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Outlook Troubleshooting: How to Repair Large sized storage Files

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Introduction

PST (Personal Storage Table) is the standard built-in storage medium for Outlook files, which houses emails, attachments, calendar items and contacts among others. It typically comes with a storage limit, depending on the version of Outlook you are using. Older versions like Outlook 2000, 2003 & 2007 generally have lower storage limit compared to the newer versions - Outlook 2010, 2013, 2016 or 2019.

To know, how you can configure data file size limit in Outlook, click here

However, many Outlook users are known to stretch this limit, in which case, the PST becomes oversized and consequently gets corrupted. When this happens, they lose access to relevant messages, contacts, and Calendars among other files. In extreme cases, an affected Outlook program becomes draggy (slow to respond or open) and executing normal Outlook functions becomes difficult.

To resolve this issue and recover affected files, you can try one or both of the fixes enumerated below. 

How to Repair Oversized PST Files in Outlook

Basically, the issue of over-sized PST is completely avoidable, irrespective of the version you are using. All that is required is to regularly archive email messages, remove/delete old files and/or back up files on the cloud (or on your system), to create more storage space in the PST. This way, you are able to prevent the issue of over-sized PST in Outlook, and consequently avoid any form of corruption or damage associated with it.

However, when the PST is already oversized and corrupted, merely deleting old files may not be sufficient to resolve the issue. Hence, a repair program is often required.

Normally, you get one, some or all of the following errors:

  • The typical storage limit error-message in Outlook: 'The file abcd.pst has reached its maximum size. To reduce the amount of data in this file, select some items that you no longer need, then permanently delete them'.
  •  'abcd.pst cannot be accessed - 0x80040116'; this error-message typically pops up when you are trying to access a corrupt PST file (brought about by the oversized PST issue).
  •  Synchronizing error associated with a PST that has crossed the storage limit (oversized PST); this typically comes with the error message - "0x00040820".
  •  The error of background syncing. 

With the above-outlined errors, you are practically not able to running simple Outlook operations like downloading email attachments or even sending/receiving emails. Hence, to get your Outlook back up (and running), you can fix the issue with the inbuilt Inbox Repair tool or scanpst tool.

Inbox Repair Tool

The Inbox Repair Tool is technically known as "ScanPST.exe". It is the "first line of defense" in fixing any form of corruption or file damage associated with Outlook. And in this case, we'll be recommending it as our first solution, to repair large PST files in Outlook.

To fix large PST files using this tool, follow the steps below:

  • Go through your System drive via Windows Explorer and locate the ScanPST.exe program.
  • Double-click on the program to open it.
  • Find the Browse icon and click on it; locate the PST file you want to repair (and downsize).
  • Click on Start to run a scan on the file. This typically brings up all kinds of corruptions and errors associated with the PST file.
  • After the scan, locate the Make backup of scanned file before repairing option.
  • Proceed and click on the drop-down menu in the next window: select the desired location to back up (save) the selected file.
  • Click on Repair to initiate the process.
  • Allow the repair process to run.
  • And you are set!

Once the repair is done, launch your Outlook application and check if the "oversized PST" issue is resolved!

Reference

MS Support: Repair Outlook Data Files (.pst and .ost)

Conclusion

Corruption in Outlook is caused by a number of factors, one of which is large-sized PST, which occurs when the storage limit of an Outlook program is exceeded. To resolve this issue, the corrupt PST needs to be repaired and where necessary, further clean up may be required.