Corruption in PST file is not uncommon. However, Outlook comes with an Inbox Repair Tool, also known ScanPST.exe that helps Outlook users to repair corrupt or damaged PST files.
This tool usually works fine when it comes to fixing minor issues or inconsistencies in the PST files.
But sometimes, the tool stops responding or freezes when repairing a corrupt data file. This might happen due to a variety of reasons.
In this article, we will discuss the possible reasons for the ScanPST.exe is not responding issue and see how to resolve the issue and repair the PST file.
Table Of Contents
Why ScanPST.exe is not Responding?
Here are some possible reasons that may cause the ScanPST.exe is not responding issue:
- PST file is large, severely corrupted, or damaged.
- Any other application is currently using the PST file.
- The PST file is encrypted or password-protected
- Missing or corrupted DLL files required by Scanpst.exe.
- Malware or virus infection on the system.
Solutions to Fix the ScanPST.exe is not Responding Issue
Follow the given solutions to fix the ScanPST.exe is not responding issue.
Before moving to the solutions, first ensure that you’re running the ScanPST.exe located in the MS Office installation directory. Here are default locations of the ScanPST.exe based on the different Outlook versions:
In Outlook 2016 and 2019
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office19\
- C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office19\
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16\
- C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\
In Outlook 2013
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15\
- C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15\
- C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\office15\
In Outlook 2010
- C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office(x86)\Office14 (32-bit edition of Windows)
- C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14 (64-bit edition of Windows)
In Outlook 2007
- C:\Program Files(x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12 (32-bit edition of Windows)
- C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12 (64-bit edition of Windows)
Go to the location, based on your Outlook version and double-click on ScanPST.exe to launch it. Then, try to repair the PST file. If the issue persists, follow the below solutions.
#1: Close Outlook and Related Processes
If Outlook or its related processes are using the PST file, then you may face issue while repairing the file using ScanPST.
Therefore, check and close all the Outlook-related processes, such as Skype, Microsoft Office, etc. To do so, follow the given steps:
- Press Ctrl + Alt + Del and select Task Manager.
- Select Microsoft Outlook (if running) and click End Task.
- Also, check if any other Outlook-related apps/processes are running. If yes, select the process and click End Task.
Once done, run the ScanPST.exe and see if the issue is fixed.
#2: Repair MS Outlook
If your Outlook program files are missing or corrupted, then you may face issues while running the ScanPST.exe.
In such a case, you can repair the MS Office program to fix the issues. Follow the below steps:
- Open Control Panel.
- Go to Programs > Programs and Features.
- Locate the Microsoft Suite installation in the list and click Change.
- Click Yes to proceed.
- Click Repair > Continue.
- Follow the prompts to complete the repair process.
- Then, reboot your system and run the ScanPST.exe to see if it is working fine.
#3: Reinstall Outlook/MS Office
If repairing MS Office doesn’t resolve the issue, you can reinstall the program. Follow these steps:
- Open Control Panel.
- Navigate to Programs > Programs and Features.
- Now, locate the Microsoft Office program.
- Select the program and click Uninstall.
- Once uninstalled, go to the Microsoft’s official site and download the latest MS Office Suite Package.
Now, launch ScanPST.exe tool and check if the issue is solved.
What if the Issue is still not resolved?
If you’re still facing the ScanPST.exe tool not responding issue, then it might be due to the limitations of this tool. Some limitations of this tool are:
- It may fail to repair severely corrupted/damaged PST files.
- It cannot repair encrypted or password protected PST files.
- It may fail to repair large-sized PST files.
Best Alternative to ScanPST Tool
If the ScanPST.exe is not responding issue is not resolved or the tool fails to repair corrupted PST file due to its limitations, then you can use a third-party PST repair tool, like Stellar Repair for Outlook.
This PST repair tool can even repair severely corrupted PST file, without any file size limitations. It can restore all the mailbox items, such as calendars, emails, attachments, contacts, and more with complete integrity.
It saves the recovered mailbox items in a new PST file and other file formats, such as EML, MSG, RTF, HTML, and PDF.
Benefits of using Stellar Repair for Outlook
- The software supports repairing of large PST file.
- It can repair severely corrupted or damaged Outlook PST files.
- The software doesn’t modify the data/folder structure while repairing PST files.
- It offers multiple options to save recovered PST file items, such as PST, RTF, PDF, MSG, EML, and HTML.
Conclusion
You can fix the ScanPST.exe tool is not responding issue by following the above-discussed methods.
However, if the issue is still not resolved or the tool fails to repair the PST file, then you can opt for a third-party PST repair tool, such as Stellar Repair for Outlook.
This PST repair tool can repair the corrupt PST file and restore all the data to a new PST file, which you can import into your Outlook y using Import and Export wizard.
The tool can also export the mailbox items from the repaired PST file to Office 365/M365.
