Topic: Outlook won't start

[Ian]

I've read Jo's OE problem - this seems slightly different..

It's Outlook (not Express)
Using XP Home
Kaspersky AV

When OL is starting it just maxes out the PC and says 'not responding'
Here's what I think the problem is (cant fix it though) - the last message to arrive(which I can see as OL tries to load) was a bounced email of some 200 odd megs.

I think there's something wrong with this message and the preview pane is trying to open it and wibbling out.

I've tried re-installing Office XP - no change
I've ran AV, Adaware, The Cleaner (trojan killer), Spybot and A Squared - all to no avail.

I want to delete this message.

I've tried going to Outlook.pst - but the same problem happens when I try to open it (with Word).

I'd like to loading OL with the preview pane switched off, but don't know how to do this outside of OL.

Just deleting the message would suffice for now. Any suggestions?

[Sandra]

Try installing the free version of Mailwasher from here Ian :

http://www.mailwasher.net/

You should then be able to delete the e mail that you think is causing the problem, without downloading it your pc.
Then your Outlook should open ok, if that was indeed the problem stopping it from opening

[Ian]

OK, I tried that Sandra, but it looks as if it's already arrived on my PC. (Cool program though - thanks - will check it out more later)

Any way to turn off the preview pane in the registry?
Or any other way to delete that email?

[Sandra]

As far as I know you need to be in Outlook to turn off the preview feature.
You could try coming off line and then try opening Outlook and when it tries to connect say work off line and disable the preview option that way  

[Ian]

Tried that too - the email is definitely already there...

[Simon]

I haven't tried this myself but it might be worth a go:

Find your inbox .pst file, and rename it, or move it elsewhere, then try to open Outlook.  It should open, but without any of your messages showing, so you should then be able to disable the Preview Pane (good idea to leave it disabled too), then close Outlook, go back and revert the .pst and hopefully you should then be able to open Outlook without the Preview Pane, to delete the rogue e-mail.

[Dack]

From http://www.experts-exchange.com/Applications/Q_20817818.html
Apparently the trick is:

1. Make sure outlook is closed
2. Search for *.dbx
3. Rename inbox.dbx to inbox.old
4. Restart outlook.

One downside is that outlook will create a new "inbox.dbx" file and so you will lose all the emails that are in the inbox.

So......
Now, since you can open Outlook, load and set the preview pane off then shut down outlook, delete inbox.dbx and rename inbox.old as inbox.dbx

[Dack]

I haven't tried this myself but it might be worth a go:

Find your inbox .pst file, and rename it, or move it elsewhere, then try to open Outlook.  It should open, but without any of your messages showing, so you should then be able to disable the Preview Pane (good idea to leave it disabled too), then close Outlook, go back and revert the .pst and hopefully you should then be able to open Outlook without the Preview Pane, to delete the rogue e-mail.

Deja vu! - beat me to it And your is correct as it uses .PST - the .DBX is for older versions.

[Adept]

And your is correct as it uses .PST - the .DBX is for older versions.

Or even Outlook Express

[Dack]

I use Pegasus anyways so I don't get these problems (and since I've set my spam filter up recently I don't even get to see Spam emails )

[Simon]

Well, it also goes to show the value of applications like Mail Washer, as the dodgy e-mail could have been deleted before it touched your machine.  

[Ian]

Ok - I think we're getting warm..

If I search for DBX files, It only returns Outlook express files.

If I change Outlook.pst to something else, OL loads OK (getting somewhere!), however the 'options' option is greyed out - it must live in Outlook.pst.

I can't open Outlook.pst (I've tried with Word and it 'causes a serious error) to be able to rename new and old etc...

[Dack]

Registry edit it is then

To prevent the preview pane from appearing in Outlook 2000, follow these steps:
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
Locate the following registry key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{00020D75-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\Shell\Open\Command

In the right pane, right-click Default, and then click Modify.
Type "C:\Programs\MICROSOFT\Office\OUTLOOK.EXE"/nopreview in the Edit String dialog box, and then click OK.
On the Registry menu, click Exit.
Restart Outlook 2000.
For additional information about the preview pane, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

[Ian]

Success!   Thanks to everyone who helped out. The registry editing did the trick.

I'll use Mailwasher from now on for this account.


   !!Hats off to the PC Pals team!!  
!!Hats off to the PC Pals team!!  

[Clive]

I've had an infuriating day with Outlook Express.  I have a mailing list with hundreds of names on it and when I tried sending a bulletin out it came up with an error message "can't send to 'such and such' recipient"  If I deleted that recipient it just picked on the next one on the list instead.  So I re-did the entire list from my address book again and it worked without a problem!  The two lists are identical so how spooky is that?