Is the size of your PST file too large to cause corruption?
If you find that your MS Outlook application is sluggish and unresponsive, hindering essential tasks such as file opening, folder copying, or downloading attachments and emails, it's likely due to an oversized PST file that has surpassed its allowable size limit.
Nevertheless, the downside is that this excessively large PST file has the potential to result in PST file corruption, placing you at risk of losing vital data and crucial business communication messages unless you promptly resolve the problem.
In this blog post, I will delve into the topic of oversized PST files, providing a comprehensive exploration of the issue. Additionally, I will share effective strategies for preventing PST file size-related problems and offer solutions to overcome these challenges.
In essence, a Personal Storage Table (PST) serves as a centralized storage hub within MS Outlook, encompassing various elements such as emails, contact items, calendars, drafts, notes, tasks, and journals. Notably, both PST files and Outlook data files (.ost) in Outlook 2010 and 2013 offer expanded file size limits, thanks to their Unicode format, in contrast to earlier versions like Outlook 2002, 2003, and 2007.
When a PST file surpasses a designated storage threshold, it becomes oversized, potentially leading to issues when trying to access mailbox folders and email messages. In this situation, your Microsoft Outlook application might generate the following error messages:
- Reported error 0x00040820 – This error may occur while sending/receiving emails via a specific email account in Outlook 2010. It appears when a user attempts to synchronize mailboxes with an outlook data file that crossed the standard file size limit.
- Background Synchronization errors – These errors generally take place while syncing mailboxes from one Outlook version to another and there is a mismatch between the size of the older and the newer .PST file.
- "The file abcd.pst has reached its maximum size. To reduce the amount of data in this file, select some items that you no longer need, then permanently delete them" occurs whenever your PST file crosses the maximum limit allowed in that particular version of MS Outlook.
- File Access Error – The error “abcd.pst cannot be accessed – 0x80040116” occurs when the Outlook data file becomes corrupted or damaged due to file oversizing issues.
The Personal Storage Table, commonly referred to as the PST file, serves as the repository for various MS Outlook data elements, including emails, calendars, notes, journals, and more. PST-related problems are not unusual, with numerous users encountering difficulties such as opening excessively large PST files or experiencing corruption in oversized PST files.
Indeed, just like any other file, PST (Personal Storage Table) files have their own file size and data storage limitations. Exceeding these limits can potentially lead to problems within PST files, particularly those generated in earlier software versions. These problems may encompass:
- MS Outlook is responding too late to your commands.
- You can’t open a file, or it is taking too long.
- Other routine and regular tasks are also taking time, like copying a folder, downloading embedded attachments, or emails.
- Corruption in PST
Many users tend to overlook the initial symptoms of an oversized PST file, potentially paving the way for future file corruption. The consequences of PST file corruption can be highly detrimental, including the permanent loss of essential data. Failing to address corruption promptly can lead to significant problems and distress. Therefore, in this discussion, we will explore methods for repairing a corrupt PST file that has become oversized.
The primary reason for PST files becoming too large is the accumulation of numerous email items and attachments without regular monitoring of file size. In Outlook 2002, the file size limit is as low as 2GB, making it susceptible to oversizing. Nevertheless, in more recent Outlook versions, the PST file is less likely to experience significant issues because they allow for larger file sizes compared to earlier versions.
If users take care of following precautions, PST file corruption issues can be avoided –
- Get rid of unwanted stuff, regularly clean up your mailboxes- It's essential to maintain a clean and organized mailbox. Over time, it can accumulate an excess of irrelevant information, attachments, or emails that serve no future purpose. Take a moment to review the contents of your folders and remove any superfluous data by permanently deleting it (use the shift+delete keyboard shortcut). This practice will free up valuable storage space for incoming messages.. You can also try Kernel for Outlook Duplicates Remover to remove Outlook duplicate items from Outlook PST. This tool has the capability to identify duplicate items and conveniently presents them for your consideration, allowing you to take appropriate actions. By eliminating duplicate items, you can effectively reduce the size of your PST file.
- Create Email Archives – It is imperative to establish email archives using various criteria to effectively categorize similar information into distinct folders. This practice helps prevent significant data losses during adverse circumstances or disaster scenarios.
- PST file Backups - It is essential to produce backups of PST files to facilitate swift and effortless data retrieval in the event of PST corruption problems.
Have you attempted to reduce the data within your PST file, only to find that it remains excessively large? If your PST file is steadily accumulating data, causing performance problems such as Outlook slowing down, then you should continue reading. You've now identified the root cause of the issues you've been experiencing in your Outlook: an oversized PST file. To prevent corruption and optimize its performance, it's essential to partition the PST file into smaller segments..
The question at hand is: how can we break this large entity into smaller, manageable segments? The solution is straightforward—consider using Kernel for PST Split. This software serves as an efficient PST split tool, enabling the division of extensive PST files into multiple smaller ones. Notably, this tool imposes no limitations on file size, allowing you to determine the desired size for each resulting PST segment.
A PST file that has grown beyond its designated size limit can lead to a multitude of problems, such as file damage, corruption, and application crashes. Consequently, it becomes imperative to promptly resolve these unwelcome issues in order to safeguard your vital business data. To tackle problems stemming from an oversized PST file, consider implementing the following solutions:
The Inbox Repair Tool provided by Microsoft can be found in the default Microsoft Office directory on your system drive. It serves as a valuable resource for resolving issues related to excessively large PST files.
- To begin, open the scanpst.exe application and select the "browse" button to choose the PST file you wish to shrink in size.
- Press the "Start" button to initiate the application's examination of the chosen file for errors or problems.
- Now, look for this option - “Make backup of scanned file before repairing” and choose the destination location from the dropdown to save this backup file.
- Ultimately, commence the repair procedure by simply clicking the "Repair" button, and your task will be completed.
Overcoming the issue via Using 3rd party Software
Occasionally, when conventional methods prove inadequate in addressing PST file corruption issues, rendering the data inaccessible, resorting to third-party utilities fix an oversized PST file. Nevertheless, selecting a trustworthy tool that can seamlessly resolve the problem while preserving the data's integrity presents yet another significant hurdle.
One such software that is not only 100% secure and safe, but also facilitates complete restoration of all your MS Outlook elements is Kernel for Outlook PST repair. Feel free to download and try out our software at no cost. Should you find yourself impressed by its features and wish to enjoy them indefinitely, simply reach out to our technical experts for guidance on acquiring the fully licensed version.
