Outlook Express slow, Internet Explorer form input slow

[pcbuilder98]

The following is a solution to problems I was having with Outlook Express 6
and Internet Explorer 6.

Problems:
Long delay before form fields would accept input in Internet Explorer 6.
Long delay when starting Outlook Express 6.
Long delay before splash screen appears in Outlook Express 6.
Long delay before inbox appears when starting Outlook Express 6.
Long delay before dial up dialog appears when starting Outlook Express 6.
Long delay when opening messages the first time after starting Outlook
Express 6.

Action taken by me just before problems appeared:
Clicked the "Clear" button for "Documents" in the "Start Menu Programs" tab
of the Taskbar properties.

Complete solution to all the above problems:
Restored registry from the day before the problems with Internet Explorer 6
and Outlook Express 6 occurred.

Before I found the above fix I tried every solution suggested at the
Microsoft web site and every suggestion I could find in search engines. It
took six hours of continuous work for me to arrive at a final and complete
solution to the problems I was having with Outlook Express 6 and Internet
Explorer 6.
Signed,
pcbuilder98

 

[PA Bear]

Windows version?

Action taken by me just before problems appeared:
Clicked the "Clear" button for "Documents" in the "Start Menu Programs"
tab
of the Taskbar properties.

Huh? Perhaps you meanTaskbar > Properties > Start Menu > Classic start menu
[I assume] > Customize > To remove records of recently accessed documents...

Clear?

Inside Outlook Express - Errors, Bugs and Problems - Performance Problems:
http://www.insideoe.com/problems/performance.htm

 

[pcbuilder98]

Windows version?

Windows 98SE

Action taken by me just before problems appeared:
Clicked the "Clear" button for "Documents" in the "Start Menu Programs"
tab
of the Taskbar properties.

Huh? Perhaps you meanTaskbar > Properties > Start Menu > Classic start menu
[I assume] > Customize > To remove records of recently accessed documents...

Clear?

Yes. I always use the classic interface. I tried all the fixes suggested at
your excellent web site before I arrived at my final solution. Sadly for me
none of them worked.

 

[PA Bear]

Sounds like the following would have addressed the problem:

1. Delete Temporary Internet Files, accepting the option to delete all
offline content;

2. Compacting all OE folders;

3. Running Disk Cleanup; and then (for good measure)

4. Run a Defrag session.

Win98-specific General OE Caveats:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting and frequently perform a manual compact of
all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause such
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.

PS: http://www.insideoe.com/ is not my website; it belongs to longtime MVP
Tom Koch.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L.ORG http://66.39.69.143/

Windows version?

Windows 98SE

Action taken by me just before problems appeared:
Clicked the "Clear" button for "Documents" in the "Start Menu Programs"
tab
of the Taskbar properties.

Huh? Perhaps you meanTaskbar > Properties > Start Menu > Classic start
menu [I assume] > Customize > To remove records of recently accessed
documents... > Clear?

Yes. I always use the classic interface. I tried all the fixes suggested
at
your excellent web site before I arrived at my final solution. Sadly for
me
none of them worked.

 

[pcbuilder98]

Sounds like the following would have addressed the problem:

1. Delete Temporary Internet Files, accepting the option to delete all
offline content;

2. Compacting all OE folders;

3. Running Disk Cleanup; and then (for good measure)

4. Run a Defrag session.

Win98-specific General OE Caveats:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting and frequently perform a manual compact of
all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause such
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.

I tried all of those proedures before I arrived at my final solution. None
of them worked. I wish they had.

PS: http://www.insideoe.com/ is not my website; it belongs to longtime MVP
Tom Koch.

My mistake.

 

[Arkadiusz 'Black Fox' Artyszuk]

Problems:
Long delay before form fields would accept input in Internet Explorer 6.
Long delay when starting Outlook Express 6.
Long delay before splash screen appears in Outlook Express 6.
Long delay before inbox appears when starting Outlook Express 6.
Long delay before dial up dialog appears when starting Outlook Express 6.
Long delay when opening messages the first time after starting Outlook
Express 6.

Action taken by me just before problems appeared:
Clicked the "Clear" button for "Documents" in the "Start Menu Programs" tab
of the Taskbar properties.

Complete solution to all the above problems:
Restored registry from the day before the problems with Internet Explorer 6
and Outlook Express 6 occurred.

Before I found the above fix I tried every solution suggested at the
Microsoft web site and every suggestion I could find in search engines. It
took six hours of continuous work for me to arrive at a final and complete
solution to the problems I was having with Outlook Express 6 and Internet
Explorer 6.

IMHO this problem was caused by damaged "Protected Storage System
Provider" registry key. That's where IE & OE saves passwords and some
other data. I've met this issue some time ago especially using Windows
98/98SE. When it's not possible to restore registry from backup deleting
IE & OE sub keys from Protected Storage System Provider is the cure.
Disadvantage is that all saved passwords are deleted too.

 

[Mike C]

I too am experiencing problems with OE6... it starts to load then the screen
goes blank and Task Manager says it is not responding. After about 1 minute
it runs properly and loads... any suggestions? It just started. I compact
the folders regularly, I keep my Inbox clean, I defrag nightly and run
Windows Defender nightly.

Any other suggestions?

 

[pcbuilder98]

I too am experiencing problems with OE6... it starts to load then the screen
goes blank and Task Manager says it is not responding. After about 1 minute
it runs properly and loads... any suggestions? It just started. I compact
the folders regularly, I keep my Inbox clean, I defrag nightly and run
Windows Defender nightly.

Any other suggestions?

Please post at bottom. Thank you.

If you know what day the problem started then you can restore the registery
from the day before (or any other registry backup prior to the start of the
problem).

I don't know if you have a backup routine of any kind but I backup my
personal files regularly to CD-RW and DVD+RW now that I have my new drive. I
never have less than three backups on hand.

Before each backup I run a batch file that copies all my system files which
includes the registry. If I had a problem with the registry that went
unnoticed for more than five days without my noticing it (nearly impossible)
I could as a last resort use an older backup to restore it.

If none of the above are possible for you then you might try a registry
repair / cleaner of some kind. It's also possible to retrieve a clean
registry off the Windows install disk. You would then have to reinstall all
of your other software and reconfigure many of your settings. Both of these
suggestions may be long shots at best.

I like OE and IE but they are just too difficult to repair. Moving my mail
and settings to the new computer I just built was nearly impossible. After
looking for two solid weeks I just today found a freeware program that made
the move fairly painless. If you're interested it's available here:
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/default.aspx Some email clients have the
option to import mail and settings from OE but first had to move those
things into OE on my new computer.

I am currently evaluating all other email clients and browsers and I will
soon quit using IE and OE permanently. I hope you find a solution for your
problem.
Good Luck,
pcbuilder98

 

[Mike C]

Thanx pcbuilder. I wish I KNEW what date it started... I use Acronis True
Image to back up my entire hard drive and it runs every Friday... if I was to
restore using Acronis (I've NEVER had any luck restoring with Windows
Restore) I'm afraid the latest backup contains whatever errors that are
causing my problem to begin with. I use Acronis Registry Booster as well and
it keeps my registry clean & defragmented.

I've been threatening myself for about a month now - that it's time for a
complete format & reload... it'll take me a coupla days to get everything
loaded back on... maybe over the holidays.

Thanx for the link - I'll check it out. I also tried Outlook (it comes with
Office) and it also fails to respond when I first open it up. This is a real
puzzler. I'm usually prety good at troubleshooting stuff like this but I'm
scratching my head...

 

[pcbuilder98]

Thanx pcbuilder. I wish I KNEW what date it started... I use Acronis True
Image to back up my entire hard drive and it runs every Friday... if I was to
restore using Acronis (I've NEVER had any luck restoring with Windows
Restore) I'm afraid the latest backup contains whatever errors that are
causing my problem to begin with. I use Acronis Registry Booster as well and
it keeps my registry clean & defragmented.

I've been threatening myself for about a month now - that it's time for a
complete format & reload... it'll take me a coupla days to get everything
loaded back on... maybe over the holidays.

Thanx for the link - I'll check it out. I also tried Outlook (it comes with
Office) and it also fails to respond when I first open it up. This is a real
puzzler. I'm usually prety good at troubleshooting stuff like this but I'm
scratching my head...

A couple of last points:
I would only use a registry cleaner as a last resort. I find they're just as
likely to be harmful as beneficial. Window checks and repairs the registry
every 24 hours. It isn't perfect but I haven't know it to be harmful either.
It's also possible to set Scanreg (98, ME) to retain more than five registry
backups: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/183603
No need to worry about filling your drive with backups either. Every time a
new registry backup is made the oldest is deleted.

XP isn't as good. You'll have to rely on the Automated System Recovery:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/818903
Or do a manual registry restoration:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

Every so often I will remove one complete backup from my backup sets and put
it aside. I may keep this backup for a few months or even longer depending
on my whim. Then if for some reason I find something is missing or corrupted
in my current backup sets I have the possibility that it may still exist on
a backup from some months or even years ago. I have one backup set that's
five years old. I will probably retain it permanently.

 

[pcbuilder98]

IMHO this problem was caused by damaged "Protected Storage System
Provider" registry key. That's where IE & OE saves passwords and some
other data. I've met this issue some time ago especially using Windows
98/98SE. When it's not possible to restore registry from backup deleting
IE & OE sub keys from Protected Storage System Provider is the cure.
Disadvantage is that all saved passwords are deleted too.

I followed this procedure:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q271510/
It did not help. But it might possibly help Mike C.