Learn How to Locate Scanost.exe and Execute OST Mailbox Recovery

Microsoft provides Scanost.exe to repair OST files i.e. Offline storage table. Basically, OST files are the local copy of user's mailbox data in Exchange Server. Users can save Offline data temporarily on the hard drive in OST file format during the absence of Exchange Server. As Exchange Server and Outlook reconnects, these files automatically synchronized with previous data. However, at times due to synchronization errors, these files may not update automatically. By considering these errors Microsoft provides Scanost.exe tool. It helps in detecting and repairing the particular issue. Moreover, it can't run in Offline mode, there is the need for Exchange server connection. Therefore, in this article, we will discuss different methods to repair OST file. But, before that lets us learn about Scanost.exe.

Where is the Location of Scanost.exe?

By default, Microsoft provides Scanost.exe tool within Microsoft Office suite. To execute scanost.exe, it is mandatory that user has to connect to exchange account. Thus, locate scanost.exe utility by executing it as:

Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office_version

However, location in Windows OS of this scaost.exe depends upon the version of Microsoft Outlook.

MS Outlook Version

MS Outlook XP – C: Program Files\Common Files\System\MAPI\scanost.exe

MS Outlook 2000 – C: Program Files\Common Files\System\MAPINT\scanost.exe

MS Outlook 2002 – C: Program Files\Common Files\System\MAPI\scanost.exe

MS Outlook 2003 – C:Program Files\Common Files\System\MSMAPI\scanost.exe

MS Outlook 2007– C: Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12

For the utilization of scanost.exe tool, users have to be sure that all the files of MS Outlook along with application should be closed. After this, launch the scanost.exe utility to begin the recovery of OST files.

Procedure to Repair and Restore Outlook OST Mailbox

In order to repair the offline storage tables, user have to follow some useful steps that are described below -

• Once the application starts, Inbox Repair Tool windows get displayed on the screen. It lists the Outlook profiles that are created by the user

• Then, select particular profile that contains corrupted OST files

• After that, OST integrity check window gets displayed, in this user have to choose files and folders that need to be scanned

• Now, check Repair Errors checkbox below the window to repair the selected files and folders

• Then, click on Begin Scan button to start scanning of selected OST files

• After the completion of scanning, user will get the message on the screen

• "The scan is complete; see the OST Integrity Check message in your Deleted Items folder for more details."

  However, this approach is not proven successful all the time. As scanost.exe utility works for corrupted OST due to synchronization issue. Moreover, it also has some limitations that are described below-

  • This method cannot work if OST files are severely corrupted

  • It is not incorporated in Microsoft Outlook 2010 and other later versions to resolve OST file issues

  • Affect the integrity of already corrupted OST files

  • May provide minimal output in some synchronization issues

  • Automated Approach to Repair OST Mailbox Data

  • Here, we have seen how to repair OST files by the scanost.exe utility. But, this manual approach is not easy as it seems to be therefore, it recommended to opt for third party tool i.e. OST Viewer Pro. This software easily repairs OST files that are minor or severely corrupted and view OST file contents. Moreover, this tool provides Advance scan mode to recover deleted OST files items. If the file is minimally corrupted then the user can choose Quick Scan.

  • Time to Conclude

    In this article, we have learned where scanost.exe is located. However, the location of this Inbox Repair tool varies according to the versions of Microsoft Outlook. We have also described various locations of this tool in different Outlook versions. Apart from this, we have described two methods to repair OST files. But, manual approach is not useful all the time. Therefore, users can opt for third party utility which is safe and secure.

As an Author of FreeViewer Blog, Barry Scholfield has experience of more than 5 years and he is now working as a product review expert & technical writer.