How to Fix “The Message You Specified Cannot Be Found” Error in Outlook (eDiscovery PST)
This guide provides a complete step-by-step cleanup and repair procedure, combining Outlook reset commands, cache cleanup, and PST repair.
🔍 The Symptoms / Error Message
⚠️ Microsoft Outlook
“Sorry, we’re having trouble opening this item. This could be temporary, but if you see it again you might want to restart Outlook. The message you specified cannot be found.”
🧠 Root Cause
💡 Why This Happens
- Incomplete or corrupted PST (commonly from an eDiscovery export)
- Outlook cache corruption (RoamCache)
- Broken navigation pane or custom views
- Message pointer mismatch inside the PST (metadata exists, but content fails to load)
🛠️ Step-by-Step Resolution (Full Process)
⚠️ Follow All Steps in Order
Each step builds on the previous one — skipping ahead may leave residual corruption that causes the issue to recur.
Close Outlook Completely
Make sure Outlook is not running before proceeding.
✅ Steps
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc
- End all
Outlook.exeprocesses in Task Manager
Reset Outlook Navigation Pane
Fixes folder pane and PST loading structure issues.
outlook.exe /resetnavpane
Clean Outlook Custom Views
Removes corrupted custom views that can block email rendering.
outlook.exe /cleanviews
Clear Outlook RoamCache (Very Important)
This removes corrupted cache that prevents email display.
✅ Steps
- Press Windows + R
- Navigate to:
%localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook\RoamCache - Delete all files inside this folder
⚠️ Important
Do NOT delete the RoamCache folder itself — only delete the files inside it.
Locate SCANPST.EXE (Inbox Repair Tool)
Find the built-in Outlook PST repair utility.
✅ Steps
- Press Windows + S
- Type:
SCANPST.EXE - Right-click → Open file location
Typical installation path:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\
Repair the PST File
This fixes internal PST structure inconsistencies.
✅ Steps
- Open SCANPST.EXE
- Click Browse
- Select your downloaded PST file
- Click Start
- If errors are detected → click Repair
Reopen Outlook and Attach PST
Add the repaired PST file back into Outlook.
✅ Steps
- Open Outlook
- Go to File → Account Settings → Data Files → Add
- Select the repaired PST file
Test Email Opening
Confirm the fix has resolved the issue.
💡 If Still Failing
- Double-click the email to open it (avoid relying on the preview pane)
- Turn off the Reading Pane: View → Reading Pane → Off
🔧 Optional — Recommended for Persistent Issues
✅ Create a New Outlook Profile
- Open Control Panel → Mail
- Click Show Profiles
- Click Add
- Configure the new profile
- Open Outlook with the new profile and attach the PST
⚠️ Re-download PST From eDiscovery (Important)
If the issue still persists after all the above steps:
- Go back to Microsoft Purview
- Download the export again using the eDiscovery Export Tool
- Ensure: a stable internet connection, no interruptions during download, and that the file size matches the export summary
✅ This is the most common root fix for this exact error.
💻 PowerShell Validation (Exchange Online)
To validate the source mailbox before re-exporting:
Connect-ExchangeOnline Get-MailboxStatistics -Identity "user@yourdomain.com" | Select DisplayName, TotalItemSize, ItemCount
💡 Best Practices & Recommendations
- Always download PST exports using a stable connection — avoid VPN interruptions mid-download
- Keep PST file size below 25 GB to reduce the risk of corruption
- Avoid opening PST files directly from network drives — copy them locally first
- Prefer the eDiscovery portal preview for quick verification before committing to a full download
- Split large exports into multiple smaller PST files where possible
✅ Key Takeaway
If emails are visible but show “The message you specified cannot be found”, it is not a missing email issue — it is usually PST corruption or an incomplete export/download.
✔ First fix: Reset Outlook + clear cache + run SCANPST
✔ Final fix: Re-download the PST cleanly from eDiscovery
📚 References & Further Reading
- 🔗 Repair Outlook Data Files (.pst and .ost) — Microsoft Support
- 🔗 How do I clear my Outlook cache? — Microsoft Q&A