[Adebisi]

I had to hard boot my computer and since then Outlook has given me the same problem.

I can open it up fine, and it automatically goes to the latest email, which is a rather large one with some web content. The email is from a trust source so it normally automatically downloads the web content (like pictures etc...)

The problem is, partly through the rendering of the email, outlook completely freezes. When I click within outlook I get the (not responding) error on the title bar.

So far I have tried

scan disk, no errors
scanpst.exe (repaired errors but to no effect) I made backup of the unrepaired pst file first
system restore to yesterday
removing my antivirus (as it has a outlook plugin on some kind I thought I would try it)
repairing office 2003
reinstalling ms office 2003
removing then reinstalling ms office 2003
physically disconnecting from the net to keep that one email from downloading its web content (on the theory that the message is corrupt some how)

I am open to any other ideas...

Thanks,

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Hi Adebisi. Welcome to Geeks to Go!

So Outlook froze even when disconnected from the internet?

Are you able to sign in to your email account from your ISP's web portal? If so, you might go ahead and delete that particular email.

At this point, I'd suggest creating a new mail profile. Close Outlook. Click Start, Control Panel, Mail, Show Profiles. On the General tab, click Add to create a new e-email profile. Give the new profile a new, then click next until you get to the Server Type screen. Check your e-mail type. Fill in all your e-mail account settings. When you get back to the General tab, change Outlook's start-up option to "Prompt for a profile to be used". This will ensure you start with the new profile when you re-open Outlook. If you're not prompted, reboot and then open Outlook.

You may also need to run SFC (System File Checker). It can fix certain issues in Windows where specific system files get corrupted, deleted, or infected. Basically the System File Protection watches the system files and checks their integrity against it's knowledge of what these files are supposed to look like. Generally if a system file get's "messed with" windows will let you know and give you the option to dissallow the change, sometimes you don't get this option though. The System File Checker is a command line utility that will initiate a scan of all the system files to make sure they are in their original state, present on the system, and or working properly. It's an easy tool to use but the user HAS to have an XP disk for it to work.

Do you have a valid XP cd?

If so, place it in your CD ROM drive and follow the instructions below

Start > Run > cmd then type

sfc /scannow (note the space)

Allow this to run until you get a message saying it is complete.

SFC - system file checker, retrieves the correct version of the file from %Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache or the Windows installation source files, and then replaces the incorrect file.

If you want to see what was replaced, right click My Computer > manage, expand event viewer > system.

If still no joy, you might create a new Windows User Account, configure Outlook and see if it runs okay. If this fixes the issue, I can provide instructions for copying all the settings and data from your old profile to the new profile.

[piper]

Hi Adebisi. Welcome to Geeks to Go!

So Outlook froze even when disconnected from the internet?

Are you able to sign in to your email account from your ISP's web portal? If so, you might go ahead and delete that particular email.

At this point, I'd suggest creating a new mail profile. Close Outlook. Click Start, Control Panel, Mail, Show Profiles. On the General tab, click Add to create a new e-email profile. Give the new profile a new, then click next until you get to the Server Type screen. Check your e-mail type. Fill in all your e-mail account settings. When you get back to the General tab, change Outlook's start-up option to "Prompt for a profile to be used". This will ensure you start with the new profile when you re-open Outlook. If you're not prompted, reboot and then open Outlook.

You may also need to run SFC (System File Checker). It can fix certain issues in Windows where specific system files get corrupted, deleted, or infected. Basically the System File Protection watches the system files and checks their integrity against it's knowledge of what these files are supposed to look like. Generally if a system file get's "messed with" windows will let you know and give you the option to dissallow the change, sometimes you don't get this option though. The System File Checker is a command line utility that will initiate a scan of all the system files to make sure they are in their original state, present on the system, and or working properly. It's an easy tool to use but the user HAS to have an XP disk for it to work.

Do you have a valid XP cd?

If so, place it in your CD ROM drive and follow the instructions below

Start > Run > cmd then type

sfc /scannow (note the space)

Allow this to run until you get a message saying it is complete.

SFC - system file checker, retrieves the correct version of the file from %Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache or the Windows installation source files, and then replaces the incorrect file.

If you want to see what was replaced, right click My Computer > manage, expand event viewer > system.

If still no joy, you might create a new Windows User Account, configure Outlook and see if it runs okay. If this fixes the issue, I can provide instructions for copying all the settings and data from your old profile to the new profile.

[Adebisi]

Yep, tried all that, no love.

I created a new windows user called temp, and opened the PST file in it and it works perfectly.

What I need is for it to work in my original account.

Open to further suggestions.

[piper]

Since you've followed the troubleshooting steps outlined and the problem does not exist under the New Windows User Account, then it's very probable that the hard boot corrupted your Old Windows User Account.

I created a new windows user called temp, and opened the PST file in it and it works perfectly.

What I need is for it to work in my original account.

Open to further suggestions.

Why are you reluctant to go this route?

Create a new Windows User Account and name it someone more appropriate, then copy all the settings and files from your old User Account into the new one. Here are the instructions:

• Ensure you've added a new user account and that you've logged in using that account at least once - this will create the folder under Documents and Settings
• Reboot the computer.
• Sign in with an account that is neither the old or the new account. This prevents "file in use" errors while copying. (NOTE: If you don't have another account, you can create a third one or you can boot into Safe Mode and log with the ADMINISTRATOR account.)
• Browse to c:\documents and settings\OldUserAccount
• Select everything in that folder except the three files called ntuser.dat, ntuser.dat.log, and ntuser.ini. (These may be hidden files, so if you don't see them, open My Computer, Tools menu, View tab, check "Show Hidden Files/Folders")
• Copy all those files into c:\documents and settings\NewUserAccount
• Reboot the computer and log in with your New user account.
• Once you confirm that all your documents are located in My Documents of the New user, you can delete the old profile (and the third account you created in Step #3 if it was needed).

Now, once you're got the new Windows account all set, configure Outlook and import your PST file, instead of just opening it. This will put everything into the right folders.

[Adebisi]

OK followed your advice and created a new profile. Logged in as admin and got the file in use error so tried again in safemode and the copy worked fine in safe mode.

Outlook 2003 seems to have no option to "import" a PST file. My only import choices were for outlook express files or eudora files. I could "open" the PST file under the open data file option, but it would then essentially be using two PST files, 2 inboxes, etc...

I ended up simply copying the old PST file and renaming it to be what the new outlook profile was using, and its all working fine. Just have to recreate my desktop customizations as those settings have not copied over (which is funny because I thought those were in your profile and I made sure to copy hidden files and folders) Is this normal when copying a windows profile?

So thank you very much for the help and correcting my problems. I just want to ask a few questions to increase my understanding in general as I am frequently called upon to assist others.

I agree with you that my profile was obviously corrupted by the hard boot, but is there no way to repair a corrupted profile? Even system restore did nothing. And I suppose this means that not all profile information is stored under documents and settings since I copied everything there and the corruption didn't seem to follow the copying excercise.

[piper]

Outlook 2003 seems to have no option to "import" a PST file. My only import choices were for outlook express files or eudora files. I could "open" the PST file under the open data file option, but it would then essentially be using two PST files, 2 inboxes, etc...

Outlook 2003 does have an Import function. In Outlook, click the File menu, Import and Export, Import from another program or file.

I ended up simply copying the old PST file and renaming it to be what the new outlook profile was using, and its all working fine. Just have to recreate my desktop customizations as those settings have not copied over (which is funny because I thought those were in your profile and I made sure to copy hidden files and folders) Is this normal when copying a windows profile?

Those settings should have been copied into your new Windows User Profile. If you haven't yet deleted your corrupted profil, here are other instructions for copying it to a new profile.

• Reboot the computer and log in with an administrative user account that is neither the new or the old. You can press Ctrl+Alt+Del at the Welcome Screen to open the classic log-in shell. Type in Administrator (or other user account) as the user.
• As a back-up, copy the the entire user folder for the old user account under Documents and Settings to the desktop.
• Right-click My Computer and select Properties.
• Select the Advanced tab.
• Click the Settings button in the User Profiles section.
• Select the user account that was corrupted.
• Click the Copy To button.
• Click the Browse button and then browse to Documents and Settings, and select the new account.

If you do this part wrong and copy the profile from the new account to the old account, you will delete all the settings and everything out of the My Documents folder for the old account.

I agree with you that my profile was obviously corrupted by the hard boot, but is there no way to repair a corrupted profile? Even system restore did nothing. And I suppose this means that not all profile information is stored under documents and settings since I copied everything there and the corruption didn't seem to follow the copying excercise.

There is no other way to fix a corrupted Windows Profile except by creating a new one and copying the settings.

[Adebisi]

Outlook 2003 does have an Import function. In Outlook, click the File menu, Import and Export, Import from another program or file.

You are right, of course, I just missed it. I am going to blame my lack of attentiveness on the bad flu I have

Those settings should have been copied into your new Windows User Profile. If you haven't yet deleted your corrupted profil, here are other instructions for copying it to a new profile.

I thought so to, but I tried your 2nd method and it worked perfectly, so all is well.

There is no other way to fix a corrupted Windows Profile except by creating a new one and copying the settings.

Why am I not surprised?

Anyway, a very large thank you for your help.

[Adebisi]

Again, thanks. I put a little something in your paypal so have a little lunch or a drink on me later.

[piper]

Thanks very much!! And I'm glad we got you all squared away