I recently came across this problem on a customer’s computer and tried everything I could find via Google. Naturally, none of the solutions worked. When you click on the icon to start Outlook, the window shows up briefly and then disappears, popping up that extremely meaningful message: Cannot Start Microsoft Office Outlook. Cannot Open the Outlook Window .
If you google this problem, one of the first sites that shows up with a solution is Microsoft’s site, so you assume that the solution must be a good one. Actually, it didn’t work for me. The Microsoft page is this one. The solutions that they give probably work in many cases, but I tried both of their solutions and I was still at the starting line.
The solution? simply run: outlook.exe /resetnavpane
basically, this is the same as deleting your profilename.xml in your user directory. It did the trick for me and if I can save someone the trouble of looking for that solution for hours.. then I’m happy!
Thanks for sharing, now I can finally clear all my mails!
I tried your fix for the Windows 7 but still can’t open Outlook 2010. Any other suggestions?
Thanks
You are an absolute star!!! It worked straight away.
Hi,
Can you please help me here i tried everything but i’m still facing the same problem:
Cannot start Microsoft Office Outlook, Unable to open the Outlook window. The set of folders could not be opened. Errors have been detected in the file
C:\users\windows7\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst.
Quit outlook and all mail-enabled applications, and then use the inbox repair tool (Scanpst.exe) to diagnose and repair errors in the file.
is there a permanent solution? otherwise i have to do it every time.
please assist. I do not know how I should do this. I have exactly the same error msg on my computer.
Can you please assist with a step by step to doing this PLEASE HELP! I am a woman, and do not know anything about computers.
(how do i run the OUTLOOK.EXE /resetnavpane????
Thank you..
Rea
That was a perfect solution thanks from an amateur.
very nice thx its working now
Fantastic! At first I couldn’t grasp the command prompt thing but the whole drag and drop to the “Run” box sorts that out. In fact this little quick fix makes me look like a wizard to others haha
thanks alot, the fastest solution i have ever read and used
i owe you a big thank you
Thank you so much because it works instantly for me too..
joseph
For what it’s worth, this solution didn’t work for me, but I did find one that did (this time… as opposed to attempts in previous years…)
I had to run the scanpst.exe.
http://www.howto-outlook.com/faq/outlookdoesntstart.htm
Thanks for the tip!
Worked great in Outlook 2007 after my outlook crashed and I couldn’t open it.
thanks a lot! Help first time!
It definitely works for me. You saved a lot of my time. Thanks!
Hi
I am still looking for a permanent solution to the problem.
I have the additional issue that resetnavpane cleans out my Favourites and I have to recreate them each time.
If I use /cleanviews instead of /resetnavpane. The program starts properly and crucially the favourites are not removed.
The only issue I now have is how to get the shortcut working properly.
I have dragged the programme file from Office 14 to the desktop and told it to create the shortcut.
I then add the /cleanviews switch BUT the shortcut doesn’t work. It does, however, work from the run command.
Is there a way I can insert the details into the run command as either a shortcut or a macro?
Regards
David
please I tried but I still continue to have the same message with office 2010. Can you help me further?
If the above solution does not work then try the following stes
Close Outlook completely.
Click Start.
Open Control Panel.
Category View: Click User Accounts > Mail icon
Classic View: Click Mail
Click E-mail accounts.
Click to highlight “Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook”.
Click Change.
Click More Settings.
Select Administration.
Verify only “Personal workspace” Task is checked.
Uncheck any other Tasks that are checked.
Click Reset.
Verify “Backup your personal folders when they are reset” is checked.
Click Yes.
Click OK.
Click Next.
Click Close.
Click Close.
Thanks,
Prabhu
thank you it works now I do have a diferent problem outlook opens but I can’t work on it do not respond to any comand.
do you have any solution to this problem
rea – did you sort it – i have just resolved it for myself ;-) – can help you if needed
I tried lot many things Including re installing MS Office , but all no use . then God only shown me this command line . It worked like a blessing from God .
Thank you very much for sharing this tip. otherwise life could have been miserable
thanks again.
THANKS LARRY! The resetnavpane wasn’t working for me, and it turned out to be communicator.
here is how i fixed this problem..
go control panel..
and clicked on Mail icon, and click on E-mail accounts, and click on data files
and make personal folders default(click on personal folders and click on set ad default button) …..Boom~~~done…
I have run the outlook.exe /resetnavpane command but still problems exist, pl help!
Thanks a ton. Worked Instantly.
Can someone give me EXACT step by step instruction to help me resolve this issue.
Beginning with clicking on start menu.
Thanks
Can someone give me EXACT step by step instruction to help me resolve this issue.
Beginning with clicking on start menu.
Thanks
Worked great!
Michael:
Hit Start –> Run
In the box type in:
“c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\OUTLOOK.EXE” /resetnavpane
Hit Enter. This will start Outlook without any glitches.
Thank you. What a time-saver for me. It worked immediately.
Thank you so much it worked great for me.
I just used the command outlook.exe /resetnavpane in the run window, it started Outlook.
I am Sri lankan,working in Afghanistan,above command was successful.Thank you very much dear.I wish you archive more knowledge and help others.everybody bless you.
“Outlook.exe /resetnavpane” worked for me. Thanks.
thanks so much guy’s my out look was blocked i used the run comment outlook /resetnavpane
now it is working
Didn’t work here, must be a different problem.
Thank you so much for this fix! It works great! I found this works with Office 2010 as well. Just have to ensure you have correct path. Please note instead of Outlook /resetnavpane I used excel /resetnavpane.
Awesome fix. Keep up the great work!
Thank you a thousand times. What a time saver. I didn’t have a clue what to do
Jerry
Brilliant, thank you very much!
Hi, outlook.exe /resetnavpane worked for me. Thanks a lot.
It took a few attempts but eventually solved the problem. Thank you!
Sorry, did not work for me. Same behavior, same error message, no effect.
Outlook 2003 on Windows 7 64-bit.
outlook.exe /resetnavpane, this did not work.
Its outlook /resetnavpane.
Hi, everything is going sound here and ofcourse every one
is sharing facts, that’s in fact good, keep up writing.
Here I am in 2012 and I see your solution, but not sure how to implement it. I click on the icon, the hourglass appears, then disappears and nothing happens.
If you are still around, pls tell me step by step….where do I “run” your suggestion?
thanks a bunch…
u rock……. i was wandring, how i m gona fix it. but it worked in fraction of seconds……..thanks a lot, man…
Outstanding story there. What haрpеned after?
Τake care!
Thanks, worked perfectly!