Dear Craig,
Based on my research, this behavior may occur due to a variety of factors.
To narrow down the issue, I recommend you perform the following steps:
Step 1 Outlook Safe Mode
======================
Starting Outlook by using the /safe switch on a command line will load the
default settings for all options and prevents add-ins from being loaded.
1. Click Start and then click Run.
2. In the Run dialog box, type in "Outlook.exe /safe" without quotation
marks. Please note, there is a space before /safe.
3. Click OK to start Outlook with the /safe switch.
4. Then check if this issue occurs.
Generally speaking, if Safe Mode works, the issue is most likely caused by
the following factors.
1. Corrupted Cache files.
2. Add-ins listed in the Add-in Manager which are not loaded in Safe Mode.
3. Word issues since Word is not used as the email editor in Safe Mode.
If the issue doesn't occur in Outlook Safe Mode, please try the following
step 2~5. If the issue still occurs, please jump to Step 6.
Step 2 Rename the Cache Files
================================
Please search for the following four files and rename them by changing the
file extension from ".dat" to ".old". These four files are temporary cache
files that Outlook loads on startup. Not all of the files may exist on your
machine since some files are only generated after you make some
customizations in Outlook. (Be sure to check the "Search hidden files and
folders" box under "More advanced options" if you are using Windows XP)
outcmd.dat
extend.dat
frmcache.dat
views.dat
Step 3 Clear all Add-Ins in Outlook
=================================
1. Start Outlook.
2. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Other tab.
3. Click Advanced Options, and then click Add-In Manager and COM Add-Ins
respectively.
4. In both Add-in boxes, click to clear the check boxes for the add-ins.
5. Click OK three times.
6. Restart Outlook and all add-ins should be disabled at that time.
Please test the issue again and let me know the results. If the issue
stills exists, please go directly to step 5. If the issue does not occur,
please follow the steps below to determine the corrupted add-in.
7. Click to enable one add-in and then restart Outlook to check if the
problem re-occurs.
8. Add one check back each time to the list of Add-In Manager or COM
Add-Ins, restart Outlook, and repeat the above procedure.
9. Once the issue reappears again, you can determine which add-in causes
this problem and then disable it to solve the problem.
Step 4 Disable Word as editor
=======================
Please check whether the issue persists if we disable Word as editor.
1. Start Outlook and choose Tools -> Options.
2. In the Mail Format Tab, click to clear the following two items:
Use Microsoft Office Word 2002 to edit e-mail messages
Use Microsoft Office Word 2002 to read Rich Text e-mail messages
3. Check the effect.
Step 5 Create a new profile
=========================
If this issue persists, I suggest that we create a new Outlook profile. A
new profile is a new environment for us to use Outlook. To create a new
profile is only for a test to see if the problem is related to the corrupt
profile of Outlook. Creating a new profile will not do any damage to the
old profile. Please refer to the following article to create a new profile
in Outlook.
287072 How to create a new e-mail profile for Outlook 2002
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=287072
Step 6: Clean boot
=========================
Let us perform clean boot to isolate the problem. To clean boot:
1. Click Start (menu), Point to Run (menu) and then type "MSCONFIG"
(without quotation marks) and then press OK to start the System
Configuration Utility.
Note: To create a clean environment for troubleshooting, you must be logged
on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group in order to
complete this procedure. If your computer is connected to a network,
network policy settings might also prevent you from completing this
procedure.
2. On the General tab, click Diagnostic startup - load basic devices and
services only.
3. On the Services (tab), check "Hide All Microsoft Services" check box,
and then click "Disable All".
4. On the Startup (tab), click "Disable All".
5. Click OK (button) and then restart the machine.
6. After Windows starts, determine whether the symptoms are still present.
If the problem is solved, please go back to MSCONFIG to check the
checkboxes one by one and try again until we find the cause of your problem.
Please try the suggestions and update me with the results at your earliest
convenience. We look forward to your reply.
Regards,
Alice Zhu
Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! -
www.microsoft.com/security
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