trying again -- Outlook 2003 in use and errors

[smleinbach]

I posted yesterday, but the thread seems to have disappeared, so here we go
again.

I was running Word and Outlook 2003 (from 2003 Student and Teacher edition),
and while I was working in Word, the text screen suddenly disappeared and was
replaced by a bluish purple screen that was blank. I shut down and restarted
with the "on" button, and the Word document was recovered, but Outlook is not
working. Here are the messages I'm getting:

When trying to send a composed message: "The file C:\Documents and
Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
Outlook.pst is in use and could not be accessed. Close any application that
is using this file and then try again."

When trying to delete an existing message: "Errors have been detected in the
file C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook pst. Quit Outlook and all email-enabled
applications, and then use the Inbox repair tool (Scanpst.exe) to diagnose
and repair errors in the file."

With regard to the first "in use" message, I can't determine that any
applications are using Outlook.pst. With regard to the second "error"
message, I have not been able to find the .pst file to use the Inbox repair
tool on. When I enter names of files to scan, none are recognized, and when
I use the Browse function, I've tried multiple paths to find a .pst file to
no avail.

Also, when I click on the Send/Receive button, the icon down in the
right-hand corner indicates that messages are being received, but I can't see
them anywhere.

Please help. Thank you!

 

[K. Orland]

First, make sure Outlook.exe is not running in the taskmanager processes. If
it is, then end the task. Some things that can hold Outlook open are AV,
antispam, fax software, synch software for a handheld, etc.

To scan for errors, first make sure Outlook is not running. Then do a search
for *.pst. I don't know if you've called your PST file by another name than
the default, which is Outlook.pst. You're not looking for archive.pst.

Once you know the file path to your PST, you can open scanpst.exe and follow
the instructions including browsing to the PST, so that you can get it to
scan for errors. If it finds any and repairs them, when it's done run it
again. Once it's scanned through the PST without finding any errors at all,
start Outlook again.

If there are further errors or issues, please post back. Good luck!

 

[smleinbach]

Thanks! The file is called Outlook.pst, but for some reason, when I tried to
specify that for the repair tool to run by typing it in the field for the
filename, it wouldn't recognize it, and when I tried to look for it for the
repair tool with the Browse option, it wouldn't find it. I ended up making a
copy of the .pst file (only found by the general search function) and putting
it on my Desktop, and then the repair tool could find the Desktop copy. So I
ran the repair on that and overwrote the original .pst file with the repaired
file, and now all is well.

 

[K. Orland]

It likely couldn't find it because the file may be hidden. You would have to
unhide hidden files and folders or include them in the search (advanced
button).