Monday 5 February 2018

Fix "Outlook.ost is in use and cannot be accessed" Error In 2013,2010, 2007

To Fix Error Code " Outlook.ost is in use and cannot be accessed " issues, change compatibility, rebooting and Privilege settings in Lync application. If still not able to use & access Outlook.ost file then tries to remove the dependency from OST file in Outlook 2007,2010,2013 and 2016.

Many times users are using Skype or Lync application, they can save their conversation into MS Outlook. Microsoft Lync provides IM conversation history, Status: Busy/Free, sync Lync with Exchange Server contacts and share compatibility ratio to Exchange server etc., make use of an existing OST file.

Therefore, in the following section, we are going to discuss different manual approaches to resolve Error Message “Outlook.ost is in use and cannot be accessed” issue of Outlook 2013, 2010, 2007 version Before that, let us explore some reasons behind the occurrence of this error. In below segment, we also find manual tips as well automated OST File Recovery Tool that can easily fix these kinds of an error code.

Different Types of the Error in Outlook 

There are multiple errors that will occur with different error code or format. Some of them are discussed below:

1. OST file is used by any other program or application
2. OST File may be locked. You must try to reboot this application
3. OST file is in use and cannot be accessed. Close any application, which can use this file
4. Default Outlook OST account is in use thus unable to display the folder and can not be easily accessed

Why OST Error Occur in Outlook 2010,2013 Application 

Go through the following reasons due to which this error appears:

1.  This error occurs when an incompatibility exists between the Lync and Outlook Version.
2.  In case of dual copies of lync.exe, keep in mind that Outlook.exe and Lync.exe both run from the same directory otherwise, you may receive an error message
3. Installation of all Outlook Add-ins like Fax. The software interrupts in between and causes aforementioned error message i.e., OST file is in use and cannot be accessed
4. Both OST or PST files are used by application such as Microsoft Exchange and all other email applications
5. Due to slow internet Connection, the error may also appear
6. In case of an unauthorized user or more than one user, accessing the .ost file may result in this error.

How to Fix Error Message “Outlook.ost is in use and cannot be accessed” Lync

There are following methods that will help to resolve Outlook error. Some of them are mentioned below:

Way 1: Change Compatibility Settings


1. First, Right click on the Lync Shortcut and click on properties option
2. Un-check “Run this program in compatibility mode for” checkbox from the Compatibility Tab

Way 2: Reboot Mail Application

1. Quit Microsoft Lync from the “Task Manager".
2. Then, start Outlook application and try to open Lync.
3. This method can avoid the error message of Offline OST file.

Way 3: Change Privilege

In case, if you have setup Lync account to Run as Administrator then, change privilege level by unchecking this option.

Way 4: Remove the Dependency on OST

Turn off all options in Microsoft Lync that may access an Outlook data file. According to the Lync or Skype version, your options might vary. The options such as store IM conversation history, Status: Busy/Free, sync Lync to MS Exchange Server contacts all make use of your Offline folder (.ost) file and you have to turn it off if the problem persists and you are not able to process further.

Consequences of Error Outlook.ost is in use and Cannot be accessed 

Users need to get back to a normal state by shutdown application or reboot it but sometimes Offline OST files are severely damaged after encountering an issue. Moreover, it can be quite difficult to re-synchronize the same OST file with MS Exchange Server

Rectify Outlook OST Error: Users can rectify the problem of their corrupt .ost file by running ScanOST.exe or inbox repair tool. This problem can be checked by using OST Integrity Check Tool. This is an inbuilt program provided by Microsoft that helps to resolve the minor level of corruption from OST file or users can repair corrupt OST file using an automated solution.

Steps to Run ScanOST.exe in Microsoft Outlook

1. First of all, Close the Outlook application and also verify it is running in background
Now, you can start ScanOST.exe.



2. If MS Outlook is running in the background, it will show an error message like this:


In case the software asks for ‘Profile name’ then, provide the exact name

3. These two options will appear i.e., ‘Work Offline’ or ‘Connect’. Hit on ‘Connect’ option.

4. Next, choose required option like ‘Scan all folders‘ etc., as per your choice

5. Select the checkbox ‘Repair Errors’ to remove any corruption issues. Then, press the ‘Begin Scan‘ option.
6. Unable to Find Offline OST File
7. Go through these set of instruction, which is discussed below:
8. Go to Start icon and type “Run” inside the search field
9. Then type the following command:
“%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Outlook\”
10.It will showcase your saved OST file at the desired location

Professional Tool to Fix “Outlook OST is in Use & cannot be accessed” Error

In case the above-described method gets fail, so users can take help of a reliable third party tool. One such solution is OST Recovery that will help to recover deleted or inaccessible emails from OST files. It is designed in such a way to extract data from OST file and keep the internal hierarchy of files or folders will remain same. Also, it has the easy-to-use interface that even a novice user can use it without taking any expert help.

Conclusion

Outlook is a desktop-based application being used for a professional purpose. At times users have encountered an error message "Outlook.ost is in use and cannot be accessed” that creates a big problem for every user. Therefore, in this blog, we have discussed a manual technique that will help to resolve this error. Else, users can go for an automated solution that will help to fix Outlook.ost error without facing any trouble.

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