How to Fix corrupt PST files using ScanPST.exe

Description

Occasionally, discovery of PST-based source data will fail.  This is frequently caused by PST files which are in an inconsistent and/or corrupt state.  An example error seen in the logs is the following: 

Another symptom of a likely corrupt/inconsistent PST file is that the discovery takes much longer than expected, because the corrupt PST has caused the scanning to get stuck. When this happens, the job log ( statuslog.txt ) will show periods of inactivity lasting almost 1 hour exactly, which is the default timeout for scanning a PST file. For example:


05/06/2014 15:14:36 All files marked for Scan processed
05/06/2014 15:15:31 Waiting for custodian discoveries to complete - Pending discoveries 3
05/06/2014 15:21:33 Waiting for custodian discoveries to complete - Pending discoveries 3
05/06/2014 15:24:34 Waiting for custodian discoveries to complete - Pending discoveries 3
05/06/2014 15:30:37 Waiting for custodian discoveries to complete - Pending discoveries 3
05/06/2014 15:33:38 Waiting for custodian discoveries to complete - Pending discoveries 3
05/06/2014 15:39:41 Waiting for custodian discoveries to complete - Pending discoveries 3
05/06/2014 15:45:43 Waiting for custodian discoveries to complete - Pending discoveries 3
05/06/2014 15:48:44 Waiting for custodian discoveries to complete - Pending discoveries 3
05/06/2014 15:54:47 Waiting for custodian discoveries to complete - Pending discoveries 3
05/06/2014 15:57:48 Waiting for custodian discoveries to complete - Pending discoveries 3
05/06/2014 16:03:50 Waiting for custodian discoveries to complete - Pending discoveries 3
05/06/2014 16:06:52 Waiting for custodian discoveries to complete - Pending discoveries 3
05/06/2014 16:13:30 Launched Scan Process 05/06/2014 16:13:30 Processing file: "\\sourcedata\projects\football\Export.pst",1,0,0,bbabd02c8059592faafe70bb92cc26b3,4631525228284305

Note: Any PST file that fails discovery is marked as disabled in the Sources & Pre-Processing > Manage Sources page.
 

ScanPST can often repair the PST file in these situations. ScanPST is a free utility from Microsoft designed to repair corrupt or damaged Outlook PST files. The Inbox Repair tool (scanpst.exe) is designed to help repair problems that are associated with personal folder (.pst) files.

Using ScanPST.exe

1.  Copy the corrupt PST from the source and save locally to machine or to another location.
2.  Open ScanPST (typically located in one of the following folders)
   1.  C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Mapi\1033\ (Outlook 2003)
   2.  C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MSMAPI\1033 (Outlook 2003)
   3.  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12 (Outlook 2007)
   4.  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14 (Outlook 2010)
   5.  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15 (Outlook 2013) 
3. To run the Inbox Repair Tool, follow these steps:
   1.  Click Start, and then point to Find or to Search, depending upon version of Operating System.
   2.  In the Search for files or folders named box, type scanpst.exe
   3.  Double click the Scanpst.exe file to open the Inbox Repair Tool.
   4.  Type the path and the file name of the personal folders (.pst) file or click Browse to locate the file by using the Windows file system.
   5.  Click Start.
      1. Note: ScanPST must be run multiple times until the error count is zero
   6.  Rename the repaired PST file (e.g. by appending “_fixed” to the file name) to indicate that it was repaired and then discover it.

For further information on using the SCANPST utility please reference the following Microsoft KB articles:

https://support.microsoft.com/kb/287497

https://support.microsoft.com/kb/272227