Outlook will not launch after installing latest MS patch

  • Thread starter Thread starter topcorner
  • Start date Start date
T

topcorner

I'm running Windows XP Pro. Received MS Auto update
notification to install lastest security upgrades which I
do religiously and did this time. Rebooted, clicked on
outlook 2002 icon, got "hourglass" for a few seconds then
nothing. Outlook did not launch. Rebooted - same thing.
Any ideas would be greatly apreciated!

Thanks!
 
Does Outlook start in safe mode? (outlook.exe /safe) if the answer is yes,
try renaming the file named outcmd.dat.
 
oucmd.dat is in an hidden/system folder and windows xp will not traverse
those directories unless you configure it to do so. fwiw, i find it easier
to open a command prompt, go the root of the C: drive and type: dir /a /s
outcmd.dat

If the patch can be uninstalled, it will be listed in the add/remove
programs applet in the control panel. If it isn't listed there, you can try
a system restore (start | programs | accessories | system tools | system
restore). The wizard is pretty good at explaining that you pick a date and
it will roll back to that time frame. The downside is that you will lose
any applications installed from that data including any *.exe files that you
have downloaded.

cheers
/neo

ps - when you get the dialog that you settings can't be saved, it generally
means that an application is still holding a valid reference to the registry
and said registry can't be closed properly. i've seen patches by ms for
windows 2000 cause this, but haven't heard/seen anything for windows xp.
 
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