In the sections below, we will examine what may trigger a “Can’t Move the Items” issue in the Outlook Data file and what you can do to solve the problem.
MS Outlook files are usually stored as PST or OST data, depending on the user’s mailbox configuration. With time, these files grow in size and it may become necessary to move them from one location to another. As you try to move the files, you may come across the above-mentioned error.
Why this error occurs
There are many reasons that may require you to transfer your mailbox data from the primary PST file to a different location. For example, PST files come with a size limit of 20 GB for Outlook 2007 and 50 GB for later versions. When you approach this file size limit, your inbox gets full and you’re unable to send or receive emails.
To solve this problem, it’s necessary to archive your old emails. When you archive your emails, a PST file is created on your computer. Essentially, you will be moving mailbox data from the default folder to the archive one. Now, if some items already exist in the archive folder, the above error may appear.
You may also want to move your mailbox to an off-site server so as to comply with your corporate data retention policies. In case you don’t have write permission to the target folder, it will be impossible to move the mailbox items. This will trigger the above error message. It is also possible to have full access to the target folder, but part or all mailbox items be corrupted. Here, it may be impossible to move the mailbox data, and hence the error message is triggered.
How to handle this error message
Before taking any action to resolve the above error, it is important to determine what is causing it. If you find out it’s a case of duplicate items that already exist in the target folder, omit the affected objects in your subsequent attempts to move the mailbox data.
For the case of inadequate access rights to the destination folder, request your network administrator to assign you full access rights. These actions should enable you to transfer your mailbox data as required. Also, make sure that the destination folder has enough space to accommodate the information you wish to move.
However, if you already tried the above and still cannot move your mailbox data, there’s a high possibility that the PST file is corrupt. You, therefore, need to salvage your mailbox data before moving it. Start by making a copy of the corrupt PST file. This allows you to retry the file recovery process should you fail in the initial attempt. Now, use the Outlook repair tool to recover the corrupt PST data. This is an easy process but only works for minor data corruption cases. Also, this method increases the risk of data loss since objects that are not recovered are discarded.
To be on the safe side, use DataNumen Outlook Repair software. This application comes with superior features for Outlook data recovery. For instance, it enables you to repair and recover deleted mailbox items and also split large PST files. Once you recover the damaged files, move them to the desired destination folders appropriately.
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