Oversized PST Inbox Repair
Are you struggling with oversized Outlook PST files. Even today, this is a common problem and when it happens, it can render your Outlook completely unusable. It was more prevalent in the older versions, but since many users are still on these versions, it is important to know how to fix.
When using PST files, there was a filesize limit of 2GB. This was updated as of Outlook 2003, but it also depends on the filesystem as ANSI files could only support a maximum size of 2GB. Below are the versions that suffered worst from this problem:
- Microsoft Outlook 2000 Standard Edition
- Microsoft Outlook 2002 Standard Edition
- Microsoft Outlook 98 Standard Edition
- Microsoft Outlook 97 Standard Edition
While versions of Outlook 2003 onwards no longer have the 2GB PST limit on Personal Folders, but the limit still applies to IMAP accounts. The only solution to the IMAP restriction is with Outlook 2007. This now allows for HTTP and IMAP accounts to use unicode, therefore the 2GB limit does not apply. However, unless you can install the latest version, you need to know how to repair the problem and avoid it in future.
Quickly Detect and Fix Oversized PST
Experiencing an oversized PST file is very frustrating, because it is not easy to detect. Usually the mail will just lockup, or it will seem to be working normally, but you won’t receive any new emails. This makes it very difficult to debug and it can be a real headache, as we usually check all the other problems first.
If your email suddenly stops, start first by checking the filesize of your PST. If is near the 2GB mark, that is most likely the issue. In order to fix the problem, you need to delete emails or archive mail. Sometimes you might need to delete the messages directly from the server if your account is completely locked. Luckily, there are programs that can split and repair oversized PST files. Something like Stellar PST Repair can do this quite well and it can be safer than fiddling with the files yourself.
We advise that you archive mails on a regular basis and never let your inbox get too large. It will make email management easier and safer. You will also avoid issues such as inbox corruption.
