what is the extend.dat file used for?

[cmc1228]

To find problematic user data in the windows profile it was advised to rename
and/or delete the extend.dat, frmcache.dat, outcmd.dat, and olk*.qat files.
What specifically do each of these files do and what is actually being
deleted when resetting these files?

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

To find problematic user data in the windows profile it was advised to
rename
and/or delete the extend.dat, frmcache.dat, outcmd.dat, and olk*.qat files.
What specifically do each of these files do and what is actually being
deleted when resetting these files?

See this for a brief explanation of these files:
http://www.slipstick.com/config/backup.asp

 

[cmc1228]

Is this a non-destructive way to troubleshoot Outlook crashes/performance
issues without having to recreate a new profile? Looks like the only data
that would be lost after resetting these files are pointer to add-ins,
customized toolbar settings, and custom form settings. Is that correct?

Also will this work on both outlook 2003 and 2007 given their respective
file locations?

Thank you for replying.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

Is this a non-destructive way to troubleshoot Outlook crashes/performance
issues without having to recreate a new profile? Looks like the only data
that would be lost after resetting these files are pointer to add-ins,
customized toolbar settings, and custom form settings. Is that correct?

Deleting those files and allowing Outlook to recreate them isn't quite the
same as a new mail profile. To recreate some of those files, Outlook rereads
the registry. if the problem is in a registry setting, then recreating those
files will simply create them again with the problem, but most of the time for
some problem it can be quite helpful without having to recreate the profile.
Even so, though, recreating the profile is hardly difficult.

Also will this work on both outlook 2003 and 2007 given their respective
file locations?

Yes. There's a link on the page I ceited that directs you to a page giving
the Outlook 2007 file descriptions and paths.

 

[cmc1228]

do you have specific examples of how resetting those files would help over
just recreating a new profile?

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

do you have specific examples of how resetting those files would help over
just recreating a new profile?

Here are two: the first is if the Outlook window itself is having problems and
buttons or menus are missing. Deleting the outcmd.dat file will help with
that. The second is if, when you start Outlook and receive a message that
there is a missing add-in and you should run Detect and Repair, but the add-in
is, say, an antivirus scanner that you deleted. Deleting the extend.dat file
should help with that.