Outlook 2007 Doesn't Want to Open

[Don Green]

Over the past few months I started to get the same error message when
I start up Outlook, (I have Outlook 2007, 12.0.6562.5003 SP2 MSO,
running onWindows 7).

I try to open Outlook and I get the message:
"Can not start Microsoft Outlook a program error occured. Quit
Outlook and Microsoft Windows and start again".

I've been running Scanpst.exe, and apparently it's repairing
somehting, but usually, Outlook won't start until I restart my
computer.
Another thing that's a started at the same time is that when I do
re-start, the re-start hangs up with the message that it's waiting for
Outlook (which never opened!) to close. I have to force the re-start
or it hangs up forever.

As usual, helpful input is appreciated.

 

[VanguardLH]

Over the past few months I started to get the same error message when
I start up Outlook, (I have Outlook 2007, 12.0.6562.5003 SP2 MSO,
running onWindows 7).

I try to open Outlook and I get the message:
"Can not start Microsoft Outlook a program error occured. Quit
Outlook and Microsoft Windows and start again".

I've been running Scanpst.exe, and apparently it's repairing
somehting, but usually, Outlook won't start until I restart my
computer.
Another thing that's a started at the same time is that when I do
re-start, the re-start hangs up with the message that it's waiting for
Outlook (which never opened!) to close. I have to force the re-start
or it hangs up forever.

As usual, helpful input is appreciated.

When Outlook loads, it also has to follow with a load all installed and
enabled add-ons. If an add-on hangs on its load, it also hangs Outlook.
When Outlook unloads, it also has to first unload all the loaded
add-ons. If an add-on hangs or crashes on unload, it also hangs or
crashes Outlook.

So see what happens when you load Outlook in its safe mode (which does
NOT load any installed and enabled add-ons you installed for Outlook).

 

[Don Green]

When Outlook loads, it also has to follow with a load all installed and
enabled add-ons. If an add-on hangs on its load, it also hangs Outlook.
When Outlook unloads, it also has to first unload all the loaded
add-ons. If an add-on hangs or crashes on unload, it also hangs or
crashes Outlook.

So see what happens when you load Outlook in its safe mode (which does
NOT load any installed and enabled add-ons you installed for Outlook).

OK, so I figured out how to start Outlook in Safe Mode, when there
were no Add-Ons. I'm not really sure I know what to do with that
information.

 

[VanguardLH]

OK, so I figured out how to start Outlook in Safe Mode, when there
were no Add-Ons. I'm not really sure I know what to do with that
information.

You said Outlook wouldn't start in its normal mode. You haven't
actually stated that Outlook will start in its safe mode. Figuring it
out doesn't mean it worked. Did Outlook load okay in its safe mode?

If Outlook has problems loading normally but is okay in its safe mode,
you installed an add-on that is causing the problem. So while in
Outlook's safe mode, disable all add-ons you installed into Outlook.
Then load Outlook in its normal mode to see if it loads okay. That's
the next step.

Outlook won't load in normal mode.
Test if Outlook loads in its safe mode.
If safe mode works, disable all add-ons and reload in normal mode.

So first tell us if Outlook loads okay in its safe mode ("outlook.exe
/safe"). If not, some other diagnosis is needed. If so, tell us if
Outlook will load in its normal mode but with all listed add-ons already
disabled (so they don't load when Outlook loads normally).

 

[Don Green]

You said Outlook wouldn't start in its normal mode. You haven't
actually stated that Outlook will start in its safe mode. Figuring it
out doesn't mean it worked. Did Outlook load okay in its safe mode?

Sorry for the confusion: Outlook did NOT start in Safe mode.

 

[VanguardLH]

Sorry for the confusion: Outlook did NOT start in Safe mode.

Presumably you ran "outlook.exe /safe" to run *Outlook* in its safe
mode, not for Windows' safe mode.

Do any of the other MS Office products (ex., Word) start okay? If so,
use its "Help -> Detect and Repair" menu (that works in Office2003 but
navigation may differ in Office2007 - I didn't bother moving to 2007
since I don't like context-sensitive changing ribbon bars).