Solved Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook window.

[Shooter1001]

worked for me; win7 x64 msoff2007


thanks to 'swimer'

why does this happen?

 

[mike2039]

Well, i am one of the unfortunate few that cannot get the outlook.exe /resetnavpane tactic to work... when i try it (about seven times) i get the following error message:

Please Help, thanks!!

I found a helpful post at Microsoft that had to do with changing a couple of registry entries. I know regedit can be hazardous, but it worked.
Sorry I don't recall the exact place I found the answer.

 

[t3000]

WOW ! it worked right away !
thank you so much !!
before coming to this forum i spent two days trying to fix the problem on my own...

 

[rwchapman]

Thanks for the resetnavpane parameter it worked great!:D

 

[JokerBoy]

The first time I read this I did it without the space and it did not work. I wrestled with other options including sys restore which never works. I found out why, or at least a way it did work (sys restore, it did not fix the Outlook issue). I found if you run sys restore from safemode you have more luck. Anyway after that didn't fix Outlook I looked at forums again and found the info about the space after outlook.exe and that fixed outlook. 3 HOURS LATER!!!!!!
Thanks fo the help though and I hope the sys restore info helps someone else.
Jokerboy

 

[dec2057]

Thank you so much! I was freaking because my outlook crashed on vacation and I had no one to fix it. I did a search and found this forum and your advice fixed the problem. I am so appreciative!!

Carol

 

[dec2057]

Excuse the small typo...you need a space between .exe and / so type outlook.exe /resetnavpane in run and that should do it.

This is what fixed my problem when nothing else worked - including system restore, virus checkers, etc. Thanks Shor - U R awesome.

Carol

 

[NorthJersey]

"outlook.exe /resetnavpane" did the trick for me. I'm using Windows 7 Professional 64 bit with Office 2007 Professional. Thanks for saving me a lot of trouble!

 

[bykerbob]

I had this problem on a customers laptop with Vista Home Premium and Microsoft office 2007 Enterprise.

I've often seen similar errors with Office including things going wrong with Word, Excel, basically any Microsoft Office application.
Nearly all of these errors can be solved by allowing Office to re-create it's profile folders. I fixed the same problem you are having with this procedure...

1. Close all office applications
2. Browse to and RENAME the following folders (do not delete them if you wish to avoid losing any emails and address books). I normally stick an _ on the end to make it "foldername_"

For Microsoft Outlook...
C:\Users\<yourusername>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
C:\Users\<yourusername>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook

For other Microsoft Office Programs...
C:\Users\<yourusername>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office
C:\Users\<yourusername>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Office

3. Open problematic application (Outlook in this case)

The next problem you will have with OUTLOOK is your Personal Folders file will be new and therfore empty (none of your old emails, calendar or contacts in there!).
Don't panic though, all you need to do is the following...

1. Open Outlook
2. Go to File>Import and Export...
3. Choose "Import from another program of file" and click next
4. Choose "Personal Folder File (.pst)" and click next
5. Click the browse button and locate the folder that you previously renamed
C:\Users\<yourusername>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook_ ??
6. Choose the "Outlook.pst" file (which should be more than 1KB if it contains anything) and click the "Open" Button at the bottom
7. Click "Next" and then "Finish" and watch all of your lovely emails, calendar appointments and contacts fly back into your active profile!

Hope that works for you guys.

MrWizard

Worked like a charm! Tried 5 other fixes with no success. Then yours and the world is bright and sunny again.

 

[tjnw]

Well thanks, anytime you want to boost my power rating feel free to do so. My answer has helped about 5-6 others and no-one stroked me on the back yet. I could use a little rating increase.

Can't thank you enough! I was freaking out... Your simple fix worked like a charm!

 

[scheuerl]

I spent half the day trying to figure out out why my outlook locked up. I had a windows update yesterday and thought that doing a restore to the day before would help it. This fix worked and I'm signed up for this site now for future help. Thanks for the help.

 

[mojave]

Ho Shor. It worked just fine. Thanks a lot!

 

[wunders]

Thanks a mill!! worked for me.

 

[robertmac]

I had the same problem and outlook.exe/resetnavpane fixed the problem, also my O/S is Windows 7 so it is not only with Vista. thanks for the help.

 

[rodez99]

Hey Shor, GREAT fix! I too was freaking out and once I typed in the fix, I was back like a charm!!!!! Thanks a TON!!!!

 

[riclf]

I'd liketo boost up Shor's power rating but I can't see how. His trick meant I was down for only 10 minutes. A Big Thank You for that !

The icon seems to be missing on his and some other's contribution.

... thanks Shor ! You're the man.

 

[RockyMtnHi]

Hey all,
This fixed my problem and I appreciate the help, so I'm adding a minor but important detail. I have Win7 x64, had this problem and here is the command line that fixed my Outlook problem:
"c:\program files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\outlook.exe" /resetnavpane

 

[JMH]

Hey all,
This fixed my problem and I appreciate the help, so I'm adding a minor but important detail. I have Win7 x64, had this problem and here is the command line that fixed my Outlook problem:
"c:\program files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\outlook.exe" /resetnavpane

Thank you for letting us know....

 

[jherna05]

I have windows 7, and tried the outlook.com /resetnavpane and it worked!!! Thanks a bunch just saved me another headache from hell, wish I wouldve visited this site the first time it happened. Thanks again! (Make sure you put a space after outlook.exe and no space between "/" and "resetnavpane". Worked great on Windows 7 with Outlook 2007! :D

 

[nissmx]

After reading this post, I am surprised that so many people chosed the easy line to fix the problem.

I have to give much kudos to mrwizard. Your solution worked, and there was no loss in email or personal folders. I had to do this for two end-users. Maybe shor's solution is good for someone fixing their own program, but I will be able to write a program that will do mrwizard steps.

Thanks again mrwizard....