Technical Help Needed With Outlook! (Long)

[Chefstover2]

A little background...I bought a new laptop in January, Windows 7. Loaded on my Office 2003 software. A friend who's an instructor gave me the software for Office 2007 that writes over the version I had and all was well.

I started using Outlook really in the way it was intended, including the calendar. My whole life is there, including host coaching notes, etc. about my upcoming shows, consultant coaching notes.

I went to use Outlook yesterday and it wouldn't open...at all. The only error message it would give is that it could not be opened. OK. restart the computer. No luck. Backed up the info and then tried to reinstall the software again...nothing. So my friend gave me the Office disk that has the key to it, and I uninstalled and then re-installed the whole Office Suite. Everything opens but Outlook. System offers to open in Safe Mode but then goes nowhere.

I've attempted to install another e-mail software but REALLY don't like it (Mozilla's Thunderbird) and it won't import the e-mails I have backed up.

Sooooo...any ideas? I'm down to taking the computer to Geek Squad and seeing if they can get it to work for me, but perhaps one of you awesome computer whiz's here might have an idea to try first.

TIA

 

[pampchefsarah]

I know people who might be able to help, if you can't find anyone here. Also, I just Googled "Microsoft Outlook won't open," and it took me to PCHell, which give this advice:One of the most common errors while using Outlook 2000/2002 is the problem of Outlook not opening when you click on the icon, or it takes a long time to open (30 seconds or more). Other issues with Outlook such as Out of Memory errors, Microsoft Error reports and other oddities can also be traced to this same issue. Luckily there is a simple fix that works most of the time.
Generally the problem can be traced to a corrupted OUTCMD.DAT file in your Outlook program. Outcmd.dat stores any custom changes that you make to your toolbar buttons. If the problem is resolved after you rename this file, you must make the custom toolbar button changes again. This seems like a minor file since its supposed to only monitor changes to your toolbars, however with the amount of spyware and adware that add toolbars, change toolbars, etc. it's understandable that this file could become corrupted quite easily and cause your Outlook program not to boot.To remove the OUTCMD.DAT file, simply search your computer for the file and delete it. When Microsoft Outlook opens again, it will recreate the file.Make sure Microsoft Outlook is completely closed.
Click Start, click on Find or Search, and then click Files or Folders.
Make sure that "Look in" is set to (C:\).
In the "Named" or "Search for..." box, type the following filename and click dll filename and click Search or Find NowOUTCMD.DAT
Delete any instances of OUTCMD.DAT and close the Search box.
Generally this file is found in the Application Data/Microsoft/Outlook folder
Reopen Microsoft Outlook and it should behave normally

 

[Chefstover2]

I got it to work by uninstalling all versions of Office and reinstalling my Office 2003 and then reinstalling the bootstrap software (that writes over what I have). So far so good. But if it doesn't stick, I'll be in touch. Thanks Sarah!