrupted:
- Sudden power failure or system crash while Outlook is open or syncing the OST file can lead to corruption.
- Virus or malware attacks can significantly damage OST files by corrupting or deleting the data.
- Improper termination of Outlook, such as forcing the program to close or computer crashes, can cause OST file corruption.
- Large OST file size makes the file more susceptible to corruption as larger files are more complex to manage.
- Network connectivity issues that prevent Outlook from connecting to the Exchange server can fail to synchronize emails and corrupt the OST file.
- Outlook software issues like outdated versions, bugs or conflicts with other applications can result in OST corruption.
- Problems with the storage device where the OST file is saved, such as hard drive failure, can also cause corruption.
- Human error like accidentally deleting or moving OST file associated files can lead to corruption.
How to Fix Corrupted OST Files
- Use the Inbox Repair Tool (scanpst.exe) provided by Microsoft to resolve minor corruption issues in OST files.
- Disable conflicting Outlook add-ins by opening Outlook in safe mode and disabling COM add-ins from the Options menu.
- Compact the OST file regularly to keep it organized and avoid reaching the 50GB size limit which can cause corruption.
- Use a reliable OST recovery tool like the WebbyAcad OST Recovery Tool to repair severely corrupted or encrypted OST files and recover the data.
The WebbyAcad OST Recovery Tool offers advanced features to fix damaged OST files and convert them to PST, EML, MSG and other formats while preserving folder hierarchy and metadata. It supports all Outlook versions and has no file size limitations, making it a comprehensive solution for recovering inaccessible OST data.
