HELP!! I can't open Outlook 2003

[S Hanson]

I've been using my Outllok 2003 for 5 years with no problems. Last evening, I
had used Outlook successfully, but an hour later, when I tried to open it, I
received the following error message:

"Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Unable to open Outlook window. The set of
folders could not be opened. The server is not available. Contact your
administrator if this condition persists".

I am not on a network. There is no administrator. This is a home computer.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I've been using my Outllok 2003 for 5 years with no problems. Last
evening, I
had used Outlook successfully, but an hour later, when I tried to open it,
I
received the following error message:

"Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Unable to open Outlook window. The set of
folders could not be opened. The server is not available. Contact your
administrator if this condition persists".

I am not on a network. There is no administrator. This is a home computer.

Sounds like something happened to the mail profile Use the Mail applet in
Control Panel to check.

 

[S Hanson]

Ok..I went to the Mail applet in Control Panel and clicked on Data Files.
When I highlight each of the Archive Folders and then press Settings, I get a
description of each. However, when I highlight Personal Folders, I get an
error message that reads: "An unknown error occured, error code: 0x80040600.

I'm curious, I've never had to restore files from a backup before. IF I
should try to restore from a backup dated Nov 2008, would that mean that I
would lose everything that happened between the backup and now??

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

Ok..I went to the Mail applet in Control Panel and clicked on Data Files.
When I highlight each of the Archive Folders and then press Settings, I
get a
description of each. However, when I highlight Personal Folders, I get an
error message that reads: "An unknown error occured, error code:
0x80040600.

Create a new mail profile with a new PST and see if you can open the old PST
in that profile.

I'm curious, I've never had to restore files from a backup before. IF I
should try to restore from a backup dated Nov 2008, would that mean that I
would lose everything that happened between the backup and now??

Naturally, if all you can recover is the backup.

 

[S Hanson]

Problem has now been fixed. I did some digging around on the Outlook Support
webpage, and discovered that I could run a scan of my PST files to check for
corrupt files.

After running scanpst.exe, it found 26 errors, and I ran the REPAIR, and
after doing so, my Outlook 2003 opened up and my emails, contacts, calendar
was all intact!!!

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

Problem has now been fixed. I did some digging around on the Outlook
Support
webpage, and discovered that I could run a scan of my PST files to check
for
corrupt files.

After running scanpst.exe, it found 26 errors, and I ran the REPAIR, and
after doing so, my Outlook 2003 opened up and my emails, contacts,
calendar
was all intact!!!

Glad to hear it. Make that backup.