Outlook 2007 Hangs computer with 100% cpu usage

[mail]

I have an interesting problem.
I am using Outlook 2007 (12.0.4518.1014), had the same problem with
beta refresh 2

Outlook will have the usual slow responsivness and spikes that I always
see. For example deteling junk mail will take 10 seconds where it
would be instant in 2003.

If I leave it running for a few hours overnight or while I go to work,
when I come back, I notice it is using 99% or 100% CPU usage. I can
still use outlook but very very slowly. Emptying junk mail will take 5
MINUTES or more. I try closing outlook, the window disappears but the
process still runs (at 100%).

Here is the really strange part. If I kill the process, everything
seems ok, but then suddenly another process is using 100% cpu usage.
Usually this is explorer.exe but sometimes I have to kill a couple
processes for the 100% to jump to explorer.exe. If I kill explorer.exe
and try to run it again, it still uses 100% cpu usage. I must reboot
the computer.

This does not happen everytime I leave the computer for a couple hours.
sometimes it takes days, sometimes it only takes a couple hours. It
has never happened while I am sitting at the computer, only when I have
left it for a while.

Any ideas?

 

[Jim]

I'm fighting the [almost] exact same problem; see my comments below:

I have an interesting problem.
I am using Outlook 2007 (12.0.4518.1014), had the same problem with
beta refresh 2

I am running the same version, and had the same problem with Outlook 2003
before the upgrade.

Outlook will have the usual slow responsivness and spikes that I always
see. For example deteling junk mail will take 10 seconds where it
would be instant in 2003.

I'm not seeing any slow responsiveness.

If I leave it running for a few hours overnight or while I go to work,
when I come back, I notice it is using 99% or 100% CPU usage. I can
still use outlook but very very slowly. Emptying junk mail will take 5
MINUTES or more. I try closing outlook, the window disappears but the
process still runs (at 100%).

If I leave Outlook running [minimized] for approximately one hour with the
screen locked (usually while I'm at lunch), I return to my computer with a
crawling screen saver. I am able to unlock the screen and bring up Task
Manager, which shows OUTLOOK.EXE at [or near] 100% CPU. I can close Outlook
via the X icon; however, OUTLOOK.EXE persists in Task Manager. If I end the
task, sometimes other processes then consume the CPU, and sometimes not until
I click on something (such as the Start menu, which then causes EXPLORER.EXE
to consume 100% CPU). I have found that I do not have to reboot the
computer, but rather log off, and end the multiple tasks when prompted. It
takes about five minutes to get whatever is "stuck" to close, and then the
logoff completes, and I am able to log back in immediately with no issues,
until I leave Outlook running again for about an hour... If I close only
Outlook [leaving my other "normal" apps running] while I leave for lunch,
upon my return everything is fine, so I know it's something with Outlook that
isn't playing nice with something else.

Here is the really strange part. If I kill the process, everything
seems ok, but then suddenly another process is using 100% cpu usage.
Usually this is explorer.exe but sometimes I have to kill a couple
processes for the 100% to jump to explorer.exe. If I kill explorer.exe
and try to run it again, it still uses 100% cpu usage. I must reboot
the computer.

Essentially consistent with my experience, although I can log off and back
on; rebooting is not necessary. Although, a "hard reset" would probably be
faster than waiting for all of the tasks to be killed.

This does not happen everytime I leave the computer for a couple hours.
sometimes it takes days, sometimes it only takes a couple hours. It
has never happened while I am sitting at the computer, only when I have
left it for a while.

I have had this happen while I'm actively using the computer, but not
frequently. It's usually when I have some important Visio diagram open, and
I'm just about to save it...

Any ideas?

Since the problem [at least for me] is persistent from Outlook 2003, I'm
troubleshooting my add-ins (trying Outlook in safe mode, and disabling any
unnecessary COM add-ins). In looking at other threads, doing things such as
deleting Outlook .DAT files or re-creating profiles might help. I have four
mail accounts set up and a bunch of custom shortcuts/task views which have
evolved over the years, so I'm hoping that re-creating my profile will not be
necessary.

If I have any success, I will report my findings/action steps.

Jim

 

[Jim]

Now the prime suspect is the NVIDIA nView Desktop Manager, which I now have
disabled. Updating video drivers (I have an NVIDIA 6800) was one of my
troubleshooting steps previously...I went from ~ March 2006 drivers to the
latest 93.71 ForceWare.

I will report on any definitive evidence of the nView Desktop Manager being
the problem, and if keeping it disabled solves the problem.

 

[marty_G]

I had similar problem at 50% cpu usage on a dual-core cpu, meaning one core
was at 100%. Key difference on my machine was that the cpu usage pulsed at
about an 8-10 second interval for a couple of seconds. I noted that a
problem had been reported with Dell Media Direct and Outlook 2003.
Uninstalling Media Direct seems to have corrected my problem completely.

Marty

 

[tobyja876]

Had exact same problem as marty_G. Removing MediaDirect worked like a charm!
Thanks

 

[Rainer]

I too had the same problem and uninstalled MediaDirect. WOW!! It worked.

Thank you a lot. Who could beleve that this could be the reason.

 

[Man Of Miracles]

Jim - were you able to resolve the problem?