Email is one of the most important communications tools for businesses. When it stops working, people start to get nervous. While there are many things that a user can do to mess up their email, many of these problems can be resolved with a restart of the software or the computer. However when the old standby of restarting doesn’t work, it is time to start looking into the issue a bit more deeply. Here are some of the more common errors found in Outlook 2010 and some tricks you can use to get things working again:
1. Error message that reads: “Cannot open your default e-mail folders. The information store could not be opened.”
This issue can be fixed by first locating Outlook.exe that can be found here: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14. Next, right click Outlook.exe and then click on Properties. On the Compatibility tab, clear the check box that reads ‘Run this program in compatibility mode’. Then click Ok and restart Outlook.
2. Error message that reads: “Your Microsoft Exchange Server is unavailable.”
This error is a bit trickier to resolve only because there can be many different causes. No data connection – test your SMTP connection using telnet. If you are unsure how to do this, Microsoft has published a handy-dandy guide on their TechNet site that walks you through this process: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb123686.aspx.
Office Outlook files are locked – there are times when .ost and .pst files are accidentally, or purposefully, set to read only. Check the permissions of these two files by navigating to: C:Users<username>AppDataLocalMicrosoftOutlook for .pst files and C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice12 for .ost files. Make sure that neither is set to read only.
Third party applications are interfering with Outlook – many programs, including anti-malware solutions, can interfere with Outlook connecting to the Exchange Server. To check to see if this is the cause, start Outlook in safe mode. Outlook files are corrupted – this can happen after an upgrade is applied to Outlook. If any of the .dat files listed below are present they should be deleted or renamed.
- Extend.dat – C:Documents and Settings<username>Local SettingsApplication DataMicrosoftOutlook
- Frmcache.dat – C:Documents and Settings<username>Application DataMicrosoftForms
- Views.dat – C:Documents and Settings<username>Application DataMicrosoftOutlook
- Outcmd.dat – C:Documents and Settings<username>Application DataMicrosoftOutlook
All the files, with the exception of Outcmd.dat will be re-created. The Outcmd.dat file saves customized toolbar settings so if it is removed these settings will have to be re-applied.
3. Office Outlook will not open personal folders or personal folders do not show up in Outlook.
Personal folders are often the main cause of many problems related to Outlook. Microsoft has published the Inbox Repair tool, Scanpst.exe, that can be used to scan .pst and .ost files for errors in the file structure. If this is not intact, it will reset the file structure and rebuild the headers. This tool will only work on the files that reside on your computer’s hard drive, not the files on the Microsoft Exchange Server. This will also help to resolve the error message: “Cannot open your default e-mail folder.
4. Error messages that read either: “The action cannot be completed. The connection to the Microsoft Exchange Server is unavailable. Your network adapter does not have a default gateway” or “Your Microsoft Exchange Server is unavailable”.
This error occurs when Outlook is unsure of the default gateway address. The former is the error message that shows when the Outlook profile is configured automatically and the latter appears when the profile is manually configured. Both have the same fix.
- To repair this you will need to edit the registry so clicking on Start and then Run is necessary.
- Then, enter regedit in the Open box and click OK. Next, navigate to the registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice14.0OutlookRPC - On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
- Type DefConnectOpts, and then press ENTER.
- Now, right-click DefConnectOpts, and then click Modify.
- In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
5. None of the authentication methods supported by this client are supported by your server.
This happens to people when they use their computer in multiple locations. For example, a laptop is taken home and connected to the home network or perhaps a computer is taken on the road. Basically, it comes from authentication rules for the SMTP server. When this error occurs go to the Account Settings tab and click on Change then More Settings. Now select the Outgoing Server tab. The option that reads: “My outgoing server requires authentication” and the one that reads: “Log on to incoming mail server before sending mail” should both be looked at. If there is a check in the option box remove it.