The Outlook data file can't be accessed, how do I repair it?

Question

I am using the beta 2010 Office Outlook. When I try receive or send, I get the following error.

Outlook data file cannot be accessed.

Repairing and reinstalling Office and trying to use any different Outlook data files are not taking any effect.

Answer 1

STOP!! Before you bother creating new PST files/importing PST files or other laborious tasks, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING....

Take a look at where each of your email accounts is delivering mail. I think you'll find that after migrating to Outlook 2010 or Windows 7, the location is missing. So here are two fixes that will depend on your situation.

1. Click File (top left)/Account Settings. Select an account. If you're lucky, you can simply click the button that says Change Folder, select where you want the mail delivered and your done!

2. If you not that lucky as was the case with me, you will have to recreate each account with one important adjustment from what you are accustomed to (I had 6 accounts to re-create, ugggh!). Delete and create each account one by one. When you're creating the new accounts select Manually Configure Server Settings and on the Internet Email Settings page you will see a box in the lower right corner that says "Deliver New Messages to:" New or Existing Outlook data file. Select Existing, Browse to your file location and select your data file. After completing the account set up process you should be in business!

Good luck!

Answer 2

Jim was on the money with this one, but FYI, there's no need to perform Step 2. Some of you (like me) have multiple accounts and the thought of re-creating each one is just far too much, especially as Microsoft have seen fit to get rid of the Office tool to backup and restore your Office settings. Anyway, here's how:

1. Create a new dummy PST using the same Account Settings window and Data Files tab. Add a new PST file - wherever you like (you won't be keeping it).

2. Go back to step 1 of Jim's instructions where you change the folder where the selected account delivers its email. Choose the new PST then click OK. Immediately go back into that dialog and change the folder location back to the original PST.

3. Do the same for each account, then once done, remove the temporary PST.

Job done. Hope that helps someone. Andy.

Answer 3

I was getting this error on my exchange account, and my account was also not able to sync the Inbox or Outbox. Changing the delivery location didn't help.

I went into the mail control panel, email accounts, selected my exchange account, and then clicked the "Repair" toolbar button.

I had to input my credentials a few times, but on next Outlook boot the problem went away.

Answer 4

Choose a different folder WITHIN your Outlook datafile, click apply, and then change the delivery location back to the Inbox and click apply again. It is a simple solution, but it took me some time to find out:-)

Jim is right. However, for me this solution worked well.

Answer 5

If you are using Exchange it's easy:

1. Go to your Outlook folder where the OST and PST files are.
2. Delete the Exchange OST file and the OBI files.
3. Then start Outlook again and that's it.

If you are not using Exchange, change the deliver location by editing your account settings.

Answer 6

Solution: Remove all old accounts and create new email accounts (not Outlook data file).

(To kez: I try to use any different Outlook data files, it's not take any effect. SCANPST does not take effect either.)

Answer 7

To work out for this issue you need to repair the Outlook .pst file with Inbox repair tool (Scanpst.exe). In Outlook 2010, you can find the location of scanpst.exe by clicking Start, in the search box type %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Office\Office14\, and press Enter.

Now repair your corrupt .pst file with the help of this utility.

For complete steps you can check this MS Knowledge Base.

Additionally, you could also try a third party PST repair tool which could deeply repair and recover all Outlook objects in a well manner without requiring much technical knowledge.