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1. Microsoft Outlook Repair Tool 2013
2. Microsoft Outlook Repair Tool

Original KB number: 4055729

Summary

In versions of Microsoft Outlook that are earlier than Microsoft Outlook 2016, version 1807, the Inbox Repair tool (Scanpst.exe) can run only a single pass to scan a damaged Outlook data file (.pst) or Offline Outlook data file (.ost). However, multiple passes are sometimes required to fix all errors.

Starting in Outlook 2016, version 1807 (build 16.0.10325.20082), the Inbox Repair tool can be run at a command line to automatically do multiple scans in a batch until a steady state is reached.

More information

You can now choose to have the Inbox Repair tool run automatically until a steady state is reached.

The tool only looks for errors (corruption), and if there are any, gives you the opportunity to allow the tool to fix those errors. If you can't start the Inbox Repair tool, you should try to repair your Outlook program. We recommend backing up your existing Outlook data file before you start the Inbox Repair tool. Outlook 2003: Open Control Panel (StartSettingsControl Panel) Select Add or Remove Programs. Select Microsoft Office/Outlook. Click the Change. Select the Reinstall or Repair button, click Next. Select Detect and Repair. Click Install and follow any prompts provided by the repair tool. Microsoft Outlook Repair Tool for corrupted pst files. How to repair bad Microsoft Outlook storage files (.pst,.ost) with the help of Recovery Toolbox for Outlook.

Steady state

The steady state is reached when one of the following is true:

• Zero (0) errors are returned
• No new errors are reported (two consecutive passes output the exact same result)
• A maximum number of passes is reached (to avoid a possible loop); currently, the limit is 20 (this value defaults to 10 if it's not specified)

Microsoft Outlook Repair Tool 2013

Important

Microsoft Outlook Repair Tool

There is no support for networked .pst files.

Enabling the new functionality

Any of the following command line arguments enable the new functionality. Other command line arguments are covered in the Command-line arguments table.

• -force
• -silent
• -rescan
• -no repair

If these command line arguments are not used, the legacy code of the tool is used, and the tool behaves as it does in earlier versions. Therefore, you have to run Scanpst.exe at a command prompt to benefit from the new functionality to automatically rescan.

Tracking the automatic progress

Earlier versions of the Scanpst tool run only eight phases. When you use the -rescan argument together with the updated Scanpst tool, the subsequent sets of phases are incrementally numbered. For example, if three rescans are required to reach a steady state, the progression of UI updates is as follows:

• Initial pass: Phases 1 to 8​
• Second pass: Phases 9 to 16​
• Third pass: Phases 17 to 24​

Note

In addition to the minor UI update that is related to the phase numbering, when you create a log file, each pass is numbered in the log sequentially (Scan Number 1, Scan Number 2, and so on).

Command line arguments