Solutions To Fix Error – “Errors Have Been Detected In The File Xxx.Ost”

Megha Sharma
Megha Sharma linkedin | Updated On - April 13, 2023 |

Read time 5 minutes

OST file, also known as ‘Offline Storage Table‘ file is a replica of the complete data in the mailbox of Outlook. There are situations when MS Outlook may throw errors and fail to open because of corrupted or deleted OST file.

Reasons for OST file corruption may be incompatible Outlook add-ins, corruption in file system, storage limitations, accidental deletion of Exchange mailbox, inefficient synchronization or incorrect file system recovery etc.

Sometimes an error “Errors Have Been Detected In The File Xxx.Ost” where ‘Xxx‘ is the file name code is detected. When such error is encountered, you can go for the In-Built utility provided by Microsoft itself prior to looking for some other alternative.

Solution 1: Creating OST File Again –

Microsoft Exchange Server uses an offline Outlook Data File (.ost). If any problem is encountered with the file, you can recreate it to get your mailbox data back. To recreate OST files, follow steps as under.

  • Step 1. From Control Panel, select Mail option. To change current profile name, click on Show Profiles in Mail Set-up box.
  • Step 2. Select the profile name and click on Properties.
    Select the profile name
  • Step 3. Click on E-mail Accounts to go to Account Settings.
    Account Settings
  • Step 4. Within Account Settings, click on Data Files and select file path.
    select file path
  • Step 5. From Outlook Data Files, select Open File Location. File explorer window with required file location will get opened.
  • Step 6. Close Account Settings box and Mail Set-up box by clicking on cross button on right corner. Go to file explorer window opened earlier. Delete that particular corrupted OST file by right clicking on it. The very next time you open MS Outlook, a new .ost file with original stored data is created for the account.
Solution 2: Utilizing In-Built Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair Tool –
  • Step 1. In default location for Microsoft Office program file, search Scanpst.exe application and run it. A Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair Tool box is popped up, click on Browse to select that particular corrupted .ost file path.
  • Step 2. Click on Start to start the process of repair.
    start the process of repair
  • Step 3. A dialogue box signaling errors in file is popped up. To make backup of scanned file before repairing, an option is also available. Select checkbox to save a backup otherwise unselect it. File details can also be seen by clicking on Details option. Click on Repair to repair the corrupted .ost file.
    make backup of scanned file
  • Step 4. Now a dialogue box with text Repair complete is popped up which shows that repair process is complete.
    Repair process complete
  • Step 5. Open MS Outlook to confirm that file is repaired and data is accessible.

However, there is a chance that these In-Built tools fail to back up complete mailbox data or sometimes unable to repair and view corrupted OST files. So, there is a need for external repair software to overcome this problem.

Kernel for OST to PST software is an efficient repair software which allows to restore complete backup of lost or deleted OST files. It converts OST to PST files flawlessly in different formats according to requirement. In-Built search option and intelligent filters are also available. Both ‘Trial’ and ‘Full version’ are helpful. Up to 25 files of each folder in mailbox can be restored in Trial version for free. To restore more than 25 files in each folder, buy the full software license.

Conclusion

An OST file can get corrupt due to various reasons, and this can further have a direct impact on the stored information. Outlook throws this issue “Errors Have Been Detected In The File Xxx.Ost” when an unknown error has occurred in the OST file. It becomes of utmost importance to find a solution to repair it. An in-built Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair Tool comes handy in such a situation. Otherwise, recreating the OST file can also be considered. In case the files have become inaccessible due to corruption, the Kernel for OST to PST is an ideal choice for users.

Kernel for OST to PST