OUTLOOK performance issues, need help

[CraigTheCarGuy]

this is the 2nd time I have tried this, no luck yet, having major slowdown in
OUTLOOK, biggest issue is ACTIVITIES, seems to be rebuilding index every time
I go in, and I go in very frequently, I have entered questions, but have not
yet found out how to view answers, HELP, Craig 706-335-5375

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

It sounds like what you're seeing is normal, expected behavior. Outlook performs a new search any time you look at Activities. You can control which folders are searched with the activity group settings on the Properties dialog for the contacts folder.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[CraigTheCarGuy]

Thanks for the input, I took a look at that, and only have the folders
included that I want. I only use email folders, contacts, and tasks. In the
morning when I start up, it seems to be loading an index for a few minutes,
then durning the day, as long as I am in there constantly, the ACTIVITIES tab
on a contact fills quickly, but if I am off doing something else for even 20
minutes, it seems like it has to reload, i am thinking of adding RAM, but
hope someone can tell me that will help for sure before I spend the money.
Craig

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

More RAM would almost certainly help by reducing the amount of data that has to be paged out to disk. How much do you have now?

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[CraigTheCarGuy]

System Properties say 504mb ram, any recommendations? (I have an overall
basic understanding, but am not a techie). Any other expert resources for
OUTLOOK? thanks, Craig

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

500mb should be more than adequate unless you're also running other applications that need a lot of RAM, e.g. developer tools. The Activities tab is just never going to be fast; it's not designed to be.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[CraigTheCarGuy]

Any expericence with ACT, or any other inexspenive software that may give me
better performance? thanks again for the help, craig

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

No, but there are literally dozens of Outlook-compatible CRM programs, including Microsoft's own Business Contact Manager; see http://www.slipstick.com/addins/contact_mangement.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[James]

I am very disturbed that Microsoft would create a contact centered
application and then be okay with having to re-populate activities each time.
Worse yet, it does not appear to be an Indexed search but a sequential
search.

This makes it very difficult for a desk that has to receive and make calls
in volume.

Finally, how did MS decide folks manage activities by contacts. It would
not take much experience to realize most folks, I think, manage their
activities by task.

It makes a big difference when an application does not allow easy linking of
files and items in the tasks as the old Outlook applications did. What a
shame.

Hopefully, an innovative add-on vendor will correct this since MS does not
seem to care.