NAS (Network Attached Storage) provides file-level data storage to different clients connected to the network. But storing an Outlook PST on a NAS storage can eventually result into file corruption. To repair a corrupted PST, Inbox Repair Tool is the solution. However, if this fails, you need to use a third-party Outlook PST Repair utility.To illustrate such problems, consider a situation when you store your Outlook PST (Personal Storage Folder) on a NAS that is accessed by different computers. You use Windows 7 on the client workstation. You observe that Outlook PST gets corrupt for no apparent reason. When you attempt to access the PST, it reports an error suggesting that the file is damaged. The PST(s) stored on Windows 7 client workstation are unaffected.
Cause
The PST stored on the NAS is damaged. PST is not designed to be stored on any LAN/WAN link and can often get damaged when stored on any server that is accessed by various users.
Except for IMO accounts, the PST is the local copy of your messages and should not be stored as an enterprise environment solution. The reason is that PST is a file-access-driven method, whereas the LAN/WAN links use network-access-driven methods. If the file is remotely stored, such as on NAS, the application utilizes file commands to read/write data to the file however, the operating system (Windows 7 in this case) sends these commands over the network. This results into a great overhead issues and the file may get corrupt in case the connection fails or slows down.
Solution
Use Inbox Repair Tool: You can repair a corrupted PST using Outlook built-in utility called Inbox Repair Tool (Scanpst.exe). It is a hidden file and can be located if the view for hidden files and folders is enabled. You are suggested to backup your damaged PST before running the tool as it may cause irrecoverable damages to the file structure. In Windows 7, the tool is typically located at the following folder:
disk drive:\users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
Where, disk drive is your primary drive.
Use third-party tools: The third-party PST Repair tools are safe utilities designed specifically to scan and repair a corrupted PST. An Outlook PST Repair utility provides you graphically rich interface plus the ability to restore corrupted PST in any case of file corruption.
For best results, it is suggested to use Stellar Phoenix Outlook PST Repair v4.0. The advanced PST Recovery Software product supports MS Outlook 2007, 2003, 2002, and 2000. The software can restore all file objects, which include e-mails, notes, contacts, calendar entries etc. The tool is compatible with Windows 7, Vista, XP, 2003, and 2000.
