Outlook 2000 crashes at start after creating new .pst

[Paul]

I have several thousand email messages archived, and I have noted that even
when I empty the deleted items folder my .pst file grows rather than
shrinks. I figured a fresh .pst would be the solution so I created one and
that started a string of problems that has left me with a dead Outlook app.

Here is what has happened, to the best of my memory:

1. Created new .pst
2. Dragged all email folders to new .pst in Outlook interface.
3. Exported Calendar, Tasks, Contacts to individual .pst files
4. Closed Outlook, renamed original .pst
5. Imported Calendar, etc into new .pst. Closed Outlook
6. Opened Outlook. Found new .pst as primary, but duplicated exactly.
7. Found articles saying to fix duplication by removing excess registry
entries in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles\Microsoft Outlook
Internet Settings
8. Deleted reg entries
9. Outlook opened, then quit with no error message.
10. Restarted PC. Outlook again opened long enough to see my data, then it
disappeared.
11. Used Office install CDs to remove Outlook and reinstall.
12. Started & disappeared
13. Used Office install CD Repair function
14. Started & disappeared
15. Uninstalled all Office and re-installed. Restarted PC.
16. Outlook started & disappeared. Other Office apps seem OK.
17. Copied old .pst file from backup to Outlook folder. Rename active .pst.
18. Open Outlook. It asks for file location. Entered the .pst from backup.
19. Outlook opens, then disappears.

I tried a few different .pst files, and everything results in the same
apparently normal opening, the window shows just long enough to read a
subject line or two, then everything disappears with no error message.

Any ideas?

Thanks.
Paul

 

[Paul]

Additional comments and update...

I forgot to mention I also tried running command line "outlook.exe /safe",
with the same results.

Since my post, I tried deleting the C:\Documents and
Settings\MyUserName\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\outcmd.dat as
recommended in some resources. This also did not fix my problem.

Another Google search turned up
http://www.outlook-tips.net/howto/commandlines.htm. I tried several of the
command line switches listed there with no success.

Finally, I tried the command line "outlook.exe /cleanprofile" and Outlook
started right up. It lost a lot of my customizations, but all my addresses
are still there, and it easily imported the .pst I created at the start of
this mess. After reviewing everything, it appears all my data survived and
I'm ready to move forward.

During my search I found several people who had suffered similar problems
and none were resolved. Hopefully this post can help someone else recover
their system.

Paul