OL2000: How to Troubleshoot Problems with Your Outlook Bar (259791)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook 2000
This article was previously published under Q259791
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

This article describes how to troubleshoot Outlook Bar display and behavior problems that may occur when you run Outlook 2000.

MORE INFORMATION

You may not be able to turn the Outlook Bar on or off, or the Outlook Bar may be improperly positioned. The Outlook Bar display is set in the registry.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
If you are experiencing display problems:
  1. Quit all open programs.
  2. Click Start, and then click Run.
  3. In the Open box, type regedit.
  4. In Registry Editor, locate the following registry key:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Outlook\Office Explorer\Frame

  5. On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then quit Registry Editor.
The next time that you start Outlook, the registry key is rebuilt automatically.

Outlook Bar Behavior Problems

Outlook Bar behavior problems include shortcuts that do not work, error messages when you use the Outlook Bar, and Outlook may shut down unexpectedly when you click a shortcut on the Outlook Bar. Try the following three solutions to correct these problems.

Solution One

You can rebuild the Outlook Bar if you start Outlook with the /ResetOutlookBar switch. When you rebuild the Outlook Bar, all of your custom shortcuts are removed. To use the /ResetOutlookBar switch:
  1. First, determine the path to Outlook:
    1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
    2. In the Named box, type outlook.exe, and then click Find Now.
    3. Note the path to the Outlook executable file. For example, the default path is:

      C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Outlook.exe

    4. On the File menu, click Close.
  2. To use the /ResetOutlookBar switch:
    1. Click Start, and then click Run.
    2. In the Open box, type the complete path that you noted in step 1c, including the file name.
    3. Press SPACEBAR once, and then type a forward slash (/) followed by the switch, for example:

      "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Outlook.exe" /ResetOutlookBar

      NOTE: The full path must be in quotation marks to preserve long file names.

Solution Two

If the switch does not solve the problem, search your hard drive for any .fav files. When you search for this file name extension, you find a .fav file for each profile. The file format is Profile Name.fav. Rename the .fav file for the profile that contains the problem Outlook Bar: First, locate the name of your profile:
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the Mail or Mail and Fax icon, and then click Show Profiles.
  3. The list contains all of the profiles that are currently configured to work with your computer. Note the profile in the When starting Microsoft Outlook, use this profile box. This is the profile with the damaged Outlook Bar.
Next, find the .fav file and rename it:
  1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
  2. In the Named box, type .fav, and then click Find Now. You see a file or a list of files with the .fav file name extension.
  3. Click the Profile Name.fav file (where Profile Name is the name that you noted in step 4), and then click Rename on the File menu.
  4. Rename the Profile Name.fav file with an .old file name extension.
The next time that you start Outlook, the Profile Name.fav file is automatically recreated. Because the Profile Name.fav file contains Outlook Bar settings, this procedure removes any custom shortcuts.

For more information about searching for a file, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, and then type searching for files. Click a topic in the list.

Solution Three

If you restore the default Exchange views, you may correct the problems that you are having with the Outlook Bar. You can restore the default views by starting Outlook with the /CleanViews switch. When you restore the default views, you may remove your customized views. To use the /CleanViews switch:
  1. Follow steps 1a through 1d from the "Solution One" section to determine the path to your Outlook.exe file.
  2. Click Start, and click Run.
  3. In the Open box, type the complete path that you noted in step 1c of the steps in the "Solution One" section, including the file name.
  4. Press SPACEBAR once, and then type a forward slash (/) followed by the switch, for example:

    "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Outlook.exe" /CleanViews

    NOTE: The full path must to be in quotation marks to preserve long file names.

REFERENCES

For more information about other switches, type control what happens starting Outlook in the Office Assistant, click Search, and then click Control what happens when you start Outlook.

For additional information about switches, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

197180 OL2000: Additional Command-Line Switches

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/29/2003
Keywords:kbhowto KB259791
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.