outlook 03 hangs, error and won't open even in safe mode

[Dan]

Hello, I was sent over here from
the "microsoft.public.office.setup" newgroups by Susan
Ramlet MVP - Microsoft Office. After the last several days
she ran out of answers.
Just installed office 2003 on my xp home and trying

to open outlook for the 1st time. it brings up the box
configuring outlook and migrating account settings (I had
office 2000 previous)

Then it hangs and I get an error microsoft office outlook

has encountered a problem and needs to close. It prompts

me to start in safe mode. It won't start in safe mode has
the same responses..I have tried repair, used the Windows
Installer CleanUp Utility, used the scanpst.exe and fixed
any corrupted files, changed outcmd.dat Views.dat
Outcmd.dat Extend.dat Frmcache.dat to .old (some I
remember I didn't have) Also I have re-installed office 2k
and opening outlook doesn't give a error message it just
hangs and then closes.

I am trying to figure out how to re-install 2000 (or 2003)
without transfering or updating the new software of my
original contacts emails settings etc etc.?? But after
installing and re-installing both versions, I am not sure
it is a corrupt file, but something in registry?
Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

It sounds like the one thing you haven't done is create a new profile. Do
this with the Mail applet in COntrol Panel adding just one account to start
with.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Athena [MVP-Outlook]]

I am trying to figure out how to re-install 2000 (or 2003)
without transfering or updating the new software of my
original contacts emails settings etc etc.??

The best thing for you to do would be to create a fresh profile and force
Outlook to use that instead of trying to use your Outlook 2000 settings.

1. Right-click on the Outlook icon at the top of your start menu and select
Properties. If that icon isn't there or it isn't the special system icon, go
to the Users category in the Control Panel and click Mail.

2. When you have the Mail Applet running, click "Show Profiles" and ADD a new
one. Give it a name and click OK.

3. You will see a Wizard to set up an e-mail account. And an account then
and follow the prompts to Finish. When the wizard returns you to the profile
list, select your new profile as the one to always use.

4. Test Outlook to see if it will start up without hanging.

Once you have Outlook working, you can tell it to use your old PST (contacts,
e-mail messages, etc) very easily:

Click File|Open|Outlook Data File and select your old PST (which will probably
be Outlook.pst). Change the name of the folder set to "Original Folders" then
click OK.

Click Tools|E-mail accounts, select the option to View or change existing
accounts, then select your original folders as the delivery location.

When you avoid the automatic migration, you have manually transfer your other
account settings, signatures, and rules but you do keep all the basic data.

 

[Dan]

Thnks for NEW solution, am running out of options..
but it didn't change the behavior..ugh its midnite, gonna
quit for the day..here's what going on so far...
Did the deletions of all profiles in applet and recreated
a new one. started up outlook 03 and same nonsense. Box
appears in upper left saying migrating settings...(I'd
give anything to find out how to change that on not just
the 1st original startup after new install)? I haven't
been able to recreate that prompt that gives me a CHOICE!!
Anyways it hangs then creates the window to send error
message to microsoft. Does the error report contents help?
if so here they are:
Exception information
Code: Oxc0000005 Flags: Oxc00000000
Record: 0x plus sixteen 0's! Address: 0x0000000001de39be
I have done a sfc /scannow also checked for errors on
hard drive.
What ever was done recently, I now cannot access my
address book via outlook express, even though it is a
different operation...not sure if that is related, now I
am without any access to my address book, contacts, email
directory!!! ugh Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Dan]

Also under Window/Prefetch there are 3 entries for
outlook.exe does this matter? (I did a search for
outlook.exe)
Also what about the following registry?
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Mail and
News\Mail\POP3 (and smtp) it still has a old
entry..shouldn't that have been erased? (the old entry is
mail2.gbronline.com)

 

[Athena [MVP-Outlook]]

Box
appears in upper left saying migrating settings...(I'd
give anything to find out how to change that on not just
the 1st original startup after new install)? I haven't
been able to recreate that prompt that gives me a CHOICE!!

Which "choice" was that?

Start REGEDIT and look for
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook See what the value
is for "FirstRun". Does it say True or False? You can try switching it to
see if that makes any difference.

If you still can't get started, you should probably remove Outlook from your
Office setup via Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel, reboot, then add it
back to your Office setup. When you start Outlook after that, it should
create a fresh, first-run profile that will let you move on.

 

[Dan]

Hello-
under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook
First run does not exist ! can I add it? I am certain it
doesn't exist in the registry above line.
also on your 2nd option below, the add remove window only
lists microsoft office 2003 not outlook separately to
remove...???

 

[Dan]

I figured out how to do what you said, after in the add
remove applet I clicked on the office 2003 and hit change
and just followed the prompts.
Anyways, the plot thickens...
after checking the box to remove outlook only I got a huge
error box...here is what it contained.

Error 25090. Office Setup encountered a problem with the
Office Source Engine, system error: -2147023838. Please
open C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office11\1033\setup.CHM
and look for "Office source Engine" for information on
how to resolve this problem. Huh? Thanks again anyone for
the help in advance with this error text...
I am also considering uninstalling my network adapter next
and reinstalling again. I think the problem might be
related to a problem I had in office 2k (outlook) just
before I upgraded....I could not download any mail. The
box would come up (checking mail) and would quickly close.
None of my settings had been changed..Not sure if it is
related...but I am getting desperate!

 

[Dan]

Followed the instructions in the file located on my hard
drive per the error message. Started the appropriate .exe
and got Outlook uninstalled. Re-installed and same error
same prompt that outlook did not start successfully and
woul I like to start in safe mode. I have (like the many
times before) tried both normal run and safe, still it
hangs and then error box.
Also in several posts earlier what I meant about wishing I
had a "choice" about the box popping up. When outlook
first opens a box appears in the upper left hand corner
and it says configuring outlook and it is starting on the
1st item on its list which is migrating account settings.
What is bothering me the most is the fact that regardless
if I un-install the outlook. When it is re-installed it
seems to remember that the last time it failed and prompts
in a box to start in safe mode or normal...

 

[Dan]

Followed the instructions in the file located on my hard
drive per the error message. Started the appropriate .exe
and got Outlook uninstalled. Re-installed and same error
same prompt that outlook did not start successfully and
woul I like to start in safe mode. I have (like the many
times before) tried both normal run and safe, still it
hangs and then error box.
Also in several posts earlier what I meant about wishing I
had a "choice" about the box popping up. When outlook
first opens a box appears in the upper left hand corner
and it says configuring outlook and it is starting on the
1st item on its list which is migrating account settings.
What is bothering me the most is the fact that regardless
if I un-install the outlook. When it is re-installed it
seems to remember that the last time it failed and prompts
in a box to start in safe mode or normal...

 

[Athena [MVP-Outlook]]

Re-installed and same error
same prompt that outlook did not start successfully and
woul I like to start in safe mode. I have (like the many
times before) tried both normal run and safe, still it
hangs and then error box.

Let's try something different.

Create a new folder on your machine named "Outlook Data" Move everything from
"C:\Documents and Settings\<your user logon>\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook to that folder.

Once the default folder is empty, try to start Outlook again (in safe mode if
it offers).

 

[Christa.Gordon]

I work at the hospital at Fort Campbell and we recently
upgraded are users (approx 1200) from Office XP to Office
2003 and are encountering the same problem in about 50
cases. We have found that if you uninstall Outlook 2003
and reinstall outlook 2000 (because this is the only stand
alone version we have) that still doesn't help the
problem. Outlook still hangs on closing, although in that
version it will allow you to open it again. We have not
done it but are either hoping for a resolution or we will
have to format and reload those hard drives. In several
cases we have found that a fresh format and reinstallation
has caused the same problem. Can someone fix this????? It
is extrememly frustrating.

 

[Dan]

Hello-
moved everying from the default outlook file from the
location that you said, still same problem. I wish I knew
how to get a clean start with out the box coming
up "configuring outlook" "migrating account settings"
Each start up of outlook, it has a memory, even after I un-
install and will prompt if I want to start in safe mode.
Then either way (both types of startup) it pops up that
configuring outlook box up in the left corner.
But I still am not sure that the "migrating account
settings is the problem...I am suspicious of my msn
messenger change I made a while back and have read if
removed...(in the services -msnmsgr.exe) I have read that
oothers had removed the exe and had problems with outlook
hanging...but I don't know for sure cuz I can't get
outlook to ever start like it is starting for the first
time on my machine.
BTW I did reinstall the latest msn messenger, and I get
the msnmsgr.exe in the processes window in task manager.
But before it would always be there whether msn messenger
was running or not. Now it is only present when I open it.
----Original Message-----

 

[Dan]

Here's another point I am frustrated about:
this quote is from the Microsoft's office online webpage
regarding safe mode-

"Microsoft Office Safe Mode allows you to safely use an
Office or Office family program that has encountered
certain startup problems. When a problem is detected at
startup, Office either fixes the problem or isolates it,
allowing the program to start successfully."
hmm guess it doesn't isolate in my case. darn

 

[Athena [MVP-Outlook]]

moved everying from the default outlook file from the
location that you said, still same problem.

Okay. I think it's clear that you are not going to be able to get this
cleared up through the newsgroups. If your upgrade copy is a retail version
of Office, go to this page and click the first link.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=cntactms&style=home

If you purchased Office alone, you are eligible for no-charge support. You
can start with an online incident. You can also call Microsoft directly but
there is no toll-free number.

Good luck! And if you have the time, please let us know what the solution
was.

 

[Dan]

Hi Christa, wondered if you found a fix? I would love to
hear about it!
this is what I was told, in case you haven't been
following the threads:

Okay. I think it's clear that you are not going to be
able to get this
cleared up through the newsgroups. If your upgrade copy
is a retail version
of Office, go to this page and click the first link.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
pr=cntactms&style=home

If you purchased Office alone, you are eligible for no-
charge support. You
can start with an online incident. You can also call
Microsoft directly but
there is no toll-free number.
***
I wish you luck and I will let you know if I find a
fix...I am not ready to call microsoft as of yet, as I am
gonna try and un-install a few things first, like anti-
virus etc etc

 

[Dan]

Thanks for your help,
I was wondering.. I now cannot access my address book thru
outlook express... do I have to convert the .pst files
to .wab? Help!!
Do you know what I can try to do in the meantime, until I
get office up and running?

 

[Athena [MVP-Outlook]]

I was wondering.. I now cannot access my address book thru
outlook express... do I have to convert the .pst files
to .wab?

You need to e-mail or call Microsoft now. If you were sharing your contacts
between OE and Outlook 2000, you were using the Internet Mail Only mode and
all your contact information is in your PST. Converting from the Internet
Mail Only mail of OL2000 to any later version is more quirky than any other
configuration. The only way to get any data out of the PST is with a working
Outlook configuration and right now, you need some help to get that done.

Fiddling around willy-nilly with other programs is unlikely to be successful.
I think you want to write or call now.