What does scanpst mean by 'errors in this file'? Why am I getting them?

[frankieplus]

I don't understand what scanpst means by 'errors found in this file'.

My outlook.pst file is around 10 meg. I get around 10 emails per day and add about 2 or 3 entries in my calendar per day and maybe sync with my mobile twice a day.

I consider myself to be a very lite user.

So why is it that I 'repair' my pst file, then all is well for a day or so, then I check it again and there are 'errors in this file'.

What constitutes an error?

I'm assuming stuff like data going missing, wrong calendar entries, all sorts of weird stuff. Or am I wrong?

What is scanpst on about and why am I getting errors when I'm being 'good' with outlook? Never crashes, always closes properly, etc.

-Frankie

 

[DL]

The pst file is in reality a database file, err's could be in the indexing.
They can be caused by, disk err's, other apps conecting to outlook, eg
DeskTop Search, sync software etc

 

[frankieplus]

So is it normal for me to get errors every few days and to just fix them?

Or am I risking getting problems with my data do you think?

I'm worried that data may go missing be it email or calendar notes, contact info etc..


-Frankie


DL wrote on Sun, 18 May 2008 19:3

 

[DL]

No, its not normal to find err's every few days
What made you run scanpst.exe in the first place?
You should in any case have backups of Data, MS has a free OL backup addin
on its site

 

[frankieplus]

I read about scanpst on here somewhere I thought I'd try it.

Found errors and decided to repeat a few days later, still found errors etc.

The file seems error free for a day or so then I get errors. I think the pattern is when I move files arround in outlook or create new contact folders and copy contacts around etc.

I have been doing a lot of folder creation, moving files between folders etc. Windows mobile device center has been accessing my data file to sync, so has another third party sync application.

That's about all I've been doing.

-Frankie


DL wrote on Sun, 18 May 2008 23:1

 

[Pat Willener]

My suspicion is that you don't shut down Outlook correctly before you
shut down Windows. You should always let Outlook close its datafiles,
otherwise you *will* get errors, and you *may* lose all your data.

 

[frankieplus]

I do close outlook properly all the time.

One thing I do out of habit though, is compact my pst file all the time. Like, it's a habit I might do it once every few hours sometimes, in an effort to make sure everything is in order.

I do backups, but I'm still paranoid that I'm going to lose data.

-Frankie

Pat Willener wrote on Mon, 19 May 2008 14:2

 

[DL]

Compacting your pst every few hours, or even weeks with your usage is going
to do nothing for it.
If you are paronoid about backups, you backup to at least two seperate media
using two different backup apps

 

[frankieplus]

Cool thanks for that..

Last question I have is, I normally backup by simply copying the entire contents of the outlook folder to another drive.

Contains outlook.pst, archive.pst, a few other small files etc..

This is fine isn't it?

It's all that needs backing up?


-Frankie


DL wrote on Mon, 19 May 2008 22:2

 

[Pat Willener]

Compacting does only have any effect when a large percentage of the PST
file has been freed. If you delete one, or ten, or a hundred messages,
compacting will not do anything and finish within a second.

I don't know how much free space is needed for compact to actually do
anything, but it must be a significant number.

 

[Brian Tillman]

What is scanpst on about and why am I getting errors when I'm being
'good' with outlook? Never crashes, always closes properly, etc.

In addition to what DL said, you can also get errors if you shut Windows
down without closing Outlook first.

 

[Brian Tillman]

The file seems error free for a day or so then I get errors. I think
the pattern is when I move files arround in outlook or create new
contact folders and copy contacts around etc.

Manipulating folders while in Outlook would not introduce errors.

I have been doing a lot of folder creation, moving files between
folders etc. Windows mobile device center has been accessing my data
file to sync, so has another third party sync application.

I'd suspect the third-party sync tool. I don't think WMDC would cause the
problems, but who knows? Don't sync for a few days and check the PST again.
See if you find errors then.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Last question I have is, I normally backup by simply copying the
entire contents of the outlook folder to another drive.

Contains outlook.pst, archive.pst, a few other small files etc..

This is fine isn't it?

It's all that needs backing up?

You might want to copy the NK2 file as well, since that's your
autocompletion cache. See this:
http://www.slipstick.com/config/backup.asp

 

[frankieplus]

I had a look at the page and it says that .nk2 is for Outlook 2003,. I'm using Outlook 2007.

Where is my address book kept though? Like sometimes Outlook remembers email addresses that aren't in my contacts. Where is all that info kept?

-Frankie

Brian Tillman wrote on Wed, 21 May 2008
You might want to copy the NK2 file as well, since that's your
autocompletion cache. See this:
[ur

 

[frankieplus]

I think I might just use backup software.

Im your link there are some backup software types I can try but I don't understand enoug about them.

What's the best backup software I can use for outlook if I want to back up everything? signiature files, N2k files, pst files, the works. ?

Is there a certain brand that comes to mind which most people are happy with?

-Frankie

 

[Brian Tillman]

I had a look at the page and it says that .nk2 is for Outlook 2003,.
I'm using Outlook 2007.

It's for Outlook 2007 as well. See the "Outlook 2007 File Locations" link
right at the top of the page I cited.