Microsoft Outlook is the most popular email client on Windows computers, but it can have its own problems. Sometimes Outlook users find they cannot access or fetch PST data files and get an error message saying “The path specified for the file Outlook.pst is not valid.”
Some users may experience issues with their Outlook PST files. If you encounter such problems, here are some suggestions on how you can resolve them.
The Path Specified for the File Outlook.pst is not valid
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To resolve this problem manually, you can follow the instructions below-
- Restore Deleted Items from Recycle Bin.
- Set the Original PST file As the Default one.
- Use ScanPST.exe Utility.
Let us have a more detailed look at the listed solutions.
Restore Deleted Items from Recycle Bin
When you accidentally delete an Outlook PST file, you can restore those deleted items from the recycle bin by doing the following-
Go to the Recycle Bin folder, locate the outlook.pst file and restore it.
Now, close all opened windows and start the Microsoft Outlook application.
Set Original PST file as Default One
Sometimes users may remove Outlook PST files. If this happens, users must know the current location of the file. To do so, follow these steps carefully.
Go to Control Panel and click on Mail.
Then click on Data Files. You’ll get the same error message you get when trying to open Outlook.
Click Okay and then Cancel to continue.
Select the PST file that you want to use as default and set as default.
Lastly, Delete the current PST file and restart your Microsoft Outlook.
Use ScanPST.exe Utility
To fix the “outlook.pst is not valid” error, try running the Inbox Repair Tool (ScanPST.exe). Below are the instructions for running the tool:
The first thing you need to do is find ScanPST.exe based on your Outlook version. Once you’ve found it, double-click to launch.
Once the PST file launches successfully, a window will open on your screen in which you have to input the name of the PST file.
Click on the Browse button to choose the desired PST files. After that, click on the Start button to initiate the repair procedure.
However, if all manual approaches to fix the issue fail for you, it means that your Outlook PST file is highly damaged or corrupted. So, you have to use some third-party tool to repair those corrupted files.
We explain solutions for The path specified for the file outlook.pst is not valid, and give methods to help you resolve this issue.
Hello, My name is Shari & I am a writer for the ‘Outlook AppIns’ blog. I’m a CSIT graduate & I’ve been working in the IT industry for 3 years.