How to Fix Outlook Cannot Open Data File Error ?

Admin ~ Modified: 25-Aug-2021 ~ Error ~ 5 Minutes Reading

“I am having a file having .pst extension. I know that this file is of Outlook mail client but, I don’t have this particular email application. And this is the reason due to which I cannot open Outlook data file on my laptop. The challenge here is that at any cost I have to open and analyze PST file to solve a cybercrime case. Please can you help me by providing a solution to resolve ‘cannot open PST file, you don’t have permission’ error.”

Several forensics officials raise their query i.e., Outlook cannot open data file personal folders. They expect to have an approach that allows them to open PST or OST file on Windows 10, 8.1, 8, and below versions. Keeping the general requirements of investigators in mind, we are here to solve ‘cannot open my Outlook data file’ issue.

Solution to Fix ‘Cannot Open Outlook Data File’ Error

The technique that we are going to tell here in this section will definitely fix ‘cannot open PST file, you don’t have permission’ issue. No matter whether Microsoft Outlook email client is present on system or not; this solution will fix the problem independently. It eliminates all the struggles that a person faces while encountering ‘cannot open my Outlook data file’ issue.

Let’s implement the following steps to remove the common error message associated with Outlook file :

Download and install the setup file of free OST file viewer. It is a free-of-cost solution, containing no virus and malware in it.

Launch the application on your system and then, click on Open File button.

Its time to hit on ‘Choose from a Folder’ option to add orphaned PST file. Here, you have to browse the file, which is causing ‘Outlook cannot open data file personal folders’ error.

Finally, you can view the data of file added in Step (3) without any interruption. Each and every folder will be listed on left-hand side of the screen. You simply have to click on each mailbox to see its content.

Its time to take a deep breath of relief! Just close your eyes and cool down. Because there is nothing to take stress.

More Methods to Fix Cannot Open My Outlook Data File Error

Sometimes Microsoft Outlook email client users face an error ‘Cannot Open Outlook Data File’. The data files eventually stop working or get corrupted. These sudden incidents result in inaccessibility of PST or OST file. In order to eliminate this problem, Microsoft Outlook customers are provided with bundles of repairing techniques to fix the issues.

Now we are going to list down popular ideas to fix ‘Outlook cannot open data file personal folders’ error for regular Outlook users.

#1 : Repair Outlook data (PST) file

a) If opened, close Outlook email program and then, browse towards anyone of the following locations :

For Outlook 2019 users – C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
For Outlook 2016 users – C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
For Outlook 2013 users – C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15

b) You will find a menu, out of which you have to look for SCANPST.EXE. Once found this, double-click on it for launch.

c) Choose Browse button for selecting PST file, which is causing error while opening.

d) Now click on Start button to start the process of scanning PST file. This phase takes place to detect the errors (if any) present in chosen .pst.

e) If the scanning operation encounters errors, click on Repair This is required to continue with fixing of ‘cannot Open Outlook Data File’ error.

f) Once the procedure of repairing PST file gets finished, close the window of SCANPST.EXE utility.

g) Finally, open the Microsoft Outlook mail client with the profile related with PST file that you have just repaired.

#2 : Check Location of Outlook PST file

Sometimes the ‘Outlook cannot open data file personal folders’ error occurs because the default PST file location is not accurate. So, you can check the PST file location via following guidelines :

Select File and then click on Account Settings >> Account Settings.
This opens a window where you have to click on Date Files tab.

Here you’ll get to know about the location of PST and OST file.

You can check the name of the tenant the files are related with. If you observe some manipulation, locate the source PST file at the default location and then access it. Or, you can use Import and Export facility offered to Outlook customers to import PST from new location itself.

Conclusion

All possible ways to solve the error ‘Cannot open Outlook data file’ are described in this blog. The post includes solutions for Outlook as well as non-Outlook users. They can implement the steps as defined here. Also, forensics investigators can analyze PST file without any worries. Now its our time to leave but, before going we just want to say that in case you have any another technical issue then, let us know. We will try to solve it in a simplified manner; like we did in this post to fix ‘Outlook cannot open data file personal folders’ issue.