Scan or repair Outlook pst or ost files with scanpst.exe

Microsoft Outlook includes a pst and ost repair utility that you can use to fix problems with those files. If Outlook starts acting odd or begins running slowly, it could point to a problem within your pst or ost files. You can run scanpst.exe to find and fix those issues. You can find it in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\scanpst.exe (if you have Office 2007, it will be Office12, Office 2002 is Office10). Navigate to the location and run scanpst.exe by double-clicking on it. From there, browse to the location of your ost or pst file (for default locations, check out my previous post) and click on the Repair button. Make sure Outlook is closed before trying to repair because if the files are in use, then scanpst.exe can not access them.

For more info and instructions direct from Microsoft: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA100758311033.aspx

*To those looking to comment on this post, please don't just post links to sites offering pay versions of some Outlook repair tool/software. If you have a story where scanpst or scanost didn't work, and you found another tool that did the job, go ahead and post it. But be sure to include the story so I know it's not some type of promo