Outlook stops responding after launch

  • Thread starter Thread starter dugeezer
  • Start date Start date
D

dugeezer

My grey hair is gettin greyer and falling out over this
one! I have 2 users with the same problem. They can
launch Outlook 2000, and it connects, but then stops
responding. They have been scanned with Trend (our
local), I've run scanpst, I've made sure they have all the
Office updates, even checked their mail from the POP3
server to make sure it's not the same message doing this.
Both users run laptops with XP Pro, SP1a, and all the
updates are done automatically. Any suggestions??
 
Have you tried starting Outlook 2000 in safe mode? (outlook.exe /safe) Does
it demonstrate the same behavior?
 
I have started it in /safe mode and I get the same thing.
Also, when I look at task manager it shows 2 instances of
outlook not responding. There is only 1 mail account set
up on either of these laptops.
 
I would try running scanpst.exe on their pst files to rule out any
corruption. (Hopefully there isn't any 3rd party tools (WinFax, ActiveSync,
..etc) that start a hidden instance of Outlook so the repair can be done.)

Are the PST files on their local drive or coming from a network drive? The
reason that I ask is that Microsoft doesn't support PST file use across
WAN/LAN links.
 
I ran scanpst again this morning and still the same
problem exists. The PST files are local on their
computers. I am thinking of upgrading to Outlook2003, but
I'm afraid that if I do the problem will go with the
upgrade.
 
In most cases, it will.

I noticed you mentioned POP3, is Outlook configured in Corporate/Workgroup
or Internet Mail Only mode? (I'm half tempted to say try a new profile, but
it is a pain to get Internet Mail Only cleaned up to build a new profile.)

Is it safe to assume that the PST file size is less than 1.82 GB? Item
count in the Inbox < 16,000 items (or 65,000 if large table support is
enabled)?

If you look at the process tab, is Outlook jumping to 100% CPU use when it
enters its not responding state? (Outlook 2000 SP3 in Internet Mail Only
mode and the use of reminders on items could cause this. Requires the
December 18th, 2002 update to correct.)

Some other off the wall stuff to try...
* rename/delete outcmd.dat (this file can corrupt and is known to cause
outlook to lock just after the splash screen. user will have to recreate any
menu/toolbar mods.)

* start outlook with the /cleanreminders, /cleanfreebusy, and /cleanviews
command line switch. (could be a corrupted hidden message that is causing
outlook to barf)

* start outlook with the /nopreview command line switch. (something in the
first message outlook tries to display is causing outlook to lock. most
noticeable with html messages that are trying to do an exploit.)
 
and one other issue that comes to mind...

if you can get outlook or outlook express to log the pop3 connection, see if
it always having an issue with one particular message. there is a problem
where a nul in the body of message can cause a lockup. (this was posted to
ntbugtraq in mid april.)

Thats it... i'm tapped on ideas.
 
OK, here's what I've got.
I've tried all suggestions with no positive results. I
found the PST file is over 2GB, therefore is way over the
limit. How do I dump the file? do I just delete it? If
so, will it rebuild itself again?
I found the outlook.dat and outlook.bak files are not the
same size (.bak is smaller). Is this part of the problem?
HELP!!!
 
http://www.slipstick.com/problems/repair2gbpst.htm

Do not just delete it. When you try the repair steps in the above link.
Work on a copy of the file because the user is going to lose data. Have no
idea of what or how much, but make sure they understand it and that you are
going to do all you can do to salvage what you can.

In the mean time, logon to the system as a new person and create a new PST
file. Logout and then swap out their 2GB file with the new PST file. This
should buy some time on trying to get whatever is possible when performing
the repair steps.

You don't have to look any further. The PST file is the culprit.
 
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