When Outlook prompts "Data file cannot be accessed", it is usually caused by path errors, file corruption, insufficient permissions, or configuration problems. Solutions include: 1. Check and correct the data file path, confirm the correctness of the path through account settings and reposition it; 2. Use the SCANPST.EXE tool to repair the damaged PST file and backup it in advance just in case; 3. Ensure that the PST file has correct access rights and release the program from the program, and restart the computer if necessary; 4. Create a new Outlook configuration file and add the data file to eliminate configuration exceptions. Trying these methods one by one in sequence usually solves the problem.
This error usually occurs when you try to open Outlook and prompts "Outolk data file is inaccessible", which is commonly found for users using PST or OST files. This problem may occur, including corruption of the file, incorrect path, insufficient permissions, or Outlook settings issues. The good news is that it can be fixed in most cases, here are some practical methods.

Check if the data file path is correct
Outlook records the path to the PST or OST file, and if the file is moved, renamed, or a hard disk error occurs, the path will fail.
- Open Outlook → File → Account Settings → Account Settings...
- Switch to the Data Files tab to see if the listed file path is correct.
- If the path is wrong, you can click "Change" to relocate the file's location.
Sometimes changes in the system drive letter (such as changes in the external hard drive drive letter) can also cause the path to fail. At this time, you can manually adjust the drive letter or path.

Repair corrupt data files using Inbox Repair Tool (SCANPST.EXE)
PST file corruption is a common cause of this error. Microsoft provides a built-in tool called SCANPST.EXE , which is specifically used to fix these problems.
- Search for
scanpst.exe
on your computer, which is generally located in the following path:- Outlook 2019/2016:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OfficeXX
- Outlook for Microsoft 365: The path is similar, and the specific version number may vary slightly
- Outlook 2019/2016:
- After opening the tool, select the PST file you want to repair (if you don’t see it, you can select “Browse Files” to search manually)
- Click "Start" to scan and repair
Note: It is recommended to back up the PST file before running to avoid repair failure affecting the original data.

Check file permissions and lock status
Sometimes PST files are inaccessible due to permission issues or are occupied by other programs.
- Right-click the PST file → Properties → Security tag to confirm that the current user has read permission
- If the file is in the network path, make sure the network connection is normal and you have access permissions
- Close all programs that may access the file, such as another Outlook instance, mail archiving tools, etc.
If the file is locked, try restarting the computer and then trying again.
Create a new Outlook configuration file and re-add the data file
If none of the above methods work, it may be that there is a problem with the current configuration file in Outlook.
- Open Control Panel → Mail (or search directly for "Mail and Fax") → Display configuration files
- Create a new configuration file, then start Outlook and re-add your data file (PST or OST)
Doing this is equivalent to "reinstalling" Outlook's user environment, and often it can bypass hidden problems.
Basically these common solutions. In some cases, multiple methods may be required to combine, such as checking the path first and then processing it with a repair tool. Although it seems a bit troublesome, it is not complicated most of the time, and it is easy to ignore some small details.
The above is the detailed content of How to fix 'Outlook data file cannot be accessed' error?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Hot AI Tools

Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free

Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Article

Hot Tools

Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor

SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use

Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment

Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools

SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)

Hot Topics

When the Windows Security Center is blank or the function is missing, you can follow the following steps to check: 1. Confirm whether the system version supports full functions, some functions of the Home Edition are limited, and the Professional Edition and above are more complete; 2. Restart the SecurityHealthService service to ensure that its startup type is set to automatic; 3. Check and uninstall third-party security software that may conflict; 4. Run the sfc/scannow and DISM commands to repair system files; 5. Try to reset or reinstall the Windows Security Center application, and contact Microsoft support if necessary.

Players have been experiencing the PEAK voice chat not working issue on PC, impacting their cooperation during climbs. If you are in the same situation, you can read this post from MiniTool to learn how to resolve PEAK voice chat issues.Quick Navigat

The computer is stuck in the "Undo Changes made to the computer" interface, which is a common problem after the Windows update fails. It is usually caused by the stuck rollback process and cannot enter the system normally. 1. First of all, you should wait patiently for a long enough time, especially after restarting, it may take more than 30 minutes to complete the rollback, and observe the hard disk light to determine whether it is still running. 2. If there is no progress for a long time, you can force shut down and enter the recovery environment (WinRE) multiple times, and try to start repair or system restore. 3. After entering safe mode, you can uninstall the most recent update records through the control panel. 4. Use the command prompt to execute the bootrec command in the recovery environment to repair the boot file, or run sfc/scannow to check the system file. 5. The last method is to use the "Reset this computer" function

Encountering something went wrong 657rx can be frustrating when you log in to Microsoft Teams or Outlook. In this article on MiniTool, we will explore how to fix the Outlook/Microsoft Teams error 657rx so you can get your workflow back on track.Quick

When encountering the "RPCserverisunavailable" problem, first confirm whether it is a local service exception or a network configuration problem. 1. Check and start the RPC service to ensure that its startup type is automatic. If it cannot be started, check the event log; 2. Check the network connection and firewall settings, test the firewall to turn off the firewall, check DNS resolution and network connectivity; 3. Run the sfc/scannow and DISM commands to repair the system files; 4. Check the group policy and domain controller status in the domain environment, and contact the IT department to assist in the processing. Gradually check it in sequence to locate and solve the problem.

When you encounter the prompt "This operation requires escalation of permissions", it means that you need administrator permissions to continue. Solutions include: 1. Right-click the "Run as Administrator" program or set the shortcut to always run as an administrator; 2. Check whether the current account is an administrator account, if not, switch or request administrator assistance; 3. Use administrator permissions to open a command prompt or PowerShell to execute relevant commands; 4. Bypass the restrictions by obtaining file ownership or modifying the registry when necessary, but such operations need to be cautious and fully understand the risks. Confirm permission identity and try the above methods usually solve the problem.

When you encounter the "DefaultGatewayisNotAvailable" prompt, it means that the computer cannot connect to the router or does not obtain the network address correctly. 1. First, restart the router and computer, wait for the router to fully start before trying to connect; 2. Check whether the IP address is set to automatically obtain, enter the network attribute to ensure that "Automatically obtain IP address" and "Automatically obtain DNS server address" are selected; 3. Run ipconfig/release and ipconfig/renew through the command prompt to release and re-acquire the IP address, and execute the netsh command to reset the network components if necessary; 4. Check the wireless network card driver, update or reinstall the driver to ensure that it works normally.

When encountering the "SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION" blue screen error, you do not need to reinstall the system or replace the hardware immediately. You can follow the following steps to check: 1. Update or roll back hardware drivers such as graphics cards, especially recently updated drivers; 2. Uninstall third-party antivirus software or system tools, and use WindowsDefender or well-known brand products to replace them; 3. Run sfc/scannow and DISM commands as administrator to repair system files; 4. Check memory problems, restore the default frequency and re-plug and unplug the memory stick, and use Windows memory diagnostic tools to detect. In most cases, the driver and software problems can be solved first.
