Outlook 2003 freezes when email links are clicked

[Edward L. Norton]

Hello,

First, I've checked Google, Microsoft and the old posts in this group
for a fix to this problem but nothing has helped. Anyway, my Outlook
2003 is not well. If I receive a message that contains a URL link to a
website, when I click the link, Outlook just stops. It doesn't open a
browser, it just goes gray and freezes. I can kill the Outlook task
from Task Manager then Outlook works fine, until I click a link. In
addition, it takes 2-3 minutes for a Word document to open when it is
opened from Outlook and is attached to a message.

This started a couple of weeks ago and the day it happened, I tried a
System Restore, but that didn't help. I have also tried uninstalling
Outlook (and all of MS Office - Word & Excel) but the problem remains.

I've scanned the system with Norton Internet Security, which I've used
for over a year, MalwareBytes Anti-malware, AdAware and a couple of
the on-line scanners. Except for a few tracking cookies, it's all
clean.

I use Firefox, IExplorer 8 and Chrome and have tried making each one
the default browser but Outlook still freezes no matter. I have also
uninstalled and reinstalled Firefox (3.6.8) and Google Chrome. I've
gone to Windows Update and installed all XP updates. I've gone to MS
Office Update and installed those too - all with no luck.

I'm about to wipe this thing out and reload, but if anyone has any
suggestions, please post them here. I just reloaded this system about
a year ago and otherwise, it runs perfectly. At this point, I'll try
anything to avoid another two-week reload.

BTW, I'm still running Windows XP but it is up to date - and
everything else runs perfectly including Outlook (calendar, contacts,
send and receive mail to and from Gmail, my Windstream server, and
Hotmail).

Sorry for the length of this post and if you're reading this, thank
you in advance. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

ELN

 

[VanguardLH]

If I receive a message that contains a URL link to a website, when I
click the link, Outlook just stops. It doesn't open a browser, it
just goes gray and freezes. I can kill the Outlook task from Task
Manager then Outlook works fine, until I click a link. In addition,
it takes 2-3 minutes for a Word document to open when it is opened
from Outlook and is attached to a message.

Yet tried loading Outlook in its safe mode to check if you have an
add-on causing the problem (like an AV scanner)? Safe mode disable all
add-ons and COM plug-ins for Outlook.

outlook.exe /safe

 

[Kazumé]

Yet tried loading Outlook in its safe mode to check if you have an
add-on causing the problem (like an AV scanner)? Safe mode disable all
add-ons and COM plug-ins for Outlook.

outlook.exe /safe

I will try that and report back - I'm not at home and that's where I
have the problem.

Thanx!

 

[Peter Foldes]

Make sure you enter it correctly. Notice the space between exe and / (front slash)


--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[VanguardLH]

Make sure you enter it correctly. Notice the space between exe and /
(front slash)

I have to wonder just who is the original poster (OP).

Name: Edward L. Norton
/(remember the old Jackie Gleason's Honeymooners show?)/
Email: (e-mail address removed)
Client: Forte Agent 6.00/32.1186
Fluff header: Summary: Tally Ho!
NSP: Giganews

Name: Kazum
/(perhaps a WoW game player?)/
Email: (e-mail address removed)
Client: Forte Agent 6.00/32.1186
Fluff header: Summary: I am an egghead
NSP: Giganews

The OP used his same Giganews account along with the same client that
inserts a garbage header and is abusing registered domains with his poor
attempt to munge his own. We have a nymshifter here (i.e., a troll).