Outlook 2003 new messages always open in max size window

[bostonantifan]

I'm running Office 2003 Professional, Small Business Edition 2006. In the
Outlook 2003 version within this suite, whenever I click "new" message, the
blank message opens full-screen. When I click the button for "normal size"
window, and manually resize the window to a smaller size, it will remember
the size for the rest of the session. However, when I close Outlook 2003 and
go back in, if I open a "new" message, or on in my inbox, they are opened in
full screen mode again. This is extremely irritating. Is there a fix for
this, or is this just more lousy Microsoft software that will never work
correctly?

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

Common reasons why posts are not answered:

1. Posters omit Outlook version.
2. Posters omit clear description of problem, e.g., "Help, my Outlook will
not send!"
3. Posters use the subject line as the complete description.
4. Posters do not respond with requested information when asked by the
volunteers.
5. Posters p*ss off the volunteers by unnecessary usage of M$, Microsloth,
Microshills, Microsh*t, etc.
6. Posters begin by bashing the group/helpers/answers.
7. We all have personal lives that precludes hovering in these news groups
24/7.

Pick your poison.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact.
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


After furious head scratching, bostonantifan asked:

| I'm running Office 2003 Professional, Small Business Edition 2006.
| In the Outlook 2003 version within this suite, whenever I click "new"
| message, the blank message opens full-screen. When I click the
| button for "normal size" window, and manually resize the window to a
| smaller size, it will remember the size for the rest of the session.
| However, when I close Outlook 2003 and go back in, if I open a "new"
| message, or on in my inbox, they are opened in full screen mode
| again. This is extremely irritating. Is there a fix for this, or is
| this just more lousy Microsoft software that will never work
| correctly?

 

[dwallace115]

Common reasons why posts are not answered:

1. Posters omit Outlook version.
2. Posters omit clear description of problem, e.g., "Help, my Outlook will
not send!"
3. Posters use the subject line as the complete description.
4. Posters do not respond with requested information when asked by the
volunteers.
5. Posters p*ss off the volunteers by unnecessary usage of M$, Microsloth,
Microshills, Microsh*t, etc.
6. Posters begin by bashing the group/helpers/answers.
7. We all have personal lives that precludes hovering in these news groups
24/7.

Pick your poison.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact.
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


After furious head scratching, bostonantifan asked:

| I'm running Office 2003 Professional, Small Business Edition 2006.
| In the Outlook 2003 version within this suite, whenever I click "new"
| message, the blank message opens full-screen. When I click the
| button for "normal size" window, and manually resize the window to a
| smaller size, it will remember the size for the rest of the session.
| However, when I close Outlook 2003 and go back in, if I open a "new"
| message, or on in my inbox, they are opened in full screen mode
| again. This is extremely irritating. Is there a fix for this, or is
| this just more lousy Microsoft software that will never work
| correctly?

 

[dwallace115]

I would ask the same question without the cautic closing line. I've just
begun experiencing the very same issue, and the only thing that might have
changed (to the best of my knowledge) is automatic updates being loaded.
I've added no new software, am running XP SP3 and Outlook Office 2003
Professional with all the updates. Now every time I open Outlook and hit the
new message radio button, the blank e-mail opens full screen. I can resize
it to a normal partial window, and it will then open that size for the rest
of the session, however when I close Outlook and then reopen it later in the
day, the new message is full sized again. I can not find any settings within
Outlook to adjust this, and in searching the net, I find this question asked
in several forums, but no one seems to have a solution. I'm hoping you do.
I am comfortable making changes in the registry if required. If there is
something that can set this and keep it that size in the future, I would
appreciate any help you can offer.

Best regards,
d

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

Try this - it works for me.

Open a new message window (or any Outlook item) and resize it to your
specifications. Then close the window using Shift+X (upper right hand close
X). The next time you open that message window, it should open to your
previous size.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact.
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


After furious head scratching, dwallace115 asked:

| I would ask the same question without the cautic closing line. I've
| just begun experiencing the very same issue, and the only thing that
| might have changed (to the best of my knowledge) is automatic updates
| being loaded. I've added no new software, am running XP SP3 and
| Outlook Office 2003 Professional with all the updates. Now every
| time I open Outlook and hit the new message radio button, the blank
| e-mail opens full screen. I can resize it to a normal partial
| window, and it will then open that size for the rest of the session,
| however when I close Outlook and then reopen it later in the day, the
| new message is full sized again. I can not find any settings within
| Outlook to adjust this, and in searching the net, I find this
| question asked in several forums, but no one seems to have a
| solution. I'm hoping you do. I am comfortable making changes in the
| registry if required. If there is something that can set this and
| keep it that size in the future, I would appreciate any help you can
| offer.
|
| Best regards,
| d

 

[Polli]

Hi!

I'm experiencing the same issue. A new message window opens maximized, when
I use the resize box, it goes to a strange shape and size. I will resize it
manually, and then close. When I reopen a new message window it is
remembered. However, after closing Outlook 2003, a new message window again
opens maximized and the same scenario happens all over.

I tried your fix you suggested above, but it didn't change things. Help!

Would much apreciate any help you can offer!

Polli

 

[dwallace115]

Try this - it works for me.

Open a new message window (or any Outlook item) and resize it to your
specifications. Then close the window using Shift+X (upper right hand close
X). The next time you open that message window, it should open to your
previous size.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact.
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


After furious head scratching, dwallace115 asked:

| I would ask the same question without the cautic closing line. I've
| just begun experiencing the very same issue, and the only thing that
| might have changed (to the best of my knowledge) is automatic updates
| being loaded. I've added no new software, am running XP SP3 and
| Outlook Office 2003 Professional with all the updates. Now every
| time I open Outlook and hit the new message radio button, the blank
| e-mail opens full screen. I can resize it to a normal partial
| window, and it will then open that size for the rest of the session,
| however when I close Outlook and then reopen it later in the day, the
| new message is full sized again. I can not find any settings within
| Outlook to adjust this, and in searching the net, I find this
| question asked in several forums, but no one seems to have a
| solution. I'm hoping you do. I am comfortable making changes in the
| registry if required. If there is something that can set this and
| keep it that size in the future, I would appreciate any help you can
| offer.
|
| Best regards,
| d

Actually, that didn't work either. It essentially had the same result of holding the resized window for the rest of the session, but upon closing Outlook and then reopening or rebooting, the window came back full sized.

What I did to fix it, was to deinstall Outlook. Clean the registry of any
traces of Outlook, and then reinstalled. Now it's working like it's supposed
to and playing nice with other applications. My only guess is that something
in the registry got hosed up somehow, and deinstalling and cleaning the
registry must have gotten rid of the errant entry. Although this takes some
time (about 40 minutes), I didn't lose any of my folder trees, and so
reinstallation was fairly painless.

Thank you again for your follow up suggestion, but perhaps this will help
others that ask with the same problem.

Regards,
Doug