What you’re seeing
- The import job in the Microsoft Purview portal has shown 'Analysis in progress' for days with no change.
- The job finishes but the mailbox shows 0% imported, or only a fraction of the expected items.
- Status reports list errors such as unknown error, file not found, or the target mailbox being over quota.
- Uploaded PST files appear in the storage location, but the import never starts after the mapping file is submitted.
Common causes
Every environment is different, but these are the causes our engineers find most often:
- The CSV mapping file has a small mismatch, such as a wrong file name, folder path, mailbox address or letter case, so the service can't match files to mailboxes.
- The target mailbox or archive lacks the space for the data, and a primary mailbox tops out at its license's quota.
- Very large or damaged PST files, or older ANSI-format PSTs, slow the analysis phase or cause it to fail outright.
- The account running the import lacks the Mailbox Import Export role, which takes time to apply after it is granted.
- The Purview import service itself can be slow, and jobs sometimes queue for an extended period before analysis starts.
Why it matters
PST imports usually happen during a migration or after acquiring another company, when people need their old email history to answer customers and settle disputes. A stuck job leaves staff without records they rely on, and the shared upload storage holds sensitive mail while the process drags on. Repeated failed attempts waste days and can create duplicate items once an import finally succeeds. For regulated businesses, gaps in imported mail can also complicate legal holds and audits.
How AskTechGurus fixes it
Skip the trial and error. A certified engineer works on your actual system, finds the root cause, and fixes it properly.
Tell us what’s happening
Submit a ticket in about two minutes. Paste the error, describe what changed, and pick your tier. No charge to submit.
A certified engineer diagnoses it
A vetted, US-based systems engineer claims your ticket, usually within minutes during business hours, and investigates over a secure remote session you can watch and end at any time.
Fixed and verified with you
The engineer resolves the root cause and confirms with you that it’s working. You don’t just get a workaround, and you get a plain-English summary of what was wrong.
Pay only when it’s resolved
Fixed price from $99, invoiced only after you approve the fix. If it isn’t resolved, you don’t pay.
Frequently asked questions
Is our data safe while the import is stuck?
The PST files sit in Microsoft-hosted storage tied to your tenant, but they are still copies of sensitive mail. Keep the original files secure until the import is confirmed complete.
Should we just start the import over?
Restarting without understanding the failure often repeats it and can create duplicates. The mapping file, quotas and file health usually explain what went wrong.
Can you take this over remotely?
A certified US engineer can review the job, mapping and target mailboxes in a remote secure session. Prices start from $99 and you pay only when it's resolved.