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Outlook Not Able to Find OST File Error – Solved

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Published By Nilesh Kumar
Debasish Pramanik
Approved By Debasish Pramanik
Published On January 23rd, 2024
Reading Time 5 Minutes Reading
Category Outlook Tips

Summary: This problem tackling blog will discuss the ways to resolve Microsoft Outlook not able to find OST file. We have given the best solution to resolve this issue. Read this article to know more.

Microsoft Outlook is a renowned email application that is packaged with Microsoft Exchange Server so as to offer messaging, calendaring, contacts, and so forth. It underpins two email file formats, for example, PST file and OST file that simplifies the access to email messages from Exchange Server, a Standalone machine, or from both. From these two files, the Offline Storage Table or OST file makes a copy of the email items stored in the Exchange mailboxes on the framework.

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Potential Reasons Behind OST File Missing Error

There can be different potential reasons for such OST file issues in Microsoft Outlook. For Example,

  1. Data Storage Device Crash: If there are some awful parts in the hard circle and Exchange OST file is spared in those areas. At that point, a client can’t peruse the messages.
  2. Force Power Failure: While getting to or synchronizing the OST file if there is an abrupt force shutdown, at that point additionally there are chances of this “Microsoft Outlook cannot find an OST file” error.
  3. Enormous Size OST File: If the Offline OST file size develops huge and a client attempts to get to the data from a larger than average file.
  4. Corruption in OST File: Another significant conceivable purpose for this issue can be the corrupted or orphaned OST file of Outlook.

Manual Strategies to Resolve “Microsoft Outlook Not Able to Find an OST File” Error

So as to determine the “Microsoft Outlook cannot find an OST file” issue, a client can attempt the manual strategies examined below:

Run Scanost.exe and Scanpst.exe Utility

Presently, to fix the missing OST file issue, a client can run the scanost.exe inbuilt application by following the steps mentioned below:

  • Firstly, close or end the process of the Microsoft Outlook application and then open the Command prompt.
  • From that point forward, open scanost.exe from the drive:\program files\common files\System\Mapi\LocaleID\scanost.exe.
  • At that point, click on the OK and scan all the folders or a couple of folders that you have chosen to scan.
  • Presently, select the Repair Errors checkbox.
  • From that point onward, pick the Begin Scan choice.

In Outlook 2010 or more versions, the scanost.exe is replaced by the scanpst.exe utility. The application is used to fix both the OST and PST files of Outlook. Nonetheless, on account of seriously damaged OST files, this inbuilt utility falls flat. For an easy solution, you can easily convert OST to PST format.

Connect New Offline OST File:

Now, to fix the damaged OST file, a client is proposed to recreate the OST file by following the steps mentioned underneath:

  • Close Microsoft Outlook application
  • At that point, explore Start >> Control Panel alternative
  • From that point onward, double tap on the Mail option
  • Pick the E-mail Accounts tab, and afterward discover and pick the Exchange account
  • Presently, click on the Change choice, and uncheck the Use Cached Exchange Mode.
  • At that point, click on the More Settings choice and pick the Advanced tab.
  • Select the Offline Folder File Settings choice.
  • At that point, click on Disable Offline Use >> Yes.
  • From that point forward, click on the Offline Folder File Settings again.
  • Presently, to select the OST file location, click on the Browse option and afterward on the OK button.
  • At that point, click on the Yes to apply the changes.
  • Next, pick the Use Cached Exchange Mode choice in the Cached Exchange Mode Settings field.
  • Finally, click on the OK >> Next >> Finish button and close all the windows.

A Professional Solution Using Professional Tool

If a client cannot resolve the corruption issue of the OST file using manual methods, at that point a client is encouraged to use a third-party tool accessible available. One such tool is Emaildoctor OST to PST Extractor tool. It fixes a wide range of corruption issues from the OST file in only a couple of clicks.

It recovers OST files and exports them to another file format, which is beneficial to use and import with no issue. This tool will recover all data things like messages, contacts, calendars, and so forth stored in the OST file. Aside from this, it is skilled to recover the deleted messages from the OST file too. A client can use this tool with no file size restriction on any version of Microsoft Windows OS.

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Conclusion

Quite often, a few manual techniques are accessible to handle Outlook issues like missing the OST file. In any case, there is no surety of whether the manual strategy that it works or not; most include some level of data loss. The most secure and hazard-free technique to overcome this inconvenience is using attempted and tried business tools that have a demonstrated achievement rate.

It would be ideal if you use an automated tool to solve this “Microsoft Outlook cannot find an OST file” error and help you to open the OST file in Outlook.

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By Nilesh Kumar

As a Chief Technical Writer, I know the technical issues faced by home and professional users. So, I decided to share all my knowledge via this blog. I love to help you with challenges while dealing with technical jargon.