Outlook Corruption: Do You Know How to Prevent the Problems from Happening?

The popularity of MS Outlook as an email client is increasing rapidly and many organizations are considering MS Outlook as their primary email client. MS Outlook offers countless smart features. However, just because you love MS Outlook doesn’t mean you need to overlook its one major flaw. Apart from the emailing function, MS Outlook also offers eye-catching features such as a task manager, calendar, contact manager, web browsing, and journal. It develops an MS Outlook data file, known as a personal storage table or PST files on the local hard drive. The MS Outlook data files or the PST files save all the content of the mailbox such as emails, attachments, contacts, etc. However, the only disadvantage is that the PST files are extremely vulnerable to Outlook corruption. The PST file size limitation, which is dependent on the outlook version you’re using, is said to be the primary cause of the PST file corruption. 

Problems of the PST File Size Limitation 

MS Outlook developers use two formats, Unicode and ANSI to store the PST files on the local drive. The size limitation is not identical to these file formats. The ANSI PST file can be seen in the MS Outlook version of 2002 and earlier, which comes with a size limitation of 2GB. This means that you won’t have the authority to store more than 2GB of email content in the PST files. In contrast, the Unicode file format can be seen in the MS Outlook versions of 2003 or later, where the size limitation of the PST files is either 50GB or 20GB, based on the MS Outlook version you’re using.

If you’re using MS Outlook 2010, 2013, or 2016, the size limitation is 50GB. And if you’re using MS Outlook 2003 or 2007, the size limitation of the PST files is 20GB. Due to this size limitation, MS Outlook users face outlook corruption. 

When the PST files reach the maximum size limit, you will undoubtedly face major issues regarding Outlook effectiveness and performance. If you consider accessing bloating Outlook or PST files, the application will either freeze or crash. This is a troublesome situation. The outlook corruption will also happen if you try to access the oversize PST files. Even though the rate of corruption is lower in Unicode file format, it’s not invincible to corruption. 

How Can You Avoid Outlook Corruption?

Some people say that you cannot avoid Outlook corruption. This is a misconception that you do not pay attention to. If you manage to follow some proper steps, you will be able to prevent Outlook corruption. 

Make Sure You Take Regular Backups 

This is one of the best ways to mitigate the consequences even if you face Outlook or PST file corruption. Don’t forget to take regular backups of your PST files. PST file corruption can make you lose your important files and data permanently. However, when you take regular backups, you will be able to recover all the data that has been damaged due to the PST file corruption.

Therefore, make sure you don’t forget to take regular backups of the PST files. As per Peer Spot, data backup is important.

Avoid Irrelevant Add-Ins

The add-ins you install will not only degrade the performance of the MS Outlook software but also make the PST files much more prone to corruption. Don’t use MS add-ins that won’t help you in any way. Sometimes, the add-ins can cause different types of issues that will ultimately cause the PST files to corrupt.

If you think that the add-ins are the primary cause of the Outlook corruption, make sure you check each add-in thoroughly and remove the disturbing one.  

Use Proper Antivirus Application 

This is another great step to prevent the MS Outlook data files from corrupting. If you’re using a free version of antivirus or online security, the programming of the antivirus can affect the processing of the email content within the PST files. Additionally, if the speed of the antivirus is slow, it will take a significant amount of time to scan all the email content. If the antivirus is outdated or faulty, it might also cause the PST files to corrupt.

Make sure you don’t use MS OneCare as the software has quite a reputation for deleting the PST files. You need to use the antivirus program correctly while also paying close attention to the updates. 

Shut Down the Computer Properly 

You need to be careful while turning off the computer. This is an extremely important step you need to consider. Failing to turn off the computer properly will cause many problems, including corruption of Outlook data files.

Sudden outrages of power are one of the most common causes behind the abrupt shutdown of the computer. If your computer shuts down automatically or abruptly while working with the MS Outlook application, the PST files might get corrupted. This is why you should use a UPS. 

Conclusion 

Now that you’ve gathered some insights to prevent the MS Outlook data file from facing corruption, make sure you implement these steps. Even if the PST files are corrupted, contact us and we will assist you.