# Outlook only opens in safe mode. Add-ins disabled



## esark33

Hi,

I'm only able to open Outlook 2013 in safe mode; it hangs in normal mode. I tried disabling all add-in's with no success.

Microsoft Community's response is complete uninstall of Office (via 'fix it') and re-install - which worked, however now it's happened again. I can't keep re-installing Office entirely. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Running Office 2013, Windows 7, Microsoft Security Essentials


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## Go The Power

Hello esark33

At what point does Outlook hang out? What is it loading at the time of the hang?


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## esark33

It hangs at the splash screen, ie. when it's presumably trying to load the pst file. 

Just happened yesterday on a second user's machine. I have 2 users now booting Outlook in safe mode temporarily. 

Another oddity: when I Ctrl+Alt+Del to bring up task manager to end the process, outlook finally opens.


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## Go The Power

Try an outlook profile reset

Open up control panel -> Mail -> Show profiles -> Add -> Call it 'Test' -> Follow the prompts through the creation -> Once it is create change 'Always use this profile' to Test.

Do not delete the original profile encase this doesn't make a difference

Are these PST files stored locally? or on a server?

Also please check what add-ons are installed for outlook

Click on *File* -> *Options* -> *Add-ins* -> expand the window and post a screenshot to your next reply


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## esark33

Sorry for the delay - brutal week.



Go The Power said:


> Try an outlook profile reset
> 
> Open up control panel -> Mail -> Show profiles -> Add -> Call it 'Test' -> Follow the prompts through the creation -> Once it is create change 'Always use this profile' to Test.
> 
> Do not delete the original profile encase this doesn't make a difference


Outlook profile reset works. However, I didn't bother to transfer the entire mailbox over as it's bound to happen again. (happened with another user so it's clearly not a fluke)



Go The Power said:


> Are these PST files stored locally? or on a server?
> 
> Also please check what add-ons are installed for outlook
> 
> Click on *File* -> *Options* -> *Add-ins* -> expand the window and post a screenshot to your next reply


PST files are stored locally on the machine. All add-ins had been disabled and it still wouldn't start. Let me know if you still want a screenshot, but there's basically nothing outside of default.

Also, not sure if this means anything, but each time I reinstall Office (4 times so far) I get:

The Microsoft Office Document Cache encountered a problem. Click to repair.​
after I click...

The Microsoft Office Upload Center found a problem while accessing the MS Office Document Cache and needs to repair it before it can continue.

As part of the repair a copy of the cache will be saved as a backup and a new cache will be created.​
Then works "normally" after that.


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## Go The Power

After you run the repair Outlook works fine right? So something must change inside the users outlook between the time this is done to when it crashes

Does this happen after the user logs off then back on?

Have you checked inside "COM - Addons"? any differences?


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## esark33

No, Outlook does not work after running Office repair (both the quick or complete repair). It only works again after a complete uninstall/reinstall of Office.

Yes, it persists after a reboot.

I have tried disabling all add-ins; doesn't help.

I just reinstalled Office for the 4th time. This time I've uninstalled a backup application that I've been suspicious of maybe causing this. It's a longshot, but I'll post if it happens again...


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## Go The Power

There are a lot of switches that can be used when launching outlook a lot of then will help to narrow down the issue 
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/o...ne-switches-for-outlook-2013-HA102606406.aspx


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## unL33T

Although this thread is old I just wanted to chime in and say I had the same problem and it was due to a corrupt email that was being opened by the Preview Pane when I started in Normal mode. It would hang at the splash screen. Booting into either full safe mode with the "/safe" switch or no preview pane mode "/safe:1" and deleting the first email that was being opened fixed the problem.

I narrowed it down because I was able to start in safe mode fine but as soon as I would try to open that email it would crash, even in safe mode. I have no idea why the email was corrupt for me because all my coworkers got the same email and it opened fine for them.


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