The software freezes during start-up, the status bar shows "Loading Dataset.." for minutes and you can perform no actions on your email items unless that initial "Send/Receive" is complete.
If your work productivity is taking a hit due to the poor performance of Outlook, here are some suggestions and fixes to supercharge Outlook 2007:
1. Disable RSS Feeds in Microsoft Outlook 2007
Microsoft Outlook 12 installs with a set of RSS feeds - if you are not using Outlook to read RSS feeds, it's best to remove them from Outlook so that no resources are spent in synchronization of these feeds with the web.
Goto Tools - Account Settings - RSS Feeds. Select all the RSS feeds and hit the Remove button. [via Tech Recipes]
2. Disable Outlook Add-Ins You No Longer Use
Goto Tools - Trust Center and click the Add-ins tab. There's a GO button at the bottom of the dialog screen, click that button and uncheck (disable or even remove) the Outlook add-ins (like GoogleDesktop, iTunes Add-in, Acrobat PDF Maker, Mindjet Mindmanager, etc) that you no longer use.
[Do not disable the Windows Search Indexing addin]
If you have upgraded to Outlook 2007 from Outlook 2003 or XP, chances are that the old addin are not compatible with the new release and may be the reason behind the slugging performance of Outlook. [via Tris Hussey].
3. Reduce the size of your Outlook.pst personal folder.
Delete any items that you do not want to keep like emails with really large attachments). You can even archive them to a separate Outlook data file. [see Ask Leo]
Now click Data File Management on the File Menu. Select the data file that you want to compact, and then click Compact Now in the Settings command.
4. Start Outlook 2007 in Safe Mode
If none of the above tricks, try running Outlook 2007 in safe mode (start -> Run dialog and type outlook /safe). The second option is to disable all your email rules and filters. And if Norton antivirus or Zone Alarm is configured with Outlook, disable that association. One of these actions should identify the culprit that's making Outlook to crawl.
It's likely that some of the tricks above would help in improving the performance of your Outlook 2007. If you are looking to improve the performance of Outlook 2003, try removing the MSN Messenger association with Outlook.
Find this article at: http://labnol.blogspot.com/2007/03/microsoft-outlook-2007-running-slow-fix.html
web: http://www.labnol.org/ email: amit@labnol.org
Reader Comments
Thanks for the link! I think it does help. I tried to disable something when I wasn't running it as admin ... didn't work. Dern Vista!
Written on 16/3/07 9:06 PM
Thanks for the link back to tech-recipes. :)
Written on 16/3/07 11:27 PM
Microsoft Outlook is slow??
Their viral ad doesnt say so!
http://webchutney.com/virals/ChitiAyiHai.html
Written on 18/3/07 7:26 PM
Very nice post. You can also start Outlook in Safe mode by pressing the Ctrl key while clicking its icon.
I find this a little but easier than using the Run command. It should work with older versions of Outlook too.
Written on 26/3/07 12:05 PM
Thanks for the tips! Yeah, looks like it's standard behaviors especially when Outlook is being installed over existing copy. Rumors say that that sluggishness can be eliminated by recreating the profile from scratch. This can be done by applying PRF file, recreating outlook profiles manually following for example these steps or using automated creation of outlook profiles or using ProfMan by utilizing IProfAdmin interface.
Written on 27/3/07 4:50 PM
I don't know what the fuss is about: I'm running Outlook 2007 on POP3 at home on a 5 year old computer without hitch and testing against Exchange 2003 in the office just fine.
Written on 8/4/07 7:42 PM
To the above 'anonymous'
I just love seeing absolutely useless comments like that. Evidently this "fuss" doesn't concern you, so it's beyond me why you feel you must post here, especially a useless comment like that.
This is a real issue with Outlook 2007 and MSFT themselves agree, as they've released a temporary fix/update while working on a better permanent solution.
Written on 3/6/07 7:20 PM
After a few hours, wondering why my Outlook 2007 just freezes when starting, I located something simple.
My situation involved a fresh install, then an import of my old 2003 .pst file.
After the import, and subsequent freezes, I found this.
START/CONTROL PANEL / MAIL
Click "Data Files" button
Click "Data Files" Tab (if not already selected)
Note the location
I had 2 locations !
1 for the new install and my new pst files
1 for the folder where I imported my old 2003 pst from.
Eg
1 : C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst
and
2 : C:\BobOutlookImport\outlook.pst
For some reason, outlook was trying to still load the location of the import pst earlier each time I started Outlook 2007.
I removed the older import data file and no freezes. Sorted !
Written on 4/7/07 6:37 AM
AMAZING fixes -- what a difference! Thank you thank you thank you! I'm noticing a difference immediately.
~bb
Written on 7/8/07 6:14 PM
I accidentally deleted the add-in 'windows search email indexer'. How do I get it back?
Written on 20/8/07 11:31 PM
Many of us aren't running Outlook, but instead use Mozilla Thunderbird. Your site says "Office 2007" running slow...that's why I connected. Outlook may be a part of the problem, but I mostly use Excel and Word and am getting very frustrated with unbearably slow load times. Are there fixes available for these programs as well or does Outlook load in the background and cause the slow load times? My, my, this seems to be a bigger problem than anyone is letting on.
Written on 7/10/07 11:33 PM
It Work!!! Thank you very much.
The major problem is on
Outlook Add-Ins
Written on 14/10/07 5:43 AM
Right on!! Now I'm not starting Outlook & walking away for a few minutes. It was the add on's that kill it. I still have GTD & Goldmine addins running.
Written on 15/11/07 12:20 AM