"Outlook (2003) is preparing the requested view" - since October updates

[Barkley Bees]

Since the October updates were installed to our test systems yesterday
(WSUS) we have been seeing that Outlook 2003 is experiencing slow downs when
accessing PST files. We are running: Windows XP SP2, Office 2003, Dell
hardware (various models).

When attempting to browse through any PST files (local or network - yes,
network is not supported) Outlook reports back with "Outlook is preparing
the requested view" and hangs for anywhere from 30 seconds to several
minutes. It does eventually display folder contents but very slowly. After
having viewed a specific folder it doesn't experience any slow down when
attempting to browse it again until Oultook 2003 is restarted.

I am starting to go through and uninstall the Office related patches one by
one and testing after each reboot. So far I have uninstalled the below:

- Security Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 (KB973705)
- Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Junk Email Filter (KB974771)

Unfortunately, uninstalling these patches have not made any difference. I
will go ahead and remove the below also and test:

Security Update for Microsoft Office 2003 (KB974554)
Security Update for Microsoft Office 2003 (KB972580)


Appreciate any feedback from others who may have noticed the same issue and
possibly found the cause/fix. Thanks.

 

[Lenilson]

Since the October updates were installed to our test systems yesterday
(WSUS) we have been seeing that Outlook 2003 is experiencing slow downs when
accessing PST files. We are running: Windows XP SP2, Office 2003, Dell
hardware (various models).

When attempting to browse through any PST files (local or network - yes,
network is not supported) Outlook reports back with "Outlook is preparing
the requested view" and hangs for anywhere from 30 seconds to several
minutes. It does eventually display folder contents but very slowly. After
having viewed a specific folder it doesn't experience any slow down when
attempting to browse it again until Oultook 2003 is restarted.

I am starting to go through and uninstall the Office related patches one by
one and testing after each reboot. So far I have uninstalled the below:

- Security Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 (KB973705)
- Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Junk Email Filter (KB974771)

Unfortunately, uninstalling these patches have not made any difference. I
will go ahead and remove the below also and test:

Security Update for Microsoft Office 2003 (KB974554)
Security Update for Microsoft Office 2003 (KB972580)

Appreciate any feedback from others who may have noticed the same issue and
possibly found the cause/fix. Thanks.

october 2009, pacthes causing various problems in my notebook...
ipod, skype, explorer fails...

this KB972580 fail to uninstall...

 

[utahwoodsman]

Since the October updates were installed to our test systems yesterday
(WSUS) we have been seeing that Outlook 2003 is experiencing slow downs when
accessing PST files. We are running: Windows XP SP2, Office 2003, Dell
hardware (various models).

When attempting to browse through any PST files (local or network - yes,
network is not supported) Outlook reports back with "Outlook is preparing
the requested view" and hangs for anywhere from 30 seconds to several
minutes. It does eventually display folder contents but very slowly. After
having viewed a specific folder it doesn't experience any slow down when
attempting to browse it again until Oultook 2003 is restarted.

I am starting to go through and uninstall the Office related patches one by
one and testing after each reboot. So far I have uninstalled the below:

- Security Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 (KB973705)
- Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Junk Email Filter (KB974771)

Unfortunately, uninstalling these patches have not made any difference. I
will go ahead and remove the below also and test:

Security Update for Microsoft Office 2003 (KB974554)
Security Update for Microsoft Office 2003 (KB972580)

Appreciate any feedback from others who may have noticed the same issue and
possibly found the cause/fix. Thanks.

I've been having this problem as well. After a bit of Googling, I
decided to turn off the "View | Show in Groups" menu option, then
restart Outlook.

It's only been an hour or so since I tried it, and it seems to have
worked, but I don't know whether the problem is truly fixed in the
long term. I'm watching to see if it returns.

But you might try it anyway. Let us know if it helps!

 

[Tim Brooks]

I've been having this problem as well. After a bit of Googling, I
decided to turn off the "View | Show in Groups" menu option, then
restart Outlook.

I don't have "Show in Groups" as an option under View, although I am
using Outlook 2003. Is this somewhere else?

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I don't have "Show in Groups" as an option under View, although I am
using Outlook 2003. Is this somewhere else?

View>Arrange By>Show in Groups/

 

[Barkley Bees]

I've been having this problem as well. After a bit of Googling, I
decided to turn off the "View | Show in Groups" menu option, then
restart Outlook.

It's only been an hour or so since I tried it, and it seems to have
worked, but I don't know whether the problem is truly fixed in the
long term. I'm watching to see if it returns.

But you might try it anyway. Let us know if it helps!

Thanks for your feedback. I am relieved that we aren't the only onces
experiencing this. Our default configuration doesn't have "Show in Groups"
set so this was not a cause/fix for us unfortunately.
So far I have uninstalled the below:

1. KB973705 - NO CHANGE
2. Outlook 2003: Junk E-mail Filter (KB974771) - NO CHANGE
3. Security Update for Microsoft Office 2003 (KB974554) FM20 (a real pain to
get rid of) - NO CHANGE
4. Security Update for Microsoft Office 2003 (KB972580) - NO CHANGE

Strange and disappointing that there has been no official word from
Microsoft on this matter. It looks like I will have hunt down which of this
month's many patches has caused this problem and hold back on deploying it
to all of our users. Thank goodness we do sufficient testing to catch this
stuff before rolling it out in our environment!!

If anyone has any updates or further information on this please let us know.
Thanks.

 

[Barkley Bees]

Thanks for your feedback. I am relieved that we aren't the only onces
experiencing this. Our default configuration doesn't have "Show in Groups"
set so this was not a cause/fix for us unfortunately.
So far I have uninstalled the below:

1. KB973705 - NO CHANGE
2. Outlook 2003: Junk E-mail Filter (KB974771) - NO CHANGE
3. Security Update for Microsoft Office 2003 (KB974554) FM20 (a real pain
to get rid of) - NO CHANGE
4. Security Update for Microsoft Office 2003 (KB972580) - NO CHANGE

Strange and disappointing that there has been no official word from
Microsoft on this matter. It looks like I will have hunt down which of
this month's many patches has caused this problem and hold back on
deploying it to all of our users. Thank goodness we do sufficient testing
to catch this stuff before rolling it out in our environment!!

If anyone has any updates or further information on this please let us
know. Thanks.

Found a link with other reports of what appears to be the same issue:
http://www.reddit.com/r/geek/comments/9vpo5/outlook_2003_slow_down_since_october_updates/