Outlook 2007 is degrading to becoming useless

[Richard Mitnick]

On one of my Vista machines (Home Premium), Outlook is rapidly becoming
useless. First I got messages that a data file had not closed properly, and
Outlook was checking it. I never found out what file or files. Then I started
getting messages that a "reminder" could not be read. I have no reminders.
Through all of this, Outlook opened ever more slowly.

I was forced to install another email program to handle my mail. And, it's
O.K., not great, but for mail it does the job.

But I have a number of Contact databases which are very important, and which
I can print into books of varying sizes.

I tried Repair, first just from the hard drive, and then with the
installation CD.

I opened Outlook repeatedly in Safe Mode, sometimes that is enough to do the
trick. I have no problems with any other Office 2007 components.

I need help to get this sick puppy back to good health.

Thanks.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Reinstalling won't help with configuration or data issues. Basically you
have 3 issues at the same time.

1)
If it works in Safe Mode it usually indicates an addin issue.
Which addins do you have installed?
See http://www.msoutlook.info/question/88

2)
As for the data check; it's checking pst-files for errors, which is the file
Outlook stores all its data in. You should check it for errors manually with
scanpst.exe.
See http://www.msoutlook.info/question/77

3)
After that, to solve the reminders issue, start Outlook with the
/cleanreminders switch
Start-> type; outlook.exe /cleanreminders

 

[Richard Mitnick]

O.K., we're going to see what happens in a couple of minutes. I followed your
instructions to the letter: the Add-ins? I didn't recognize any of them, so I
disabled all of them.

I ran scanpst.exe on the three .pst files I found.

I tried to start outlook.exe /clean reminders in a normal opening of
Outlook; but it still would not open. So I re-booted in Safe Mode and ran it
there. Basically, I killed everything in calendaring that i could, because,
like the add-ins, I never use any of those features.

So, now my desktop is back up, and we are going to launch Outlook and see
what happens.......


Nope, no change, the Vista wheely is spinning its merry way, the smallish
orange/cream Outlook opening rectangle is sitting there, I am typing here and
typing here, nothing is happening, no change.

I am going to let it spin and spin and see what happens, and if anything
good, bad, or indifferent happens, I will let you know.