Outlook 2007 will only open in Safe mode

[safetymom]

I have tried disabling all the add ins and it still will only open in safe
mode. What else do I need to try.

Also tried switch /resetnavpane

Thanks.

 

[DL]

Is this a new problem or triggered by some event?

 

[VanguardLH]

I have tried disabling all the add ins and it still will only open in
safe mode.

Safe mode disables both the add-ins and COM plug-ins - but only the COM
plug-ins that are shown in its list. Some COM plug-ins aren't listed in
Outlook's config UI (e.g., at one time, the AttachmentOptions add-in
would not show up in this list until the author changed his code).
Starting is safe mode disables the load of any add-ins and disables the
interface with COM plug-ins. So starting in normal mode with all the
*listed* add-ins and COM plug-ins set to disabled doesn't also run with
the unlisted COM plug-ins disabled.

Since you can't disable the unlisted COM plug-ins using Outlook's UI,
you have to see what you might've installed by visiting the Add/Remove
Programs applet and uninstall the likely candidates, like some e-mail
enhancement program, anti-spam program, anti-virus with e-mail scanning,
and so on; i.e., anything that might interrogate your mail traffic or
attempt to alter your e-mail client's behavior.

 

[safetymom]

This is a new problem. All I did was turn the computer off and then turn it
back on.

 

[safetymom]

I haven't added any new programs.

Safe mode disables both the add-ins and COM plug-ins - but only the COM
plug-ins that are shown in its list. Some COM plug-ins aren't listed in
Outlook's config UI (e.g., at one time, the AttachmentOptions add-in
would not show up in this list until the author changed his code).
Starting is safe mode disables the load of any add-ins and disables the
interface with COM plug-ins. So starting in normal mode with all the
*listed* add-ins and COM plug-ins set to disabled doesn't also run with
the unlisted COM plug-ins disabled.

Since you can't disable the unlisted COM plug-ins using Outlook's UI,
you have to see what you might've installed by visiting the Add/Remove
Programs applet and uninstall the likely candidates, like some e-mail
enhancement program, anti-spam program, anti-virus with e-mail scanning,
and so on; i.e., anything that might interrogate your mail traffic or
attempt to alter your e-mail client's behavior.

 

[VanguardLH]

VanguardLH wrote ...


I haven't added any new programs.

So the only applications that were installed on a *fresh* install of
Windows (and not some image for a pre-built computer, like from HP or
Dell that include tons of fluff software) were the components included
in Microsoft Office 2007? You did a clean install of Windows followed
by an install of Office 2007 and have not installed anything else? You
have absolutely no other applications installed on your host, like
anti-virus software? Have you reviewed the list in the Add/Remove
Programs applet?

 

[safetymom]

I have not reinstalled Windows or Office 2007. I turned my computer off
yesterday and turned it back on and now will only open in safe mode. Trying
to not need to format the hard drive and start over. I haven't installed
any software in quite a while.

 

[DL]

Have you tried booting your PC into safemode with networking, then tested
Outlook?
If outlook then boots normally its a third party application in your
startups causing the problem

 

[Peter Foldes]

safetymom

I am confused. Can you please clear up the following for me. Is it your whole
computer that opens in Safe mode or is it Outlook only not the rest of the computer.

Please let us know

 

[safetymom]

It is only Outlook that opens in safe mode. Everything else is working
fine.

 

[safetymom]

I have disabled everything in startup with msconfig. Still Outlook only
opens in safe mode.

 

[DL]

So did you boot the PC into safemode then try Outlook?

 

[VanguardLH]

I have not reinstalled Windows or Office 2007. I turned my computer off
yesterday and turned it back on and now will only open in safe mode. Trying
to not need to format the hard drive and start over. I haven't installed
any software in quite a while.

All it takes is for an existing application to get updated for users to
report "all of sudden it stopped working". For example, many users
report no problems with their anti-virus program scanning their e-mails
until "all of a sudden" there are problems with their e-mails. Turns
out the anti-virus software received a program update (not just a
signature update) and now there is just enough more interference (delay)
by the anti-virus program to cause problems in the e-mail that it is
scanning. Many users leave the Automatic Updates service left
configured in "download and install" mode which means the state of their
computer changes at-will whenever Microsoft decides to push updates.

To be clear on what add-ons you disabled, where you in Internet Options
under the Programs tab and clicked on Manage Add-ons? Or did you go
into Outlooks Tools -> Trust Center menu to disable all add-ons AND all
COM plug-ins? From what I see of a screen capture for OL2007 at:

http://www.camrivox.com/flexor/docs.../startup/images/Outlook_2007_Trust_Center.png

just the add-ins are listed. I don't see the COM plug-ins listed.
Hopefully they're just piling all the add-ins and COM plug-ins together
in that list.

You might want to try DL's suggestion of rebooting Windows into its Safe
Mode. That eliminates most startup programs or disables some functions
within them.

 

[VanguardLH]

I have disabled everything in startup with msconfig.

That is NOT the same as starting Windows in its safe mode. That will
start Windows in its normal mode and with some startup programs not
loaded (but only the ones listed by msconfig yet that isn't all startup
items).

Still Outlook only opens in safe mode.

Are you using a shortcut to start Outlook? If so, right-click on the
shortcut and select Properties from the context menu. What is the
command that gets used to load Outlook? Does it contain the /safe
parameter?

 

[safetymom]

I went here
Outlooks Tools -> Trust Center menu to disable all add-ons AND all
COM plug-ins?

I don't have my system set up to do automatic updates and install. I am
notified when there are updates, I take a look and then decide whether or
not to install them.

It works if I boot into Windows safe mode, I have disabled all programs in
the startup menu of msconfig.

 

[safetymom]

I am going to run outlook.exe /safe to start Outlook.

It runs correctly in windows safe mode. I have disabled everything in
Windows startup.

 

[VanguardLH]

It works if I boot into Windows safe mode, I have disabled all programs in
the startup menu of msconfig.

Aha. So something that loads either during Windows startup or when you
login is causing the problem. Did the problem remain gone when you
disabled all startup items in msconfig but rebooted into normal mode for
Windows?

If the problem goes away by disabling all items in msconfig and
rebooting into normal mode for Windows then you'll have to zero in on
which startup item is causing the problem. You could enable them one at
a time and reboot to retest. When the problem reappears, the just
previously reenabled item is the culprit. If you have lots of startup
items, you could halve your way through them. Disable half, reboot into
normal mode, and retest. If the problem is still gone, reenable the
disabled one and disable the one that had been left enabled. Now the
problem should reappear. Then halve your way again through that half of
the original list. Halving your way through 2 dozen startup items would
take about 7 reboots versus having to do 24 reboots to retest after
reenabling them one at a time. Of course, there may be some really
obvious choices as to what should get disabled to see if they cause the
problem.

 

[VanguardLH]

I am going to run outlook.exe /safe to start Outlook.

If that is what you always run (whether manually or for the command in a
shortcut) then obviously Outlook will always load in its safe mode. You
told it to.

Have you ever ran just outlook.exe to load Outlook?

 

[safetymom]

Yes I have tried just outlook.exe at the run command and it will not open.
All the startup items are disabled when I boot normally and Outlook will not
open.

 

[VanguardLH]

VanguardLH wrote ...


Yes I have tried just outlook.exe at the run command and it will not open.
All the startup items are disabled when I boot normally and Outlook will not
open.

Alas, msconfig only lists the common startup locations. That means not
all startup items may be listed in msconfig. You have to use a more
robust utility, like SysInternals' AutoRuns (now owned by Microsoft).

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx

For example, msconfig will not list the WinLogin events that can start
processes at that point or list the logon scripts that might be
specified for your account.

You said that Outlook will load normally if you boot into Windows' safe
mode. Outlook won't load normally and only in safe mode if you disable
all startup items but start Windows in its normal mode. If AutoRuns
doesn't show more startup items that could be the cause (because they
aren't listed in msconfig for you to disable), it is possible something
is buried into the working of Windows that only starting Windows in its
safe mode had it disable itself under that environment and why Outlook
then runs okay. For example, anti-virus and other security software can
insert their own handler in the stack for Windows TCP and Windows' safe
mode won't alter that. What security programs are installed on your
host (anti-virus, 3rd party firewall, anti-spam, anti-malware, etc)?
Have you tried uninstalling whatever anti-virus software you are using?

Have you performed an update to your anti-virus program and then ran a
full scan of all drives on your host? What anti-virus and anti-malware
programs do you use?

Have you ever tried to repair Outlook (it's under the Help menu)? You
will probably need the Office installation CD for the repair.