# Outlook 2002: any email containing an attachment crashes (hangs) the program



## Michael K (Sep 25, 2004)

Outlook crashes (hangs) everytime I even single click on an email that contains an attachment. When I uninstall and reinstall Outlook everything works fine the first time I use outlook but if I shut the program down and then restart it the problem returns and clicking on any email that contains an attachment causes it to hang. 

Just HIGHLIGHTING by a single click (not even opening or viewing the body) of ANY email that contains ANY attachments crashes the program. No problem with emails without attachments.

Operating system is windows xp with sp2 and office is fully updated with service pack 3. AlsoI have tried turning off the antivirus but it does not help.


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## SteveyBoy (Sep 16, 2004)

Do you use the preview pane? If so delete the VIEWS.DAT file from C:\Documents and Settings\"USERNAME"\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook folder, this will cause all sorts of hanging probs in Outlook, Microsoft were supposed to have fixed this ages ago but this still happens.

Steve


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## aloomba (Oct 20, 2004)

*views.dat deletion doesn't seem to help*

I am suffering from exactly the same problem as indicated above... tried deleting the recommended file, VIEWS.DAT, but it didn't seem to make a difference. Have also tried:

- defragmenting drive
- setting up a new profile directory
- re-creating profile for Outlook/exchange

...when I login to another computer and load up Outlook, my account works fine, no problems with messages with attachments... seems to be a problem local to my computer.

thanks,
-aman.


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## blmbrsm (Oct 13, 2004)

The problem is your security settings in Outlook 2002 are set so that no emails with attachments will open. Need to change the security settings in Outlook.


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## aloomba (Oct 20, 2004)

*I'm thinking not security*

Hmm. I don't think that's the problem. It's not that I can't open the message... it's that the system hangs before opening the message with the attachment. Once it's open, I can view/save the attachment just fine.
-aman.


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## blmbrsm (Oct 13, 2004)

Since you are able to log in to another computer and your outlook works fine, then that tells me your Outlook profile on the computer you cannot open email is messed up. Try creating a new email profile on the computer with the problem and if that does not work then you will need to create a new logon profile on the computer with the problem. Do not delete the old logon profile, just rename it so you can copy over any desktop items, favorites, etc. that you will need before deleting the old logon profile.


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## aloomba (Oct 20, 2004)

These are good thoughts.... unfortunately the same ones the guy on the phone with company tech support had. We created a completely new NT logon profile, and a new Outlook profile, but suffered the same problem.

Thanks


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## tkhan (Oct 27, 2004)

Try changing you email editor from Word to outlook, works everytime


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## aloomba (Oct 20, 2004)

Good thought, but I checked and Word is not setup to be my default editor or reader in Outlook.

Any other thoughts?


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## tkhan (Oct 27, 2004)

my last thought would be to disable virus scanning of outlook attachments, if that doesnt work get Eudora


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## krunk (Oct 29, 2004)

I'm having a similar problem too and was wondering if anyone's found a solution. the funny thing is that it only hangs when i try to open office attachments (such as Word or Excel), but opening jpg or pdf attachment works fine.

if anyone has any suggestion, much appreciation will be given.

//krunk (^_^x)


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