3 ways to Repair PST file huge, But empty

Does your large PST file appear to be empty when opened? This article will teach you how to fix it by using 3 different methods that will help you regain access to all your emails, contacts, tasks, rules, appointments, etc. If you wish to repair your Outlook files in an easy and secure manner, you can always make use of a professional PST file Repair tool such as Remo Repair Outlook PST! Download now to regain access to your Outlook data within a few clicks!

Written by Tony Landry, Updated on May 10, 2023

Outlook users may have noticed this scenario, where their Outlook PST files are empty when opened even though their size indicates that they contain a good amount of data. “The empty PST file” situation commonly happens when, PST files are moved from one location to another, exporting all mailboxes to PST files locally or when they load the previous version of the Outlook PST file to the currently running Outlook.

So how do we address the situation? Follow the instructions mentioned in the below section to recover your important mails and other information from an empty Outlook data file.

Auto Archive – Available from Microsoft Outlook 2007 and updated versions, it is a feature in Outlook that moves old mail and other items to a separate personal folder (.pst) file on your computer's hard drive, or a network drive. By default, it will prompt you before archiving items every 14 days and delete expired email messages from your mailbox. But sometimes due to corruption and oversized PST files this feature fails, in such scenarios you will need a PST repair tool to get back the access to Outlook data.

How to fix PST file that shows as empty

The section below has two approaches to repair the PST file that is showing as empty.

Why Is My PST File Empty?

Below listed the common scenarios users have frequently reported for PST file huge, but empty issue

  • Moving the PST file from one directory location to another frequently
  • Abrupt interruption during exporting Outlook mail box
  • Deleting files from the PST file
  • PST file corruption

Compress Outlook Data File Size using Compact Now

PST files that contain large amounts of data could prove to be problematic with slow load times, trouble opening, and many more. To tackle this we can compress it using Outlook. You can try it for yourself by following the instructions provided-

  1. Open Outlook and click on File in the Top Left Hand Corner.
  2. open-outlook-click-on-file-to-compress-pst-file

  3. Inside the Info Tab, Click on Account settings, and inside the drop-down menu select Account Settings.
  4. click-on- account-settings-to-repair-pst-file

  5. Open the Data Files Tab and Locate the file which you choose to Compact.
  6. click-on-compact-now-to-compress-pst-file

  7. Click on the PST file and select Compact Now.
  8. open-outlook-click-on-file-to-compress-pst-file

Now, Outlook PST file will show its original size and doesn’t affect any files already present on it

Repair Outlook PST file huge, but empty with scanPST.exe

ScanPST.exe, also known as the Inbox Repair Tool, is a software utility provided by Microsoft to diagnose and repair issues with PST files. If you wish to make use of ScanPST.Exe, we have provided the steps below-

  1. Copy the corrupt PST from the source and save locally to the your PC
    Open scanPST (typically located in the below-listed folders)
    • C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Mapi\1033\ (Outlook 2003)
    • C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MSMAPI\1033 (Outlook 2003)
    • C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12 (Outlook 2007)
    • C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14 (Outlook 2010)
    • C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15 (Outlook 2013 and higher versions)
  2. To run the Inbox Repair Tool, follow these steps:
  3. Click on the Start, and then point to Find or to Search, depending upon the version of Operating System.
  4. In the Search for files or folders named box, type scanpst.exe
  5. Double click the scanpst.exe file to open the Inbox Repair Tool.
  6. Type the path and the file name of the personal folders (.pst) file or click Browse to locate the file by using the Windows file system.
  7. Click Start

Repair PST File Empty With Remo PST Repair

In case of Outlook Data File (PST file) corruption, you need to fix it. Remo PST repair comes in handy in such situation. Remo Recover makes a copy of the corrupted PST file and then works on the copy. It retrieves every part of your Calendar, Notification, Reminders, Email and mail body like CC, BCC and etc.

The tool creates a copy and works on the copy of the PST file, thereby not altering the original file.

If your PST file is Empty when opened there is a good chance that it is corrupted, In order to fix it. you will need to make use of a reliable Outlook repair utility if the above-mentioned methods have not worked well for you. Remo Repair PST is an exceptional application that can fix your PST file within a few clicks. Download Now.

How to Repair PST File Empty With Remo PST Repair

  1. Launch Remo Repair Outlook PST, choose Select PST File Manually, and click on Next.
  2. launch-the-software-to-repair-pst-file

  3. Choose Smart Scan, select a destination location to export your pst file to, and click on Repair.
  4. click-smart-scan

  5. After the repairs are complete, you can preview your repaired PST file.
  6. select-the-location

Once the process gets over, preview all the recovered Outlook Items. With this process all your Outlook folders from the corrupt PST file will be successfully recovered. Now, just import the repaired PST file to access all your items.

What can you do with Remo PST repair tool?

Now, yow will be able to access data from your PST file which was earlier showing error. Remo PST Repair tool also helps to fix Outlook not responding and search indexing problem. The software comes handy to repair PST file even when it is password protected and compressed. Moreover,

  • Helps to repair PST file corrupted due to oversize issue
  • Easily fixes PST file created on various Outlook version, including Outlook 2019, 2016, Outlook 2013, and earlier versions
  • Recovers emails with its attributes like To, subject, cc, attachments
  • The tool can also effortlessly Recover Deleted PST file within a few clicks
  • The tool Will Fix Corrupt Outlook Data file on various Windows OS verisions - Windows 11 / 10 / 8 / 7 / Vista etc.

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