Topic: Help-Outlook Express is stuck

[Jo]

Hi, I'm posting this for my Mum as she can't get online!  
When she clicks on Outlook express, it is stuck with only the folders and the menu bar open.  There is no inbox or preview of e-mails showing. The egg timer is stuck.  
Similarly, when IE is selected, the favourites are open and the menu is visible, but nothing else.  
She cannot connect to the internet and has tried re-booting and switching off at the wall but it still won't work.  My Dad is about to throw the Pc through the window so please help!!!

Thanks

[Shaz]

Hi Jo   im not a techie so I havent got the answer for you, ive had this problem once or twice but a reboot usually works. No doubt the techies will be out of bed soon and on line and will be able to sort you out so dont let your dad chuck the pc out the window please

[Dack]

Could be a multitude of things depending on the operating system and applications you are running

Usual steps:
1. Try and repair explorer. This is done by control panel-> add remove programs-> internet explorer. Then choose repair. If the option isn't there then you will need to follow the instructions over at:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q194177

2. Clear out the internet cache. Right click on the explorer icon and choose 'general' and clear the internet cache. As Explorer hasn't really loaded at that point then you shouldn't get the freeze.

3. Outlook can occasionally suffer from a problem due to the autocomplete function where if it's database gets corrupt then it takes forever to open.

First, find "pstore.log" on your system and rename it.

Then navigate to the key below and delete the entire key, you may want to export it for safe keeping just in case.

Once this is done, open the command prompt and go to you windows \ system directory and type:

pstores.exe -install

Restart the computer and you should be good to go.  If this doesn't solve the problem the only other option is to try and reload Internet Explorer.

Unfortunetly for Windows 2000 and XP users this will not work, to this date there is no known fix for the problem on the mentioned OS's.

Key:[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ProtectedStorage]

4. Spyware/Virus problem. Have you downloaded and run such applications as Adaware www.lavasoft.de, Spybot security.kolla.de and Awast! www.avast.com.

If you could let us know what OS and applications you have running then it may be possible to give a few more suggestions.

[Jo]

Thanks for the advice.  I'll call Mum and get her to try all those options.  Since she doesn't use the PC for much other than e-mailing the applications are the bog standard one that came with the PC.  The Os is windows 98 and she is running OE version 6. The virus program used is AVG free version.  What other info do you need?  

Many thanks

[Dack]

It's more than likely that the Explorer fix will solve it then

If the Add/Remove programs bit isn't there then you will need to do either the :
rundll32 setupwbv.dll,IE5Maintenance "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Setup\SETUP.EXE" /g "C:\WINDOWS\IE Uninstall Log.Txt" (if Explorer 5)
rundll32 setupwbv.dll,IE6Maintenance "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Setup\SETUP.EXE" /g "C:\WINDOWS\IE Uninstall Log.Txt" (if Explorer 6)
as mentioned on the Microsoft link.

The reason I asked about applications is in case there was a problem with whatever antivirus you have installed as that would have it's hook into explorer and Outlook.

I used to use AVG but a few colleagues got viruses even though it was installed so I tried using Avast instead (and it does seem rather good).

[Jo]

Internet explorer has been repaired but still no joy.  Now the PC keeps freezing up and needs re-booting.  Control alt and delete does not bring up the task manager.  Mum is sure that outlook express is the source of the problem but doesn't know what to do next-bearing in mind that I'm telling her over the phone what to do and she's not a techie!!!  PLEASE HELP!!!

[Dack]

If you boot up in safe mode - by pressing F8 while the machine is booting up and choosing 'Safe mode' - then is the machine more stable. You will not be able to get onto the internet in this mode.

When in safe mode if you do a system file check (Start->run->sfc ) then windows will try and repair any files that have been altered/corrupt. You will usually find that 'setup.exe' has altered but you can ignore repairing that one.

Then do a search for the file "pstores.log" (Start->search). If it exists then the pstores fix I detailed earlier will need to be carried out.

[Dack]

Bit more detail on the pstores fix:

First, find "pstore.log" on your system and rename it.

Do the search (start->search) for the file and if it is found then right click on the name in the search window and choose rename.

Then navigate to the key below and delete the entire key, you may want to export it for safe keeping just in case.

Here you need to run regedit as you will be altering the registry. Start->run->regedit

Go to the key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ProtectedStorage

And delete it

Once this is done, open the command prompt and go to you windows \ system directory and type:

pstores.exe -install

To do this you have to open a command window so:
Start->run->COMMAND
Then:
CD \windows\system
then type:
pstores.exe -install

[Jo]

Pc is started in safe mode. She has run the system file check and it says that the file user.exe may be corrupt but she has ignored that and tried to open the pstore.log using start->find (Windows 98 doesn't have the 'search' option).  It says 'no file found' so we cannot proceed with the next part of your instructions...any idea wwhy pstore.log isn't appearing (I'm on XP so can't tell if she's doing it right!!)  This is s apain in the bum-I appreciate your help

[Dack]

Not worth restoring the User.exe file as:
a. It would have been updated by doing the windows updates
b. SFC gets it wrong with which version to restore

Worth trying the pstores fix as thats aknowledged as one of the screwy things that can mess up Outlook from Microsoft.

From http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=235300

Applies To
This article was previously published under Q235300
For information about the differences between Microsoft Outlook Express and Microsoft Outlook e-mail clients, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
257824 OL2000: Differences Between Outlook and Outlook Express

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS
In Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition (Me), Outlook Express or the Windows Address Book (wab.exe), may start very slowly.
CAUSE
This behavior can occur for any one or more of the following reasons:
The Pstores.exe file and associated .dll files may be corrupted, or their versions may be incorrect, and the ProtectedStorage registry key has incorrect parameters. -or-


The Imagehlp.dll file is absent or damaged.

RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, use the following methods in the order presented:


Method 1: Replace the Imagehlp.dll File
To resolve the issue of an absent or damaged Imagehlp.dll, extract a new copy of Imagehlp.dll from your original Windows media by using the appropriate method:
Microsoft Windows 98
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type sfc, and then click OK.
Click to select Extract one file from installation disk.
In the box, type Imagehlp.dll, and then click Start.
From the Restore From section, click to select the path:
X:\Win98

where X is the letter of your CD-ROM drive.
In the Save File In section, locate the C:\Windows\System path.
Click OK.
If you receive a prompt to back up the file, click Yes and proceed until you successfully extract the file.
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me)
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type msconfig, and then click OK.
On the General tab, click the Extract File button.
Type Imagehlp.dll, and then click Start.
From the Restore From section, click to select the path:
X:\windows\options\install

where Xis the letter of your CD-ROM drive.
In the Save File In section, locate the C:\Windows\System path.
Click OK.
If you receive a prompt to back up the file, click Yes and proceed until you successfully extract the file.
If the issue persists, proceed to the next method.
Method 2: Replace the Pstore Files
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve the issue of incorrect Pstore files, follow these steps on a computer running either Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition (Me):
Click Start and then click Run.
Type msconfig in the Run line, click OK, then click the Selective Startup tab.
Click to clear the Load Startup Group check box, click Apply, and then click OK.
Restart the computer.
Click Start, and then click Find Files or Folders.
Search on pstore*.*.
Rename all instances found to *.old or *.aaa by right-clicking on the associated file and clicking Rename from the shortcut menu.
Pstorec.dll
Pstorerc.dll
Pstores.exe
Pstore.log
Psbase.dll
Click Start, and then click Run.
Type regedit in the Run line and then click OK.
Remove the Registry key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Protected Storage.
Reinstall Internet Explorer (either from the web or from the cab files).
Restart the computer again.
Click Start, point to Programs, and then click MS-DOS prompt.
Type C:\Windows\System\pstores.exe -install in the MS-DOS prompt window, and then press ENTER.
Type Exit, then press ENTER.
Close all programs.
Restart the computer again.
Open Outlook Express to see performance return to normal.

ALSO

Have you cleared out the temporary internet files out? (Using the right click method detailed earlier). If Windows has more than 2000 files in a directory it *really* slows down and if the explorer index of temporary files gets corrupted then it pretty much causes it to hang.

[Jo]

Have cleared out the temporary internet files, and still no joy.  Base unit is making a very strange noise apparently so she's going to take it into a shop to get someone to look at it-it's too hard to explain to her what to do without me being able to see what's going on as well! Thanks for all your help with this problem

Jo

[Jo]

Just to let you know the PC had the Netsky virus!

[Simon]

Thanks for letting us know, Jo.