Tess
asked on
Problems with sending mail
I can open outlook read and print my messages. Everything seems to be fine until I try to send a message. I can retrieve a contacts name from my contacts list, insert attachments but as soon as I hit the send button or CTRL + Enter to send it my computer freezes up. Everyone else in my office connected to the Network don't have any problems. Any suggestions?
ASKER
I am using Outlook 97 an my operating system is Windows 95. This problem started a couple of days ago and no new software has been installed on my computer.
Okay. It is probably the PST file (if you are using one) or the profile.
Let's check the PST file first.
If you do not know where your PST is located:
From Outlook, click Tools->Services. Look for Personal Folders in the list box. It could be called anything since you can rename it at any time. Mine is called nLocalDrive for example. Once you have found it, click on it once to select it and then click the Properties button. You will see the path to the PST file in the second text box. Make a note of it and Cancel your way back to Outlook. Exit Outlook and wait about 60 seconds for the MAPI32 spooler to quit.
Go to Start->Programs->Accessori
After the repair has run, it will give you a synopsis of the results.
Go ahead and start Outlook again and try to send an email.
Let's check the PST file first.
If you do not know where your PST is located:
From Outlook, click Tools->Services. Look for Personal Folders in the list box. It could be called anything since you can rename it at any time. Mine is called nLocalDrive for example. Once you have found it, click on it once to select it and then click the Properties button. You will see the path to the PST file in the second text box. Make a note of it and Cancel your way back to Outlook. Exit Outlook and wait about 60 seconds for the MAPI32 spooler to quit.
Go to Start->Programs->Accessori
After the repair has run, it will give you a synopsis of the results.
Go ahead and start Outlook again and try to send an email.
If the repair tool did not fix the problem, your profile may be corrupt.
Exit Outlook and wait about 60 seconds for the MAPI spooler to die.
Click Start->Settings->Control Panel. Find the icon for Mail (it may be called Mail and Fax). Double click it.
Click the Show Profiles button. Click the Add button. Create a new profile and name it something descriptive. You will need to refer to the old profile for some specific information about your Exchange server and/or your Internet account. You can view the properties of the old profile by selecting it from the list of profiles available and clicking the Properties button on the first dialog box. Step through all of the screens making notes about the information.
Do not add the old PST file to the new profile yet. We’ll use a fresh one to test mail flow and then add the old one and test mail flow again.
Once you have the new profile established, start Outlook. If it goes directly to the old profile you will have to tell it to prompt you for a profile when starting. You can do that from the Properties of the current profile. Click Tools->Services. Select Microsoft Exchange Server (or your Internet Account) from the list box and then click the Properties button. The general tab should have a check box towards the bottom that says ‘Choose the connection type when starting’. Put a check mark in that box and OK your way back to Outlook. Exit Outlook and wait about 60 seconds. Start Outlook and choose the new profile from the dropdown box. If it goes immediately into the old profile that means that the MAPI spooler did not shut down. Exit again and wait a little longer. You can check for the existence of the spooler by popping up Task Manager.
After starting Outlook with the new profile, attempt to send an email. Did it work?
If it fails with a new profile that is not attached to the old PST file, then you will have to re-install Outlook to fix the problem. Before doing so, you should alert your Exchange administrator since it is possible that mailbox corruption on the server is the culprit.
If it works with the new profile you should go ahead and attach the old PST file. Click Tools-Services. Click the Add button. Select Personal Folders (pst) from the list box. Browse to the location of your PST file and select it. Click OK. If you had delivery set to the PST file, you can set that up again by clicking on the delivery tab and selecting the PST file from the dropdown box.
Exit Outlook and wait about 60 seconds for the MAPI spooler to die.
Click Start->Settings->Control Panel. Find the icon for Mail (it may be called Mail and Fax). Double click it.
Click the Show Profiles button. Click the Add button. Create a new profile and name it something descriptive. You will need to refer to the old profile for some specific information about your Exchange server and/or your Internet account. You can view the properties of the old profile by selecting it from the list of profiles available and clicking the Properties button on the first dialog box. Step through all of the screens making notes about the information.
Do not add the old PST file to the new profile yet. We’ll use a fresh one to test mail flow and then add the old one and test mail flow again.
Once you have the new profile established, start Outlook. If it goes directly to the old profile you will have to tell it to prompt you for a profile when starting. You can do that from the Properties of the current profile. Click Tools->Services. Select Microsoft Exchange Server (or your Internet Account) from the list box and then click the Properties button. The general tab should have a check box towards the bottom that says ‘Choose the connection type when starting’. Put a check mark in that box and OK your way back to Outlook. Exit Outlook and wait about 60 seconds. Start Outlook and choose the new profile from the dropdown box. If it goes immediately into the old profile that means that the MAPI spooler did not shut down. Exit again and wait a little longer. You can check for the existence of the spooler by popping up Task Manager.
After starting Outlook with the new profile, attempt to send an email. Did it work?
If it fails with a new profile that is not attached to the old PST file, then you will have to re-install Outlook to fix the problem. Before doing so, you should alert your Exchange administrator since it is possible that mailbox corruption on the server is the culprit.
If it works with the new profile you should go ahead and attach the old PST file. Click Tools-Services. Click the Add button. Select Personal Folders (pst) from the list box. Browse to the location of your PST file and select it. Click OK. If you had delivery set to the PST file, you can set that up again by clicking on the delivery tab and selecting the PST file from the dropdown box.
ASKER
Adjusted points to 200
ASKER
Thanks for all your help, I haven't tried it but I will shortly. I have read over your response and it seems easy to follow.
Post a comment if you run into any snags.
ASKER
I will. Once again thanks.
It is possible that the problem stems from a corrupted add-in. If the repair tool and new profile don't fix the problem, we'll unhook the add-ins one by one untill we are sure that the problem does not lie there.
Tess, did my suggestions work for you?
Darin
Darin
ASKER
Yes, it was the profile. I recreated it as suggested and we haven't had problems since. Thanks again for the help.
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When did the problem start?
What was the last thing you installed?
What version of Outlook are you using? 97/98/Express
What is your operating system? 95/98/NT
Are you using a PST file? If so, you can probably fix this problem by running the Inbox Repair Tool (or ScanPST) on it. You'll have to exit Outlook and then go to Start->Programs->Accessori
Darin