Outlook Won't Launch

[Mark Pfeiffer]

I have been using MS Outlook 2007 successfully for about a year. Last month,
for the first time, I received the following error message when I tried to
launch Outlook:

"Cannot start Microsoft Office Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook window.
The set of folders cannot be opened. The file C:\Documents and Settings\Mark
Pfeiffer\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst is not
a personal folders file."

I was told that the program had become corrupted and that I should uninstall
and reinstall it, which I have done. The result is the same. I have also
run the diagnostic with no errors being found. Furthermore, the
Office/Options/Trust Center/Trust Center Settings/Privacy Options reflected
that the Download a file periodically that helps determine system problems
was checked.

Help!

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]]

I have been using MS Outlook 2007 successfully for about a year. Last month,
for the first time, I received the following error message when I tried to
launch Outlook:

"Cannot start Microsoft Office Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook window.
The set of folders cannot be opened. The file C:\Documents and
Settings\Mark
Pfeiffer\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst is
not
a personal folders file."

I was told that the program had become corrupted and that I should uninstall
and reinstall it, which I have done. The result is the same.

Whoever told you this lied to you or doesn't understand the problem. This
error has nothing to do with a corrupt program. Your PST (Personal Folders
file) appears to have been corrupted, by what process is anyone's guess, since
we don't know what has changed on your PC or what you have been doing.

You have two things to try: the first is to run the Inbox Repair Tools
(scanpst.exe), find under Start>Programs>Microsoft Office Tools>Inbox Repair
Tool. It might also be Start>Programs>Microsoft Office>Microsoft Office
Tools>Inbox Repair Tool. If you don't see it there, run
%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Office\Office12\scanpst.exe (or
%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Office\Office12\scanpst.exe, dpending on whether
you're using 32 bit or 64 bit Windows). When it prompts you, enter the path
to your PST. You can find this in Control Panel>Mail>Data Files.

It's likely, though, that scanpst will also complain about the PST as well.
If it does, you'll have to use a backup copy. (You do may regular backups,
right?) If you have no backup, then perhaps one of the commercially-available
PST recovery tools can help. Google "+(office OR pst) +recovery"