Cannot Open Outlook or create new account

  • Thread starter Thread starter Les Ismore
  • Start date Start date
L

Les Ismore

I recently did a clean install of Windows 7, and then installed Office 2007.
When I tried to set up my company e-mail (Microsoft Exchange) in Outlook
using a .prf file supplied by the company, I kept getting errors. I then
tried to setup the account manually, and at some point in the process of
changing settings and restarting Outlook, I got the message that "The
connection to Microsoft Exchange is unavailable. Outlook must be online or
connected to complete this action". I am online and connected, and all other
programs are working properly. I uninstalled and reinstalled Office, but
would still get the same message every time I try to open Outlook. I
uninstalled Office 07 and installed Office 2010 Beta, and I get the same
thing. All other Office applications work just fine. I also deleted the
Outlook folder in the Apps data folder before the last Office reinstall, but
that had no effect.
I am connected through LAN. I have tried disabling firewall and anti-virus,
but this had no effect. I have tried using the instructions from my company
to manually configure an account, but it always ends the same, with a dialog
box telling me that Outlook must be connected. I have successfully pinged
the server.
I have Outlook (07) installed, configured, and working with this account on
my laptop, and I have tried to replicate the account settings on my desktop
but this doesn't fix the problem.
Any ideas?
 
The first time you use .prf file, you need to import it or use it as command
line like this:

<outlook.exe /importprf \\server1\share\outlook.prf.>

Where server1 is the location where you have saved your .prf file.

You could also use the same command like this:

<outlook.exe /promptimportprf \\localfolder\outlook.prf>

where local folder could be c:\tmp.

Hope this helps.

hth
 
I tried your suggestions, but I cannot import directly because I cannot open
Outlook to do so. I tried command line, but I keep having syntax errors. I
confess to not knowing the DOS syntax very well.
I have tried opening the .prf file (exchange.prf) by right clicking, and
selecting "Open With> Outlook.exe", but this just brings up the notice
"Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. The command line argument is not valid.
Verify the switch you are using."
 
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