How To Solve ‘Cannot Delete Outlook Data File’ Error

An offline duplicate of mailbox data kept on a mail server, such as Exchange, is known as an offline storage table, or OST file. Due to issues such as unexpected power outages, abrupt system shutdowns, virus or malware assaults, and so on, the OST file might become damaged or corrupted.

When you try to delete or remove a damaged OST file from Outlook to generate a new Outlook data file, an error notice appears. This Outlook data file cannot be deleted. The file’s configuration information is transferred to your new default data file. After this information has been duplicated, you can delete the file. The error notice may also appear in other apps that are using the Outlook data file while you remove the OST file.

We’ve covered many options for resolving the problem notice and creating a new Outlook OST data file in this post. This article also discusses how to export mailboxes from a corrupt, orphaned, or unavailable OST file when the fault cannot be fixed manually or Outlook fails to restore the OST file.

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Causes of ‘Cannot Delete Outlook Data File’ Error

We investigated this error message by looking at several user complaints and the repair procedures used by the majority of impacted users to remedy the problem. As it turns out, there are a few typical conditions that might cause this error message to appear:

• The data file is being used by Outlook (or another email client) — This is by far the most prevalent occurrence. Because Outlook is open and frequently used, the majority of users fail to remove the Outlook data file. If this is the case, the solution is as easy as shutting down the email client (Outlook or other). Another option is to close the PST / OST file straight from Outlook.
• Outlook profile that has been tampered with – A damaged Outlook profile is another circumstance that might cause this problem. You may be unable to delete the PST / OST file traditionally if it contains faulty data. In this instance, manually deleting the data file or removing the whole Outlook profile may be successful.

If you’re having difficulties resolving this issue, this article will walk you through many troubleshooting procedures. Below are five distinct approaches that impacted people from all around the world have utilized to effectively address the problem.

Because not every possible solution will apply to your situation, we recommend that you try the solutions in the order they are provided and avoid the ones that aren’t.

The Solution To The ‘Cannot Delete Outlook Data File’ Error

Now that we’ve explored the mistake and learned the basics about it, let’s get to work on fixing it:

1. It is an approach rather than a solution. If you can’t remove an Outlook data file, it’s possible that Outlook is open or that many instances are operating. As a result, try to shut down all active Outlook instances as well as Outlook itself. After you’ve shut everything down, try deleting the Outlook data file again. With your system’s Task Manager, you may terminate all ongoing tasks. To do so, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc at the same time to bring up the Task Manager. Now go to the Task Manager’s Processes tab and look for any Outlook processes that are running. If you see any ongoing Outlook processes, just right-click on them and pick End Task from the options that appear. 
2. When users import Outlook files from earlier versions, such as 2003, they encounter this problem with Outlook 2013 or 2010. In this instance, the only option is to go directly to Outlook and close the file. After you’ve launched Outlook, right-click on the PST file you wish to delete and select Close “Outlook Data File” from the menu. After that, try removing the Outlook file to see if it helps.
3. If none of the preceding techniques work, you can try deleting the whole Outlook profile associated with the PST file. Simply go to the Control Panel, click on Mail, and then select Show profiles from the drop-down menu. Select the Outlook profile you want to remove and click the Remove button.
4. As previously stated, corruption in the Outlook file might cause this error, and repairing the damage in the file is the only method to resolve the issue. You can use an automatic program like Kernel for Outlook PST Recovery to repair the corruption in the Outlook file. This application restores and recovers all types of PST files in just a few simple steps that even novices can complete. The program can repair corruption, convert a PST file to a variety of different formats, and even recover lost emails from a PST file, all while saving the corrected file to the chosen location.

Conclusions

This article describes how to fix the issue ‘You Cannot Delete This Outlook Data File’ while removing an OST file. These approaches can assist Outlook users in removing faulty or corrupted Outlook OST data files without receiving an error notice. However, if you are facing any issues with your Roadrunner email login account, then immediately contact the Roadrunner Email Support team. Your issue will be resolved in no time.

Also Read – Can I keep My Roadrunner Email if I leave Spectrum?

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