A knowledgebase article published last week acknowledges performance problems with Outlook 2007, though it says these only occur with mailboxes larger than 2GB:
You may experience one or more of the following performance problems when you are working with items in a large Personal Folder file (.pst) or in a large Offline Folder file (.ost) in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 … Note When you perform the same operations on the large .pst or .ost file in earlier versions of Outlook, the same performance problems do not occur. These problems may occur if the .pst or .ost file is larger than 2 GB. Additionally, the performance problems are more pronounced when the .pst or .ost file is larger than 4 GB.
I think this is optimistic and that smaller mailboxes are slower too; nevertheless, it does confirm that that the size of the local store is the key issue.
If you use Exchange, the local store is the .PST or .OST file on your workstation or laptop. If you do not use Exchange, a local .PST store is all you have.
Here’s what Microsoft says is the reason:
To accommodate new features, Outlook 2007 introduced a new data structure for .pst and .ost files. In this new data structure, the frequency of writing data to the hard disk increases as the number of items in the .pst or .ost files increases.
Intriguing, especially as I had thought the .pst format was the same in Outlook 2003 and 2007. The big change was from Outlook 2000 to Outlook 2003, when Unicode was introduced and the maximum size increased to 20GB.
I’d also like to know whether Microsoft is just stating the obvious here (bigger file, more disk access); or whether there is some exponential increase in disk writes, suggesting a design fault in the software. I have already noticed that if you show the I/O columns in Task Manager’s performance tab, Outlook 2007 shows some extraordinarily large numbers.
So what’s the fix? The news is not too good. In essence, you have to reduce the size of the local store. You can archive or move items to separate .pst files, or switch off cached mode so you always work online to Exchange.
The article doesn’t say it, but there are significant problems with switching off cached mode. These include hugely increased network traffic, problems with junk mail filtering, and loss of all your mail when using a laptop disconnected from the network.
The most imaginative suggestion is to filter the sychronization. For example, you could filter out messagse with large attachments, or all messages from last year or earlier. These messages will still exist in Exchange, but not in the local store.
Worth a try, but none of the workarounds is really satisfactory. Outlook 2003 worked fine with large mailboxes, Outlook 2007 does not. That’s a blunder.
I think it depends what router you are going through. The default setting disagrees with certain routers, presumably including one you have at work.
Tim
I am not using Outlook for email, but just want to use it for calendar and contacts so that I can pass data through it from Google calendars to my Blackberry. Despite not using it for email, it is painfully slow. Any advice? I’m afraid I did not read through or understand ALL of the long string of posts. Thanks.
I’m very glad to have found this post, even though it seems I’m a year behind :).
I blogged about Outlook 2007 performance issues a couple times on my own blog (Outlook not so good, Tips for fixing a slow Windows XP System, and Desktop Search Woes) and made some modest improvements, but it still doesn’t seem to ever get better in the long term. I’m a fan of rebuilding OST when problems arise, and that usually works for my end users (I’m IT Director for 500+ employee ISP)
I’m looking forward to some of the fixes mentioned in this post, although I’m lamenting that though I’m on a Dell D620, I don’t have the MediaDirect component to uninstall. 🙂
I’m Outlook 2007 cached mode, XP Pro SP2, D620 1.8Ghz duo, 1GB RAM, with 3.5GB .ost and multiple >1GB .pst’s. I have slowness in downloading POP mail (the whole computer seems to freeze up when outlook is send/receive for POP), and whenever the outlook systray icon changes, IE slows down and has pauses and several other apps do as well.
I use Trend OfficeScan and ISS Proventia. I also know I might have a problem due to the way I installed because I was on Office 2003, then upgraded Outlook _only_, then after a while did an Office 2007 upgrade. Since I haven’t tried a reinstall of Office, that might be an issue.
My current issue is that I highlighted all of my Sent Items in my Exchange mailbox and right-click-dragged them to my PST sent items for a “Move” and that was last night. For the past 5 hours, the Outlook dialog box has been up, about 60% of the way completed, saying “Moving Items” and with 15 minutes remaining. CPU is 100%, but no network traffic from outlook (verified with WireShark and TCPMON) I/O reads and writes for Outlook (task manager) are not incrementing. Looks like another future kill of outlook, “fix the not-closed-properly data files” and maybe an entire uninstall/reinstall, then the large pst/ost file hotfix mentioned.
Thanx, Tim, for the post. I’ll be adding you to my feedreader hoping for some more tips.
btw, the PST/OST file size hotfix is in Office 2007 Service Pack 1. I did my reload and so far, it’s much faster. I really don’t remember if I was on SP1 before or not, but I think I was, so I’ll chalk up my fix to be one or both of a few things I did – too bad I don’t know which one solved my problem.
1) complete uninstall and reinstall of office 2007
2) Reduction of my server mailbox from 3.2GB to 900MB (deleted items and sent items removed)
3) Move of my mailbox from one store to another on same server (mailbox move wizard didn’t report on corrupt items, but the total number of messages in mailbox (around 33k) went down about 170 or so)
Thought I’d report here on my success.
Thanks for letting us know; glad you got it working properly.
Tim
Hey All,
This has been MORE than ample time for MSFT to address these issues. Nothing “really” seems to fix the problem. We should have to disable 1/2 the functions in our computers that we pay thousands for to work around something that they obviously no is an issue.
I live in the Chicago area and HOPE that MSFT will pay attention to the newspapers in this area. This will not be Defimation of Charecter only an attention getter until they “Professionally” address the issues at hand instead of forwarding our calls to an undisclosed country not to fix the problem.
To MSFT: FIND IT, ADDRESS IT AND FIX IT. OR REFUND IT. Period.
i was having issues of Outlook 2007 running extremely slow to the point where outlook 2007 would time out.
I found this article that solved my problems:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935400
Basically:
Go to Programs > Accessories, right-click on Command Prompt, and select “Run as Administrator”
From command line type in the following:
netsh interface tcp set global autotuninglevel=disable
New install, 4 GB RAM, 2.9 GHz Dual Core. XP Prof. Office 2007 Ultimate, applied Outlook patch and Office 2007 SP1. Exchange, cached mode ost < 1 GB, plus 3 pst archives < 2 GB.
Especially previewing (selecting mail with reading pane enabled) can take up to 10 seconds. But randomly … sometimes it’s OK, sometimes not. Take up to 10 seconds means that it blocks the overall explorer thread, noting from Windows Explorer or Outlook can be selected, when it happens! Whatever I tried, the problem remains?
In general Outlook 2003 slowed down my machine, with 2007 this became really worth. Outlook 2007 get’s my award for the most resource consuming desktop application – a shame for the largest SW vendor, or just strange?
Morning Outlook 2007 mail check is a masacre. Suddenly yesterday mails jumped into mailbox like in good old Eudora – few seconds, done. I did no config changes, no installs. Nothing! “Maybe it was automatic update?” I thought.
But today everything is “normal” again. Few KBs of email, many wasted minutes. “netsh interface…” solution doesn’t work on XP. My laptop isn’t Dell, so no MediaDirect to delete. Argh…
Dirk #10 – thankyou so much, you have relieved my pain (1 year of it). I was almost considering going mac – like my wife, as the mail program is spotless.
I used outlook to Sync my PDA, phone and Ipod – and had given up on it for ages because of crippling slowness.
Pesky Dell Media Direct. I take it I didn’t need it anyway? Its gone now.
Is this an issue for Dell or Msft to resolve.
Hail Dirk the genius.
I found something, that may help someone. In my previous post I did not mention, that I use Outlook 2007 to check mails from few mailboxes. I’ve tried few things and my conclusion is: if all mailboxes are in one “Send/Receive” profile, Outlook works very slow, but ff there is a separate profile for each mailbox, it works like a lightning.
It’s strange, because I have one main mailbox, where new mails arrive every hour; other minor mailboxes receive mails from time to time. So when I look at “Send/Receive” progress window, all minor mailboxes are checked “Done” and only one is “Working”. But if Outlook checks everything in one profile, it is slow. In separate profiles – it is fast. Minor mailboxes use the same PST file as main one, so there is no issue with file size.
Now I have two “Send/Receive” profiles and no more “Arrrgh…” when opening Outlook. Good luck!
Had similar problems… on a Dell but no media software. Inbox only 200M. Couldn’t get the network command to work. Had the latest software so patches were already in. Compacted inbox but still very slow email inbound. Tried turning off all addons. Nothing seemed to work.
Previously, had outlook crash numerous times but wondered how that could affect.
So I exported all information from my inbox (calendar, notes, contacts) just in case. Made a new inbox (MyInbox) and set it as default and ensured all accounts would use it. Shutdown outlook… WAITED for all files to close…. restarted and KABANG! Email is flying through!
Give it a try!
Hi,
When I am running XP with Office Enterprise 2007 and lately when I open Outlook it hangs and won’t open, I have to go into Task Manager and close Outlook. When I try to open again I have to open in Safe Mode or it hangs again. I have tried everything, I have compacted my .pst file, I have created a new .pst file, I have repaired Office and I am still having no luck. Is there anything I can do to fix this problem or should I go back to using 2003?
Thanks
@Emily
If it works in safe mode, maybe an add-in is to blame. You could try disabling them all then if it works putting them back one by one.
Tim
emily, i had a similiar problem. i stopped the mcafee firewall service and outlook works fine. i can start the firewall after outlook is up and running. very strange. any work arounds?
Hard to believe that here in April 2008 that Dell still hasn’t sorted out the MediaDirect pointed out by Dirk back in February 2007. Being heavily reliant on Outlook I was totally disappointed with the performance of my new XPS1330. Dirk’s tip has lowered my blood pressure significantly.
I ran this at the command line:
C:Program FilesDellMediaDirectOLAddinOLAddin.msi
selected uninstall and went back to enjoying my life.
Thanks posters!
Ahah! I’ve been trying to find the source of the spiking CPU meter in Task Manager for a long time. Following Carls lead, I uninstalled all Dell software and the spikes went away (along with the annoying keystroke delays in Outlook). Sweet!
I think Microsoft had a decent run up to Windows XP. Not that I’m a huge fan of Microsoft, but the quality of their products have continued to go down hill over the last few years. This is just another example.
I’m using outlook 2007 on a DELL inspiron 9400, core duo 1GB RAM laptop. I maintain my PST file at around 200mb but still it’s really painful to see the disk crunching at outlook startup. It takes well around 20-30 secs for it to startup, and I can’t start any other program during that time due to the disk crunching.
Wish I could switch back to thunderbird, but sadly I’m stuck with outlook due to company policy. ;(
Can you all see a patten going on here?
Dell Software! have a Dell PC/Laptop then uninstall all of their software and you will get rid of 60% of your problems and save yourself the money Dell charge to fix their own problems. Dell, I dont trust them.
I am no Fan of MS but I do have to say the problems are not all of their doing.
What bothers me the most is that MS won’t admit there is a problem.
Something like:
========================
You may experience problems relating to performance when downloading messages in Outlook 2007. There are no known proven solutions, except reducing the size of your .pst file(s).
“To accommodate new features, Outlook 2007 introduced a new data structure for .pst and .ost files. In this new data structure, the frequency of writing data to the hard disk increases as the number of items in the .pst or .ost files increases.”
========================
Sadly and unfortunate for many you’d almost have to be teckkie to apply the work-arounds.
Does anyone know how well OL 2007 rolls back to OL 2003?
#108 – I switched of real time check of e-mail (in my case Symantec AntiVirus), which helped to have less timeouts.
I found one un-compacted PST, that helped to have less timeouts.
I also checked Outlook performance without XP Desktop Search, no effect to the better.
In any case the startup is still over 3 minutes.
#113 – this effect I have too, even Safe Mode hangs only a restart of Windows does help (at least the easiest way I found). Maybe also related, in my case with Exchange 2003 – but that’s out of my scope as I’m not the messaging admin.
Hi Tim & All,
For some reason, in the last several weeks, when I am trying to open an appointment sent by another outlook user (also XP/2007), my outlook freezes and is
non-responsive and I have to close outlook and reopen (computer is using 100% CPU). I cannot view these
appointments (to accept/reject or even delete) – they remain in my inbox and
if I try to open (or view in the reading pane), outlook stops running.
Is this a bug or is there a way to fix it? How can I delete them without
choosing them since once I place my cursor on the message, it freezes and I
can’t delete it.
trying scanpst and problem still remain.
Outlook version : 12.0.6300.5000 MSO(12.0.4518.1014)
using POP3
Please help – it’s becoming very difficult to use outlook.
Daniel
@Daniel
For general Outlook problems I’d suggest one of the online forums, for example:
Outlook General Questions, which is run by Microsoft.
Tim
Hi Tim,
First of all, 10x for your help.
I send my question to this forum but still not getting any answers.
can u refer me to another helpfull online folums?!
best regards,
Daniel.