Outlook 2007 reading pane gone blank

[Scotch]

The reading pane has recently stopped working and is just grey.

If I restart the computer, it may work briefly, then after a while stop and
go blank again.

Any suggestions please?

Am running Vista for Business. I recently successfully restored the
computer to an earlier backup following a crash, and also recently installed
Business Contact Manager for Outlook - could the reading pane problem be
anything to do with either of these events?

Apologies if I've missed an easy fix elsewhere in the forum, but I couldn't
see anything on a quick look.

If an expert has come across this problem before and knows the fast
solution, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Does it work in Outlook Safe Mode?
Start-> type; outlook.exe /safe

In addition see http://www.howto-outlook.com/faq/outlookdoesntstart.htm

 

[Scotch]

I tried running safe mode, and the Outlook window looks exactly the same as
normal mode - ie it didn't say 'Safe mode' in the title bar, or anything like
that. Is that right?

Anyhow, the reading pane doesn't seem to work in that mode either.

Thanks for your help with this.

 

[pisces737]

I have the exact same problem, ever since applying Windows Updates on March
16. No effect of Safe Mode or Office Diagnostics. I'm running Vista.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

What is your exact version number? Help-> About
Did you try running Repair already?
If it still doesn't work after that, log on as a different user (create a
test user if needed) and see if the issue also occurs when logged on as that
user.

 

[Scotch]

Thanks for your continuing support.

Version number is:
(12.0.6300.5000) SP1 MSO (12.0.6213.1000)

Following your post I tried Repair (ie from Office CD) and this appeared to
help initially, but since then the problem has recurred intermittently
through the day.

About half an hour ago I rebooted the computer, and Outlook is now working
again fine. The reading pane is functioning. Before the reboot, however,
Outlook had again slowed to a crawl, the reading pane was disabled and there
were several other Outlook malfunctions. I noticed that Outlook's CPU usage
had increased to 50%, and by co-incidence saw that the preceding poster in
this forum mentioned a similar phenomenon. Is something going on here across
a number of other users too?

I haven't tried logging on as another user. Do you mean creating another
Windows User on my laptop? I'd prefer to avoid that if possible... it seems
to be quite a palaver creating all the new user's setings. I would give it a
go if you still think it necessary - what is the way to do it as simply as
possible please?

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Nope, can't remember coming across this issue before (and I'm here for quite
the number of years already).
Creating a test user is only to find out the scope of the issue; user
configuration issue or company wide configuration/installation issue. It
helps with troubleshooting and trying to find out how to make it work under
your own user account. That's why I called it a test user and not a new user
;-)

 

[markoh]

I can confirm that I too have the same problem with gray reading
pane..previewing emails with opening works. But reading pane does not work in
either mode.

 

[jlrodgers]

I know that ever since March 12th (the day MS released updates
KB946983, KB947801, etc) outlook will sometimes open and not check
messages or anything at startup (and the reading pane's "locked up" of
sorts, it's the "blue" color). Basically if you disable the reading
pane, the reading pane goes away, but if you re-enable it, you have
the message list "mirrored" there (i.e. outlook doesn't repaint the
area so you have the message list statically displayed there).

Then I end up having to close outlook (or click 2-3 things quickly so
it crashes), open the task manager, terminate the outlook process
(since it doesn't close when this happens), reopen outlook and try
again. What's funny is the diagnostic tool says there's no problem.
What's annoying is having to repeat the open-close-terminate-open
cycle 5-10 times before it finally checks messages and lets me do
anything.

I'd just uninstall those updates, but then the computer's open to
potential exploits -- although I read someplace online that
uninstalling them (the first one I believe) fixed outlook for people.

 

[Blue Max]

Roady,

We are also having the same problem. The reading pane is gray or fails to
refresh if something other than the reading pane was displayed before hand.
We are also noticing that contact cards are blank (either a few or all of
them). We also experience the same sporadic functionality as 'Scotch' has
after running diagnostics or rebooting.

I think there is some kind of a univeral problem developing here.

Thanks,

Richard

******************************

 

[Blue Max]

Hello Roady,

Here is another observation that might help. Incident to all these other
problems, we have found that we can no longer reliably attach files to an
e-mail message. You select the files and choose insert, the dialog closes
normally, but the attachment field and listed attachments are never appended
to the message. We're using Outlook 2007, Microsoft Vista Ultimate, and 4
GB of RAM, but still get some symptomatic delays while processing.

******************

 

[Scotch]

I'm absolutely fascinated by the follow-up posts from others with similar
problems.

I fired up my laptop this morning (I'm based in the UK) about 20 minutes ago
and just to report that, as I type this, Outlook has seized up again as soon
as it got going. Task Manager tells me that Outlook is now hogging 50% of
the CPU.

Here are two other symptoms of the weird behaviour: 1) Normally Outlook is
set automatically to download my e-mail when it starts - but when it goes
AWOL like this morning I have to click 'Send/Receive' to get it to fetch my
mail; 2) If I open a message to read it (the reading pane is blank again, so
I have to open the message manually), and then click the big black X at the
top to delete it, nothing happens... I have to close the message, highlight
it in the Inbox, and then hit the black X or the delete button from there.

Yesterday, however, Outlook worked better for most of the day!

Is anyone from MS able to advise what we should do please? Is it indeed
better to uninstall recent updates?

Thanks for everyone's support and interest.

 

[Scotch]

PS After writing the above message, I closed Outlook. But Task Manager tells
me that Outlook.exe is a process which is still running and still consuming
45-55% of CPU!? I'm going to reboot now and if I can get back to yesterday's
healthier state.

 

[Jason]

I had the same problem as you originally described, however I've at least
found a work around that *sometimes* works. I say "had", as I now seem to
have a problem that's even worse, and I know my original problem hasn't gone
away... I think they're related...

Firstly, note that simply "left clicking" on the email, or using the up/down
arrows to cycle through the emails does not cause the reading pane to be
updated. HOWEVER!! (Now, because of my other problem, I can no longer test
the accuracy of the work around, but the general idea is right)... Start by
left clicking on an email, and then right-click on any other email. You'll
get the context menu up on top, but the reading pane will also get updated
with the email you right-clicked on.

My new problem, is the "Reminders" window now pops up, and I cannot get rid
of it, or do much else in Outlook. I try and create a new email, but I get
the message "A dialog box is open...", but I cannot see one for the life of
me.

If anyone has a solution other than uninstall recent updates, I'd be most
grateful!

Jason.

 

[Simon]

I'm having exactly the same problems as previous posters have noted and they
also started last week - so presumably also linked to the recent MS software
update.

The reading pane disappears and fails to work. A restart sometimes fixes
the problem but only temporarily. I also see approx 50% CPU utilisation from
Outlook in the task manager after closing outlook. It appears that Outlook
never fails to close completely and is stuck.

Isn't it time Microsoft acknowledged the problem and gave us a timescale for
a proposed solution?

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Isn't it time Microsoft acknowledged the problem and gave us a timescale

for
a proposed solution?

Did you contact them already then and told them about your issue? What did
they say?

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Is anyone from MS able to advise what we should do please? Is it indeed

better to uninstall recent updates?

No, this is a end-user to end-user newsgroup. If you want a responds from
Microsoft then you need to contact them via PSS.

What were your results with a new test user?

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Hi Blue Max,

Your issue makes me suspect your virus scanner. Does it integrate with
Outlook?

A current common denominator I've come across with machines facing these
issues was that either Zone Alarm or Trend Micro was installed on the
system. In most cases recreating the Outlook exception in the application
solved the issue (and of course disabling their integration with Outlook but
that is a standard process for me). In some cases I had to completely remove
such applications and 1 system had to be rebuild (there were more issues on
that system).

All other systems I've come across (which is many many more than the above)
updated without any issue.

 

[Blue Max]

Hello Roady,

We are starting to get a small following on this issue, but haven't heard
back from you as yet. As an MVP, are you able to get any assistance from
Microsoft on this issue? Upon Googling this issue, I also found a number of
posts across other sites expressing this concern.

Thanks,
Richard

**************

 

[Blue Max]

Hello Scotch,

I hadn't noticed until you brought up the subject, but my fourth CPU core
steadily averages a 40%-75% commitment ratio after Outlook is opened.
Furthermore, this level of activity continues after closing Outlook 2007.
Additionally, the Windows Vista Task Manager reports that the OUTLOOK
process continues to run, consuming high levels of usage, even after the
program is closed.

**************