outlook classic pst data files copied /duplicated in one drive

Mark Gingell 0 Reputation points
2026-09-18T16:12:35.7466667+00:00

one drive pst file cant be synced and cant be located 0x800401of error received is their an easy repair?

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home
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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-18T16:12:53.05+00:00

    Yes. The simplest supported repair path is:

    1. Close Outlook.
    2. Move the active .pst file out of OneDrive to a local folder that is not synced by OneDrive. Storing active Outlook .pst files in OneDrive can cause sync problems and corruption symptoms.
      • Common local location: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Outlook Files
    3. In Outlook, check where the data file is currently expected:
      • File > Account Settings > Account Settings > Data Files
    4. Run the Inbox Repair Tool (Scanpst.exe) against the .pst file:
      • Close Outlook first.
      • Start Scanpst.exe.
      • Browse to the .pst file and select Start.
      • Run it several times if needed, because one pass may not fully repair the file.
    5. If Scanpst.exe created a .bak file, try recovering additional items:
      • Find the .bak in the same folder as the original .pst.
      • Copy it and rename the copy to *.bak.pst.
      • Import that file into Outlook to recover extra items.
    6. If the error continues after repair, create a new Outlook profile:
      • Close Outlook.
      • Open Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles.
      • Select Add and create a new profile.
      • Add the email account again.
      • Start Outlook with the new profile.

    For .ost files only: if the account is Exchange-based, the offline data file can be deleted and Outlook will recreate it the next time Outlook opens.


    References:

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