Three Problems with Outlook 2003

[J and N]

We have had numerous problems with Outlook for at least the past few months.

1. It started with an LDAP problem. We use Plaxo, which we disabled, but we
still cannot get results when we type in either a partial or complete name or
email address in the To, Cc or Bcc fields in a new message or in an Advanced
Find search. This problem has not been resolved since we first contacted
Microsoft near the end of 2007.

2. Since we downloaded the following updates on March 11, we cannot receive
emails at several previously-fine addresses, Advanced Find does not work, and
we cannot open or update calendar entries or flagged items that show up in
the Reminders box. We have received alerts about an error in our *.pst file
for at least the past four days.

The updates, with their download dates, are:
Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - March 2008 (KB890830) - March 11
Security Update for the 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB947801) - March 11
(we don't have Office 2007!)
Security Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 (KB945432) - March 11
Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Junk Email Filter (KB947944) -
March 11
Security Update for Microsoft Office 2003 (KB947355) - March 11
Security Update for Microsoft Office Excel 2003 (KB943985) - March 11

We uninstalled these downloads today, but this did not resolve the Outlook
problems. The most recent prior update was an attempted update to Works
Suite on February 13. We don't have that program, either.

3. We are in the Central Time zone, or GMT-6. The Microsoft Support Rep
working with us works from 9:00 AM - 18:00 PM GMT+8. A fourteen-hour gap is
quite
a difference, and since one of us is in an online MBA program, we cannot
afford to wait much longer.

Can someone please help with these problems? It is now 12:30 AM Central
Time on Thursday, March 20, and we have not been able to use Outlook properly
in nearly a week!

 

[Roady [MVP]]

I'm counting more then 3 or at least I'm confused about your numbering.

1a) Are you actually using LDAP or not? If not, remove it from your account
configuration.
1b) Outlook doesn't have a type-ahead feature but only an autosuggest
feature which is a cache of addresses you've used before. If you've got the
AutoSuggest feature enabled but no cache is being built you'll have to
recreate your mail profile. See;
http://www.howto-outlook.com/faq/newprofile.htm

2a) So what was the error? Did you already run scanpst.exe against it to
have it fix the errors? What size is the pst-file?
2b) Getting the Office 2007 update is normal when you have the Office 2007
compatibility pack installed.

3) Why didn't you contact your local Microsoft office? Or at least one that
matches your time zone?

 

[J and N]

It's a base set of three problems - we assumed the second set were
interrelated, since they all showed up at the same time.

In answer to your questions:

1a. We want to use Plaxo with Outlook, but until the other problems are
fixed and we can use it properly again, we don't want to add it back in. If
we can't, how do we remove LDAP?

1b. We created a new profile, but we can't access any of the saved/needed
Appointments, Flagged Items, or Folders/Emails from the old profile. How can
we combine the two profiles?

2a. We didn't know about scanpst.exe. Where and how do we obtain this file?

2b. OK - thanks!

3. We saw - and see - no reason to pay for support when we bought a
legitimate Microsoft product. We contact Microsoft Support via the Support
Request Form; they gave us someone in that time zone. Can we request a
specific time zone for no-cost support?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Roady [MVP]]

1a) Since you created a new profile as I read in 1b, this one doesn't apply
anymore. Anyway, LDAP is an address book service which can be removed via
Tools-> Accounts...

1b) It's explained in the guide. Reconnect previous pst-files via File->
Open-> Outlook Data File...
I suspect you have an ANSI pst-file that is reaching the 2GB. If you cannot
open the pst-file anymore you'll need to truncate it per;
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/296088
If you can open it in the new mail profile, move all the items from the old
to the new pst-file. This one is in UNICODE format and can grow to a virtual
unlimited size (but by default limited to 20GB)

2a) You already have it
See http://www.msoutlook.info/question/77

3) I don't know if that can be transferred You'll need to ask them.

 

[J and N]

We managed to locate scanpst.exe. When we ran it, it fixed everything,
although it deleted our Favorite Folders.

Thanks very much! You did better than the Support Rep!!!