S
SG
This is on a Dell Latitude CPiA running Win 98, with
Office 97 Pro SR2. I have used MS-Outlook (97) without
problems for 4 years, to access my POP3/SMTP mail. It has
always been configured with an Exchange Server service
running (in Outlook/Tools/Services or
Start/Settings/Control Panel/Mail) because Outlook 97 will
not run with only an Internet Mail service installed. In
Tools/Services I had Exchange Server, Internet Mail,
Personal Address Book, Personal Files and Outlook Address
Book running. In Tools/Options/General I left Exchange
Server unchecked so whenever I hit F5 it would connect
only to the Internet Mail service and get/send mail via
POP3/SMTP and Exchange Server would be ignored. Also
pointed to OUTLOOK.OST under Exchange
Server/Properties/Advanced/Offline Folder Settings. So all
mail would be delivered to the default Inbox and the whole
information tree (Sent mail, Calendar, Notes, Tasks,
Trash) was useable and it was all being stored in
OUTLOOK.OST. I did have a personal file as well
(OUTLOOK1.PST) for older archived mail, that file still
works fine.
This system worked flawlessly for 4 years. A week day ago
I applied SR2 to Office 97 and everything worked fine (4
days) until last weekend. Now when I open Outlook this is
what I see.
"The set of folders could not be opened. The file
c:\windows\Outlook.ost cannot be accessed. You must
connect to your Microsoft Exchange Server computer at
least once before you can use your offline folder file."
At this point Outlook will run, but not show any of my
stored mail, calendar, notes, tasks etc. If I click on a
folder (says "Private Folders" presumably refering to
OUTLOOK.OST) it gives me the above error message. It will
not receive or send any new mail, showing the message
above if I try to compose. It does the contents of my
personal folder OUTLOOK1.PST without any problems.
Here is what I have tried since. Opened the Exchange
client instead of Outlook (exchng32.exe), same error
message. Reinstalled Outlook and Exchange (client and
server components) from the original Office 97 CD, no
change. Removed my profile from control panel/mail,
rebooted, and added my profile and OUTLOOK.OST in Exch
Serve/Properties/Advanced/Offline Folder Settings as they
were configured before. No change.
Finally I looked up MS Knowledge Base and ran
programs/accessories/system tools/Inbox Repair Tool on
OUTLOOK.OST. Said it found a problem and fixed it very
quickly (this is a 100mb .OST file), and gave me the
correct number of folders and messages in it. I rebooted,
then ran both clients - Outlook and exchng32 - I get the
same error message, and the next time I run Inbox Repair
Tool it says there was an error found, and it fixes it
successfully and I run Outlook again, same error message,
and Inbox Repair Tool finds a problem again and fixes it
successfully and displays accurate info about the .OST....
and so on.
What I think from all this is that the clients are
probably fine. Outlook and Exchng32 could not both be
giving the same error message without reason. Something is
corrupting OUTLOOK.OST as soon it is accessed, and I would
suspect it is a component that tries to connect with
Exchange server. Since I have never connected to Exchange
server in 4 yrs and received/sent Internet mail fine, the
problem cannot be just be the lack of a periodic
connection with Exchange server (unless installing Office
SR2 made Outlook run on a timer that forces it to connect
with an Exchange server periodically?)
I have looked in knowledge base, called Dell, trolled the
web etc. I need access to 4 yrs worth of mail somewhat
urgently because of employment contact info in there. This
used to be my primary email/contacts/calendar repository.
If anybody can help it would be much, much appreciated.
Thank you for your time.
-SG
(e-mail address removed)
(e-mail address removed)
Office 97 Pro SR2. I have used MS-Outlook (97) without
problems for 4 years, to access my POP3/SMTP mail. It has
always been configured with an Exchange Server service
running (in Outlook/Tools/Services or
Start/Settings/Control Panel/Mail) because Outlook 97 will
not run with only an Internet Mail service installed. In
Tools/Services I had Exchange Server, Internet Mail,
Personal Address Book, Personal Files and Outlook Address
Book running. In Tools/Options/General I left Exchange
Server unchecked so whenever I hit F5 it would connect
only to the Internet Mail service and get/send mail via
POP3/SMTP and Exchange Server would be ignored. Also
pointed to OUTLOOK.OST under Exchange
Server/Properties/Advanced/Offline Folder Settings. So all
mail would be delivered to the default Inbox and the whole
information tree (Sent mail, Calendar, Notes, Tasks,
Trash) was useable and it was all being stored in
OUTLOOK.OST. I did have a personal file as well
(OUTLOOK1.PST) for older archived mail, that file still
works fine.
This system worked flawlessly for 4 years. A week day ago
I applied SR2 to Office 97 and everything worked fine (4
days) until last weekend. Now when I open Outlook this is
what I see.
"The set of folders could not be opened. The file
c:\windows\Outlook.ost cannot be accessed. You must
connect to your Microsoft Exchange Server computer at
least once before you can use your offline folder file."
At this point Outlook will run, but not show any of my
stored mail, calendar, notes, tasks etc. If I click on a
folder (says "Private Folders" presumably refering to
OUTLOOK.OST) it gives me the above error message. It will
not receive or send any new mail, showing the message
above if I try to compose. It does the contents of my
personal folder OUTLOOK1.PST without any problems.
Here is what I have tried since. Opened the Exchange
client instead of Outlook (exchng32.exe), same error
message. Reinstalled Outlook and Exchange (client and
server components) from the original Office 97 CD, no
change. Removed my profile from control panel/mail,
rebooted, and added my profile and OUTLOOK.OST in Exch
Serve/Properties/Advanced/Offline Folder Settings as they
were configured before. No change.
Finally I looked up MS Knowledge Base and ran
programs/accessories/system tools/Inbox Repair Tool on
OUTLOOK.OST. Said it found a problem and fixed it very
quickly (this is a 100mb .OST file), and gave me the
correct number of folders and messages in it. I rebooted,
then ran both clients - Outlook and exchng32 - I get the
same error message, and the next time I run Inbox Repair
Tool it says there was an error found, and it fixes it
successfully and I run Outlook again, same error message,
and Inbox Repair Tool finds a problem again and fixes it
successfully and displays accurate info about the .OST....
and so on.
What I think from all this is that the clients are
probably fine. Outlook and Exchng32 could not both be
giving the same error message without reason. Something is
corrupting OUTLOOK.OST as soon it is accessed, and I would
suspect it is a component that tries to connect with
Exchange server. Since I have never connected to Exchange
server in 4 yrs and received/sent Internet mail fine, the
problem cannot be just be the lack of a periodic
connection with Exchange server (unless installing Office
SR2 made Outlook run on a timer that forces it to connect
with an Exchange server periodically?)
I have looked in knowledge base, called Dell, trolled the
web etc. I need access to 4 yrs worth of mail somewhat
urgently because of employment contact info in there. This
used to be my primary email/contacts/calendar repository.
If anybody can help it would be much, much appreciated.
Thank you for your time.
-SG
(e-mail address removed)
(e-mail address removed)