I’m actually enjoying Outlook 2007 on my desktop, especially since applying the February patch. It opens in a couple of seconds even from cold. I’m running on Vista 64-bit, and not using cached Exchange mode.
Until today, that is. Started Outlook and got this bewildering message:
This Microsoft article suggested I might not have a default gateway. That was nonsense; so I opened Mail setup (I can get to this through the Properties of the Outlook shortcut), clicked Show Profiles, added a new profile and set the new one as default.
Outlook works fine now. I’m not impressed with the error message though.
Update
While using a new profile works, there is an easier fix as noted in many of the comments to this post. You can run Outlook with the /resetnavpane argument. Here’s the step by step:
1. Press Windows key and R together to open the Run dialog.
2. In the Open field, type:
outlook.exe /resetnavpane
Note: there is a space between outlook.exe and /resetnavpane. There are no other spaces in what you have to type.
3. Click OK. Outlook should open.
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Thanks everyone for all your help- what a stupid message to get up and no way of accessing outlook to fix it. Just followed your instructions and seems perfect…Run outlook.exe /resetnavpane
Not sure why this happens or if it will do it again?? Any answers?? Thanks again.
I did as the above suggested. I typed “run” in the “start search” space of my program files. I then typed “Run outlook.exe /resetnavpane” in the run program, and it opened up my Outlook Express and my email now works again! Thank you all!!!
cannot start microsoft outlook.cannot open outlook window…that is the message I am getting…if you could please help I would appreciate it thankyou Gail
Thanks! I have been trying for days to open my outlook folder!! I ran typed the ‘outlook.exe /resetnavpane’ into the search section at the start button, double clicked and hey presto – it opened. Thank guys
Thanks for the post. I accessed outlook profiles via control panel/mail and set up a new profile as above. It created a new PST file but once I had outlook up and running I went into data file management and pointed it at the original pst file, I then got all my emails, folders and calender entries back. Thanks again for the help.
Had same problem and done as you said
Start pane then RUN and taped it outlook.exe /resetnavpane
Outlook opened ok right away.
Thanks guys
I’ve been so destroyed by this error can’t understand either.
Quite great solution.. I almost try to reinstall my ms office.
Thanks a lot.
Thank you so much. This is a life saver.
Run outlook.exe /resetnavpane
Thank you so much – did both the run outlook.exe /restnavpane
I don’ t undestand where to type in run outlook.exe /navpane I opened properties and entered it under add a profile – I am so frustrated. please help
This worked perfectly! Thanks!
Great fix. Thanks.
thanks the resetnavpane worked yay !!!
Thanks! You guys save lives!!!
It works however when I started up again I had to do it again…is there a permanent fix?
Super, worked first time. Can’t thank you enough.
Thanks so much! It worked without a glitch!
Thanks Tim. It worked. I am using Win 7 64 Bit and Outlook 2007.
Great Fix. I looked all over the internet. Everyone else had different(more complicated) fixes.
Thanks
OS Windows 7 64 bit
OutlooK 2007
I join the crowd. Thanks for the fix
Tim, I have the same problem as the crowd, however, I need to do this everyday upon start-up. I’ve already tried MS repair with the disc…didn’t fix. I’ve also tried changing the extend.dat to extend.old. Is there a permanent fix for my problem?
Thank You
Christine
@Christine
Did you try the other option, deleting the Outlook profile?
The other obvious thing to check would be any add-ins that you can disable.
Tim
Marvellous solution! A million thanks. If only I found this site five hours ago to save me a dull Monday morning………….
Wow..fast reply! I did disable add-ins by typing in outlook /a in the run box. Didn’t work either. Not sure how to delete the profile. Thank you Tim
Christine
Fantastic! It worked perfectly. Hope it will fix this permanently. You are a lifesaver!!! Thanks Tim.
Jude
Thank you! Worked GREAT!
I was strugling to open my outlook. This worked like a magic. Thanks.
I tried it also. I was on the point on re-installing Outlook. The suggestion of typing outlook.exe /navpane in the run window worked perfectly. Thank you so much. Now I dare not turn off my computer. I hope I can access it again.
I faced the same problem and was very upset but thanks to the solution that i tried this and opened like magic.
thanks.
You are a life save I have spent 10 hours today trying to fix this issue and you have fixed it in 2 seconds xxxx many thanks
THANK YOU!!! THIS IS FANTASTIC!! YOU ARE FANTASTIC!!!
Perfect … thousand thanks, Tim
Perfect! Thanks for the note about the space btw exe and / and how to get to run. I found these instructions elsewhere but not with the space data or how to get to run. I love you!
Great solution, you rock! Got no where on MS website, took me 2 secdonds to read your solution and got ‘er up and running, thanks a ton!
Thank you so much!!! Thought I was up the creek without a paddle!! Need to remember to put a space after the exe before the forward slash. For some reason it couldn’t find it without one. Others may know this but I didn’t. Thanks again.
It all starts with an automatic Windows update, and things just disappear.
Thanks so much, spent hours scanning, cleaning, checking EVERYTHING and here you are with a 30 second fix!!!
Great job, thank you
How brilliant was that – an answer that actually worked!! I could type all of the comments and thanks as above but I won’t!! – suffice to say the outlook.exe /resetnavpane solution worked and I am so grateful. Thank you.
This worked!
My itunes stopped working at the same time, started getting the error message The song blah blah blah could not be used because the original file could not be found.
Are these two things related???
Thanks
Thanks a lot! Another guy told excatly the same answer, but did mention space between outlook.exe and /resetnavpane. Thanks dude
Pramod
Thank you!!!!!!!! The space thing was throwing me off. Thanks for making it so clear.
Thanks who ever you are. I was really struck until you came along. Well done and thank you for sharing your knowledge.
wow. iot worked and quick. I was hella stressed, all my work contacts are in my outlook.
Thanks, worked like a charm. The MSFT knowledge base is Brer Rabbit’s briar patch. This made it easy.
I have tried the fix for 2 days and well over 10 times, but it doesn’t help me. Let me give you the entire message I am getting and perhaps my problem is deeper than all the others. Here is what I am told when my Outlook shuts right down again each time, even after trying outlook.exe /resetnavpane: Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook window. The set of folders cannot be opened. The file C:\Users\Charlie\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst is not a personal folders file.
I am remebering to put the space after exe so I know that is not the issue.
I am completely baffled. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated!
@Charlie
If you get the message that outlook.pst is not a personal folders file, I’d guess that the file is corrupt. There are repair utilities that might help, or you could try deleting it and creating a new one, or deleting the profile. I’d also check the hard drive in case it is failing – if so, you will get more problems.
Tim
Thanks,
This worked perfectly.
It worked!! Thank you so much!!!
Thank you ….this worked for me, i encountered the problem after syncing my iphone
wonderful hint, this was magical !!
Dear Tim,
i’ve defragmented my C drive and later i am facing exactly the same problem as Charlie above.
Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook window. The set of folders cannot be opened. The file C:\Users\TU@GA\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst is not a personal folders file.
Then by your suggestion i checked Event Viewer and noticed a lot ERRORs under Source and Session Microsoft Office 12. Don’t know what to do!? What kind of repair utilities are u suggesting and what will happen if i delete profile? will i loose all my mails etc? Please, please advise. Thank you…………