Outlook 2003 won't open (continued)

[mrhack]

Hi folks,

I'm at the end of a closed thread - for which I have a similar problem with.

(topic69823l) Outlook 2003 Won't Open

and believe I've almost resolved the problem but can't get by the last step(s) in the thread. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks, Hack

I definitely believe it's a corrupt user profile for Outlook 2003, but I can't seem to locate these files in Doc & settings or Application data as instructed. I can login to XP under visitor and open Outlook (minus my contacts etc.)

Under Doc's & settings I have all users, guest, my 1st name and my initials in addition to a qbdataserviceuser. Neither of which have "application data" or "local settings"in them. What am I doing wrong or not getting...Best Regards

 

[resu]

hi mate, can you link to that thread please or give us more detail of your problem.

i've had a few issues with 2003, some are solved and some are still frustrating me! lol

so what are you running? OS etc

what are your current issues with outlook?

thanks

 

[pjamme]

mrhack,
You must be an administrator and you must show hidden files and folders. windows Explorer\Tools\Folder Options\View, then check radio button for "show hidden files and folders". Then you should be able to find the old user in documents and Settings.

did you run a repair on Outlook 2003? Control Panel\Add Remove Programs and select Microsoft Office 2003 and select repair and restore shortcuts?

 

[gguerra]

You can also check and/or repair your pst file for problems using scanpst.exe

 

[mrhack]

More info

1st off, thank for taking the time to respond.

os = windows xp

I tried the repair a few times to no avail. I tried system restore to a few days earlier. I also used MS tool of add/remove software to uninstall Outlook 2003 then reinstalled. Same problems. I am the admin on the old dell desktop.

I just checked the "show hidden files and folders" - Big Thank You I'll update in a bit...regards

O.K. I was able to locate the files: Doc&Set\Allusers|Application\Microsoft\ BUT no Outlook! There is a Office folder, is that what I want to rename, save & delete? In addition I did find an outlook file under my log in. Do I need to delete the whole file "outlook" or just everything inside of that folder? Thanks in advance! I think I am so close to getting this thing back....

BTW - Will my contacts be lost? What's the purpose of hiding folders? Security from other users??

 

[techsuitor]

You said that you are the Administrator of the PC. Meaning, you have the account for the administrator.
Unhide the hidden files like what pjamme said.
You need to log-in with your administrative account, then, go to : C:\doc&set\<the account currently logged on>\local settings\application data\microsoft\outlook\
Is there an outlook folder? If yes, open that folder and take a look at the .pst file.

Normally, if you have already an outlook account, there is an "archive.pst" or "personal folder.pst".

Or you can search it to the : Start --> Search , then search for ".pst" files

 

[mrhack]

I've "un hidden" my folders and after drilling down to my outlook files I see the following 5 items:

outcmd DAT File
Outlook Office Data File
Outlook XML Document
Outlook.srs srs file
OutPrnt file

I do not see any pst files unless I am even more confused than I think I am.

In my impatience I went ahead and deleted my outlook files after saving a copy in another named folder and I still can't get outlook to open. Same error message.

Tried using the Install disc for another repair (which the software said was successful) but once again the kong sound error and message as usual. Some kind of repair Microsoft!

 

[mrhack]

O.k - Ive finally figured out that I had to un hide yet another box check off in my folder view options and I can now see .pst files.....jees, let me see what I can do know....I actually see two .pst files under outlook. One is archive and the other is Outlook.

 

[techsuitor]

good... Now, after you see where you found your outlook files, rename the account folder . (e.g. "administrator" --> "administrator2")
you can see it in C:\doc&set\<the account currently logged on>

after you renamed it, log-off your account and log-in again on the previews account.

* e.g. you logged in as administrator then you renamed the administrator to administrator2, then you must log-off, then log-in as "administrator" again. Windows will create a new administrator folder.

---------------------------------------------------
after the steps above, you can create your new outlook account.
Just click Outlook icon. Outlook will ask you to create a new account, just complete the steps like what you did before when you first set up your previews outlook account.

1. Open you account, and click Tools on the menu bar.
2. click E-mail Accounts
3. click View or change exiting e-mail accounts
4. click the "New outlook data file" button, a new window will pop up, then just click "ok" button.
5. Locate your "Archive" .pst file, then click "ok" button

---------------------------------------------
Regarding your files on desktop and My documents, just copy them from your previews account folder, ("administrator2")

* when you open the account folder , there are folders named : "desktop" and "my documents" or "<your account's name> documents"
copy the files inside and transfer it to the new account, (administrator)
-- the new account folder (administrator) also has "desktop" and "my documents" folders. Just paste there the files that you have copied from the previews account folder (administrator2)


hope it helps

good luck

 

[mrhack]

Thank you for the info. I just recieved the post but have to leave out of town for the week. I'll give it a try & update when I return. Regards, the hack

 

[techsuitor]

ok. just let us know,, good luck