Quick Fixes with Shoviv Outlook PST Repair for Common PST ErrorsCorrupt or inaccessible PST files can interrupt work, block access to important email history, and create data‑loss anxiety. Shoviv Outlook PST Repair is a specialized tool designed to diagnose and recover data from damaged PST files, offering a range of quick fixes you can apply when common PST errors occur. This article walks through frequent PST problems, quick troubleshooting steps with Shoviv, and best practices to prevent future corruption.
Why PST files get corrupted
PST (Personal Storage Table) files store Outlook mailboxes locally. Common causes of PST corruption include:
- Large PST file size or reaching Outlook’s file limits
- Sudden power loss or system crashes while Outlook is writing to the file
- Bad sectors on the storage drive
- Improper Outlook shutdown or forced termination of sync/backup operations
- Virus or malware activity targeting mailbox files
Knowing the likely cause helps decide if a quick repair is enough or if deeper recovery and data integrity checks are needed.
Common PST errors you’ll see
- “The file xxxx.pst is not an Outlook data file”
- “Errors have been detected in the file xxxx.pst”
- “Cannot open your default e-mail folders. The file xxxx.pst is not an Outlook data file”
- Outlook freezing when accessing a folder or searching messages
- Missing or truncated emails, contacts, calendar entries
Before you start: preparatory steps
- Close Outlook and any application that might access the PST file.
- Make a copy of the PST file and work on the copy. Never run repairs on the only existing copy.
- Note the Outlook version and PST file size (helps choose repair options).
- If the PST is on a network share or external drive, copy it locally first.
Quick fix #1 — Run Shoviv’s quick scan and preview
Shoviv provides a fast scan that attempts to open and reconstruct mailbox structure without deep sector-level operations.
- Open Shoviv Outlook PST Repair.
- Add the corrupted PST file (use the copied file).
- Choose the Quick Scan (or default scan) option.
- Let the tool finish and review the previewed folders and items.
- Export recovered items back to a new PST or to a live Outlook profile.
When the preview shows most items intact, exporting to a fresh PST is often the fastest full recovery.
Quick fix #2 — Use deep scan / advanced recovery for severe corruption
If the quick scan fails to show expected items or shows errors:
- Select the Advanced/Deep Scan option in Shoviv.
- Allow the tool more time to parse and rebuild heavily damaged internal structures.
- After the deep scan completes, examine recovered folders and use the export feature.
Deep scan reconstructs fragmented headers and indexes and is useful when file metadata is damaged.
Quick fix #3 — Recover selectively and export incrementally
Large PSTs increase risk and repair time. If the file’s size is huge:
- Preview content and select only essential folders (Inbox, Contacts, Calendar) first.
- Export selected folders to a new PST or directly to an Exchange/Office 365 mailbox if available.
- Repeat for additional folders in batches.
This reduces memory and time overhead and helps confirm recovery of critical data early.
Quick fix #4 — Rebuild folder indices and re-create OST (if applicable)
Some errors stem from index or sync issues rather than PST content loss:
- If using an OST (cached Exchange) alongside PSTs, recreate the OST by removing the account profile or choosing “Work Offline” then re-sync.
- For PST index issues, exporting mailbox contents into a new PST also rebuilds folder indices and search catalogs.
Shoviv’s export-to-new-PST effectively creates a clean file with rebuilt internal indices.
Quick fix #5 — Repair selective message-level corruption
Sometimes a single message or corrupted attachment blocks folder access:
- Use Shoviv’s preview to locate a problematic message (often visible as a missing date/subject or error in preview).
- Exclude or export around that item (export all messages except the suspect one).
- If the corrupt item is critical, attempt message-level recovery or save it as MSG/EML for manual inspection.
This avoids losing an entire folder due to a single bad record.
Quick fix #6 — Convert PST to other formats (EML/MSG/Office 365)
If Outlook won’t accept the repaired PST, or you need immediate access:
- Use Shoviv to export mailbox items to EML or MSG files for per-message access.
- Export directly to an Exchange or Office 365 account to restore live mailbox access.
Converting provides alternate ways to access messages while you sort PST issues.
Verifying recovered data
After exporting recovered items:
- Open the new PST in Outlook and check critical folders (Inbox, Sent, Contacts, Calendar).
- Verify attachment integrity for a random sample of recovered items.
- Check date/timestamps and ensure no major sequence gaps.
If anything looks missing, re-run deeper scans or try exporting different folder selections.
When to escalate to professional recovery
Quick fixes handle many common cases, but escalate when:
- The PST file is physically on a failing drive (seek disk recovery first).
- Deep scans repeatedly fail or recovered data is truncated/garbled.
- Legal or compliance concerns require forensically sound recovery and audit trails.
Professional services can perform sector-level repair and produce reports suitable for litigation or compliance.
Preventive best practices
- Keep PST files under recommended size limits (split large archives).
- Use regular backups — at least weekly for important mailboxes.
- Store PSTs on reliable local or cloud-backed storage (not directly on unstable network shares).
- Close Outlook properly and avoid interrupting sync/backup operations.
- Run disk health checks periodically and use antivirus software.
Quick checklist for immediate action
- Close Outlook, copy the PST file.
- Run Shoviv quick scan, preview, export to new PST.
- If issues persist, run deep scan and export selectively.
- Rebuild OST or re-sync if sync-related.
- Convert to EML/MSG or export to Office 365 if needed.
- Verify recovered data and maintain backups.
Shoviv Outlook PST Repair is a practical tool for fast, targeted recovery of common PST errors. Using quick scans, selective exports, and deep scans when necessary will resolve most corruption cases without prolonged downtime.
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