subject: How to Repair an Encrypted PST [print this page] PST file encryption allows to convert its data into a format that is unreadable to others, except from owner. This adds a level of security to confidential e-mails and prevent undesired intrusion. Microsoft Outlook provides three encryption setting options: 'No Encryption', Compressible Encryption', and 'High Encryption' and implement the similar encryption to the file as suggested by their name. An encrypted PST is safe from uninvited access, but on the other hand, is prone to corruption. Such a file can get corrupt due to common factors, like file oversize, unexpected shutdown, network sharing, and virus attack. To repair the file, you can either use Inbox Repair Tool or a third-party Outlook PST Repair utility. However, if a valid backup is available, that should be the prime option to recover. You can consider the following example to understand such problems. For say, you create an Outlook PST and configure it for 'High Encryption' setting. You backup the file on a storage media and further, try to import it in Outlook. But, the procedure fails and the following error displays: The file file_name.pst is not a personal folders file. The e-mails and other objects in the file cannot be accessed. Cause The encrypted PST is corrupt. If you backup the PST when Outlook was opened, this can corrupt the PST. Solution To solve the above described issue, the following measures are applicable: Use Scanpst.exe to scan the corrupted file for errors and repair. To do so, follow these steps: 1-Click Start | Find or Search 2-Type 'Scanpst.exe' in the Search for files or folders named box 3-Double-click the file to start Inbox Repair Tool 4-Specify the file name and path (using 'Browse'). 5-Click Start to begin the file scanning The above process may ask for the decryption key. 1-If the tool doesn't repair the file, restore from the available backup. 2-In case backup is too irrelevant, you need a PST Repair solution that can repair an encrypted PST. An Outlook PST Repair tool uses a powerful set of algorithms to repair a corrupted PST. Also, these software are easy to use.
