Could not create the work file. Check the temp environment

Due to a number of reasons the variables under registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\User Shell Folders\Cache gets changed to incorrect values and you start getting this weird message whenever you use any Microsoft office application.

"Outlook could not create the work file. Check the TEMP environment variable"
"Word could not create the work file. Check the TEMP environment variable"

a. Start->Run-> enter "regedit" and hit 'enter' to run the program to edit Registry variables. Go to folder ->

b. Check the variable values- All the variable should have values starting "%USERPROFILE%\". Any variable which is not having this starting point is probably corrupted. In my case, all the corrupted variables had a corresponding "Backup_VariableName". Example: my "cache" variable had a corrupt value while there was a variable called "backup_cache" with correct values

c. Change the value of all the corrupted variables to correct values. Example change value of "cache" variable to "%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files" and so forth. Close all the Ms Office Programs and re-start. The problem should be fixed now.

Process Explorer

Download process explorer
Simple and Easy to understand GUI, Detailed info and statistics of processes, Can be used to debug software, can track unauthorized or hidden processes, Freeware.

The Process Explorer from Microsoft (yes, you read that right) has been available on their website for ages. It shows you information about which handles (instance of a program) and DLLs' processes have been opened and are loaded or running in the memory. In a nut shell, it's kinda a next level of the Task Manager.

Process Explorer gives you detailed information of a process; that includes its icon, command-line, full image path, memory statistics, user account, security attributes and more geeky mumbo jumbo. If required you can see the DLLs that a process has loaded or check what OS resource it uses.

A search feature allows you to track down a process right down to the last resource it is using (a file, registry key, etc) or you may also opt to view only a list of processes that have a DLL loaded.

Features

We used the Process Explorer v10.21 and will talk in detail about the same. Let's move ahead to geekier stuff and see what features are provided by the application.

- Service permissions viewing and editing
- Workaround for .NET runtime handle leak
- Many new I/O columns and process properties
- System and per-process I/O bytes history graphs
- I/O history minigraph
- Signed driver for 64-bit Vista for x64 processors
- Memory commit history minigraph
- Optional I/O history tray icon
- Windows 64-bit for Itanium support

Some features are pertaining to Vista. They are,

- Vista integrity level and virtualized columns and process properties
- Vista process cycle counters in process properties and as column

The System Information icon gives you details about the total number of handles, threads, physical and kernel memory, paging and statistics on CPU and I/O as well as the Commit Charge.

Apart from these features, Power Explorer gives you a lot of room for customization as well.

You can configure symbols, highlighting of selected processes, organize columns, update speeds and a lot more.

XP Tricks&Tips

001. Remove MSN Instant Messenger Program
Some of us just don't like to use this IM program. I myself have looked in the Add/Remove Program panel and can't find any way to remove it there. I found out how to do it with a little research. Just go to Start->Run and type in rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection BLC.Remove 128 %SystemRoot%\INF\msmsgs.inf and hit ENTER. Do a copy and paste to avoid typographical errors.

002. Remove Internet Explorer Completely - All version of Windows
Microsoft said that removing IE may make Windows unstable because it has key components that makes Windows function properly. Well, there is a way to remove it completely. Go to this site and get IEradicator. Many people have used it before and removed IE with no problems afterwards.

003. Shutdown Windows Faster
All versions of Windows have the same problem. It usually takes a little longer to shutdown when you have the Exit Sound enabled. To disable this go to Start->Settings->Control Panel->Sounds and Audio Devices->Sounds. Scroll down and look for Exit Windows . Click on it once and then under Sounds, choose None. You should see faster shutdown times.

004. Clean out files in Prefetch Folder
There are files located in the Prefetch folder (C:\Windows\Prefetch ) that you may safely delete. These files are usually left there by other programs that were using. You can either manually delete them or use this batch file that I created to do it. All you need to do is unzip the file called prefetch.bat into your Desktop and then double click on it. You will see the command prompt come up shortly and disappear. That's it.

005. Remove temporary files from Temp Folder
You may have noticed that .tmp files appear in the Temp folder ( C:\Windows\Temp). You may delete these files. Since these files might be accessed by another program, it's a good idea to delete these when you don't have any programs open. It's best to do this right after you login to ensure that no programs are using it. If you don't want to bother going into that folder every time to delete it, you can download xp_downloads.zip which contains a file called del_temp.bat . Just extract that file and double click on it to run it.

006. Add programs/folders to SendTo menu
When you right click on a file/folder and choose SendTo, you will get a list of programs/folders to send it to. Let's just say that you want to add or delete one of your own programs/folders. This could be accomplished very easily. Just navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\your_username\SendTo. In this folder you may add or delete any program/folder shortcuts. All you need to do is right click on the program you want to add, and drag and drop (choose Create Shortcuts Here) it into the SendTo folder.

007. Make XP stop displaying zipped files as folders
In XP, zipped folders could be viewed just by opening up the file. If you have a third party zip program that you want to use instead of the built in one by XP, you can stop XP from displaying the zipped files as folders. This may also be useful for those who are on a slow PC and don't want to open zip files using XP's built in zip program.

To disable this in XP, go to Start->Run and type in regsvr32 /u zipfldr.dll. You may just copy and paste the command into the Run menu. If you want to undo it, just type in regsvr32 zipfldr.dll. Zip away.

008. How to Create a Password Reset Disk
Windows XP allows you to create a password reset disk, just in case you forget the password and can't login. This is only for computers that are not on a domain. Those that are on a domain may or may not work the same way.

Go to Start->Control Panel->User Accounts and click on your username. Under Related Tasks on the left pane, click Prevent a forgotten password . A wizard will show up. Click next and then insert a floppy disk into your floppy drive and choose to save the reset disk on the floppy.

Enter your current password and then click Next and Finish. The floppy will now contain your encrypted password. If you forget your password, you can just use the Password Reset Wizard to create a new one. Just make sure to create another reset disk once you changed your password. So if you forgot your password and changed it to a new one, create another reset disk by repeating the above procedure again.

009. Set User Logon Hours
You can restrict a certain user to only use the computer at a certain time interval. Let's say you have a username called Bill and you want Bill to access the computer only from 9AM - 9PM from Monday through Friday. You can do this by going to Start->Run and type in net user Bill /time:M-F,9am-9pm. For 24-hour time, you can replace the time with 09:00-21:00 instead. This will only allow the user to login during those hours on those days.

010. Disable XP Messenger Service
Disable the messenger service built into Windows XP to prevent ads or other popups from coming up when using Outlook (and maybe even Outlook Express). Anyway, just disable it for better performance. To disable it, right click on My Computer->Manage->Services and Applications->Services and right click on Messenger and choose Stop. This will stop the service. There may be cases when the Messenger Service is required for some programs to run properly, so if that's the case, I would set it to Manual instead of Stop .

011. Customize SendTo Menu - All versions of Windows
Have you ever wanted to use some other program to open up a certain file but had to go through My Computer->Program Files and then click on the program's folder and then the program itself. You can open a file with any programs you have with ease by adding them to the SendTo menu. You know, when you right click on a file and choose Send To. To do this, go to Start->Run and type in sendto to open up the SendTo folder. Now go to My Computer->C: Drive->Program Files and open up any of the program folders you want. Then right click on the individual programs and drag it to the SendTo folder and choose Create Shortcuts Here. Do that for each program you want to be listed there. The next time you right click on a file and choose Send To, you should see those programs listed there.

012. Disable Personalized Menus
Some XP users might not like the personalized menus that XP has. One example of this feature is the highlighting of newly installed programs in the Start Menu. Some users might find this annoying. To turn this feature off right click on the Start Button->Properties->Start Menu tab->Customize->Advance tab->uncheck Highlight newly installed programs. Click OK. Now when new programs are installed they shouldn't be highlighted.

013. Using XP System Restore
One important feature in XP is System Restore. This makes a backup of your data. To create the restore points go to Start->All Programs->Accessories->System Tools->System Restore. Click Create a restore point and click Next. Type in a description for the restore point and click Create. You're all set. If your system fails for some reason you may use the restore point by hitting the F8 key repeatedly during boot time until a menu comes up. Choose Last known good configuration. This will restore everything to the last time when everything was working ok. It's using the most recent restore point that you created. If you can get into Windows XP, you can go to Start->All Programs->Accessories->System Tools->System Restore.

014. Clear System Restore Points
System restore points can take up a huge amount of space due to the many restore points created. You can delete all these restore points by right clicking on My Computer->Properties->System Restore and check Turn off System Restore on all drives. Then make sure to create them again manually for each drive using the method above (Using XP System Restore). That will get rid of the older restore points and leave you with the new and updated one.

015. Disable/Remove Hibernation Mode
The hibernation file which allows a user to use hibernation mode takes up a lot of space. If you use this feature you are allocating/creating space so that when you come back everything (programs and folders) are still open. If you don't use it that much then there's not much sense keeping it. So you may remove it. Go to Start->Control Panel->Power Options->Hibernate tab and uncheck Enable hibernation. That should remove the actual hibernation file. You may double check by doing a Search (F3 key) and search for hiberfil.sys in the C: drive. It shouldn't be found, but if it is, you may safely delete it.

016. Disable Indexing Service
Speed up XP by turning off the Indexing Service for your hard drive. This feature is used to make your searching needs faster, but it's affecting the overall performance so it's best to turn it off. Go to My Computer and right click on the drive that you want the feature to be disabled. Choose Properties and uncheck the box where it says Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching. When a box come up choose to Apply to all folders and subfolders.

017. Rename Multiple Files
This is something new in Windows XP - renaming multiple files. Let's say you have a huge photo collection and want to name them in sequential order. You can do this very easily. Just select all the photos you want to rename (you may use the ctrl key and click on individual files if desired). Then hit the F2 key and type in the name of the file. Hit Enter. It should all rename. So if you entered VacationPhoto, you will have VacationPhoto (1), VacationPhoto (2), VacationPhoto (3), etc.

018. Reinstall Windows XP Without Repeating Online Activation
This has probably happened to most of us already. We have XP installed already and when we reinstall it, we are asked to go online and activate it again. You can avoid doing that by backing up a very small file that has the activation information. Before you do this, keep in mind that your hardware should be the same as before when you activated in order for this to definitely work. Go to C:\Windows\System32 and look for wpa.dbl. Copy that file to a floppy. After you finished reinstalling XP, just rename the current wpa.dbl file in C:\Windows\System32 to something like wpa.old.

How to turn on automatic logon in Windows XP

1.	Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
2.	Locate the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
3.	Using your account name and password, double-click the DefaultUserName entry, type your user name, and then click OK .
4.	Double-click the DefaultPassword entry, type your password under the value data box, and then click OK. If there is no DefaultPassword value, create the value. To do this, follow these steps: a. In Registry Editor, click Edit , click New, and then click String Value . b. Type DefaultPassword as the value name, and then press ENTER. c. Double-click the newly created key, and then type your password in the Value Data box. If no DefaultPassword string is specified, Windows XP automatically changes the value of the AutoAdminLogon registry key from 1 (true) to 0 (false) to turn off the AutoAdminLogon feature.
5.	Double-click the AutoAdminLogon entry, type 1 in the Value Data box, and then click OK. If there is no AutoAdminLogon entry, create the entry. To do this, follow these steps: a. In Registry Editor, click Edit , click New, and then click String Value . b. Type AutoAdminLogon as the value name, and then press ENTER. c. Double-click the newly created key, and then type 1 in the Value Data box.
6.	Quit Registry Editor.
7.	Click Start , click Restart, and then click OK .

After your computer restarts and Windows XP starts, you can log on automatically.

If you want to bypass the automatic logon to log on as a different user, hold down the SHIFT key after you log off or after Windows XP restarts. Note that this procedure applies only to the first logon. To enforce this setting for future logoffs, the administrator must set the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Value:ForceAutoLogon
Type: REG_SZ
Data: 1

You can also use turn on automatic logon without editing the registry in Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition and in Microsoft Windows XP Professional on a computer that is not joined to a domain. To do this, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start , and then click Run.
2.	In the Open box, type control userpasswords2, and then click OK. Note When users try to display help information in the User Accounts window in Windows XP Home Edition, the help information is not displayed. Additionally, users receive the following error message: Cannot find the Drive :\Windows\System32\users.hlp Help file. Check to see that the file exists on your hard disk drive. If it does not exist, you must reinstall it.
3.	Clear the "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer" check box, and then click Apply.
4.	In the Automatically Log On window, type the password in the Password box, and then retype the password in the Confirm Password box.
5.	Click OK to close the Automatically Log On window, and then click OK to close the User Accounts window.

Microsoft posts two major Vista fix packs for download

Microsoft posted the final versions of the two Vista fix packs for download.

The Vista performance fix pack, KB 938979, (both 32- and 64-bit versions) is downloadable here.

The reliability fix pack, KB 938194, (32- and 64-bit flavors), can be downloaded here.

The two fix packs include a number of the updates that Microsoft is expected to deliver in the first full-fledged Windows Vista Service Pack (SP) 1 release, a public beta of which is expected real soon now. SP1 is expected to include a number of security, performance and reliability fixes that Microsoft has been delivering since it shipped Vista, all in one single package.

Delete print jobs jamming print queue in Win2k, Windows NT

The printer spooler service, SPOOLSS.EXE (SPOOLSV in Windows 2000), manages jobs sent to printers connected to Windows NT and Windows 2000 machines. (If you're printing to a remote or networked printer, the Spooler service on the machine which the remote printer is attached to will handle the job.)

On occasion, a print job may refuse to work correctly and may jam up the print queue. Worse, it may be impossible to delete the print job through conventional means, i.e., by right-clicking on the job and selecting Cancel, or by selecting Cancel All Documents from the Printer menu. If this happens, it usually means the job itself is corrupt and must be deleted manually.

If you're trying to delete a specific stuck print job, take note of the job's approximate time and date. Then do the following:

1. Close all open Printers folders.
2. Stop the Spooler service. In Windows 2000, this is done through the Services icon in Administrative Tools (found in the Control Panel); in Windows NT 4.0, it's done through the Services icon in the Control Panel. You can also stop the Spooler by typing NET STOP SPOOLER at a command prompt. If you're using TCP/IP Printing Services, you'll need to stop that service as well.
3. Open the %Winroot%System32SpoolPrinters directory (same in both operating systems). Make sure Explorer is set to view hidden and system files.
4. Delete all *.SPL and *.SHD files in that directory that match the time/date stamp of the job you're trying to kill. If you're trying to purge everything, delete all files with those extensions.
5. Close the Printers folder and restart the stopped services. You can restart the Spooler from the command line by typing NET START SPOOLER.

If you have too many "dead" spool files in the directory, you may also get this error whenever you try to print:

An application error has occurred and an application error log is being generated.
SPOOLSS.EXE (SPOOLSV.EXE in Win2K)
Exception: access violation (0xc0000005), Address:

This indicates that the directory may be overloaded with printer spooler files and needs to be cleaned. Also check into the system's TEMP directories and remove any *.TMP files. These can also be an obstacle; some printer drivers use the TEMP directory for rasterization of print jobs.

How do I fix this high CPU usage svchost virus or whatever it is?

Svchost, or more correctly "Service Host" is a program that is designed to run other programs and "hosts" many of the system services in Windows XP. Several copies of Svchost run more than one service, which is why when you kill an instance of svchost several things on your machine might stop working.

So why is one of the Svchosts taking all your CPU?

And what can you do about it?

The bug appears to be related to the Windows Update service - the service that you're supposed to keep running at all times so that updates will be automatically downloaded to your machine.

A quick way to tell if this is happening to you is to download Process Explorer and right click on the svchost instance that's taking 100% of your CPU and then click on the Services tab:

You can see that this copy of svchost on my machine is running not only The Windows Update service, but is actually running 29 services all totalled. So if you were to kill this instance of svchost you'd be killing all of those services and many features and functionality of your system would fail.

One Temporary Solution

One approach to this problem is to stop and then disable the Windows Automatic Update service. If you have it open in Process Explorer, as shown above, with Automatic Updates selected in the list then just click the Stop button. If your CPU usage then drops to more normal levels, you've identified the problem.

To prevent the Automatic Update service from starting again, right click on My Computer and click on Manage . Expand Services and Applications, and then underneath that click on Services. In the resulting list on the right, locate Automatic Updates :

Right click on Automatic Updates and click on Properties. Change the Startup type to Disabled:

(You can also click Stop here if you didn't stop the service earlier.)

Click OK and Automatic Update service should be disabled.

IMPORTANT: since you won't be getting updates automatically, you should now plan on visiting the Windows Update web site periodically to make sure you keep your Windows up to date. As we'll see shortly, this will also become important to resolve this problem "for real

A Permanent Solution?

There isn't a permanent solution. Not yet anyway.

There are rumors that Microsoft actually has a fix, but that you need to call up and ask for it rather than getting it through normal channels. It is not convinced that this fix is actually for this specific problem that so many people are experiencing.

There are also rumors that Microsoft will be making the actual fix available in a future automatic update. Ironic, since it's automatic update that you may have turned off in order to work around the problem. That's why recommend making certain you regularly visit Windows Update and take the latest fixes to keep your system up to date, not only for this issue but for any other issues that may crop up over time.

Also, remember, once the problem is fixed be sure to re-enable the Automatic Updates feature. It remains an important part of keeping your system safe and up to date.

Update!

23-May-2007

This automatic update waiting to be installed on my machine this morning:

This is the update that's been frequently referenced as a resolution for this problem.

The interim fix involves applying two patches, in order:

First download and install the fix from KB 927891.

Second download and install this update to the Windows Update Client.

Internet Explorer Backup

BackRex Internet Explorer Backup is a backup and restore tool for Internet Explorer. It allows you to backup favorites, history, proxy settings, fonts, dialup accounts, autocomplete passwords and cookies.

BackRex Internet Explorer Backup can help you to move all your Internet Explorer settings from one computer to another, even if it has a different version of Windows and/or Internet Explorer installed (for example from Internet Explorer 7.0 to Internet Explorer 8.0 or vice versa).

With Scheduled Backup feature you can backup all your data on a regular basis - daily, weekly or monthly.

What exactly is backed up?

Below is the list of data and settings saved and restored by BackRex Internet Explorer Backup:

Download free version

Internet Explorer
	Favorites
	Proxy & connection settings
	Security zones
	User customizations
	Cookies
	History
	Dialup accounts
	Form Autocomplete entries

BackRex Internet Explorer Backup screenshots 1.0

Using Command lines for outlook

To use switches, at the Start menu, Run command type:

Outlook /switch

Occasionally you'll need to use the full path to Outlook, so the command line looks like:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\Outlook.exe " /switch

Notes:Before using a command line switch, you need to close Outlook and verify it's closed in Task Manager's Processes tab.

Paths that include spaces between words must be enclosed in quotation marks (") and are case sensitive. You'll need the full path if you create desktop shortcuts.

If you use Vista, you can type the command line in the Start Search field on the Start menu or type Run to open the Run dialog. The Windows key+R will also open the Run dialog in both Windows XP and Vista.

Switches

/a

Creates an item with the specified file as an attachment.

Usage:

Outlook /a "C:\My Documents\labels.doc"

If no item type is specified, IPM.Note form is assumed. This switch cannot be used with message classes that aren't based on Outlook.

/altvba otmfilename

Opens the VBA program specified in otmfilename, rather than %appdata%\Microsoft\Outlook\VbaProject.OTM. Use this switch when you need to run macros not in your VBAProject file.

/autorun macroname

Opens Outlook and immediately runs the macro specified in macroname.

/c messageclass

Creates a new item of the specified message class, works for any valid MAPI form.

Examples:

* /c ipm.activity creates a Journal entry
* /c ipm.appointment creates an appointment
* /c ipm.contact creates a contact
* /c ipm.note creates an e-mail message
* /c ipm.stickynote creates a note
* /c ipm.task creates a task

/checkclient

Prompts for the default manager of e-mail, news, and contacts.

/cleanclientrules

Starts Outlook and deletes client-based rules. Used by non-Exchange account users.

/cleandmrecords

Deletes the logging records saved when a manager or a delegate declines a meeting. Used by Exchange Server accounts.

/cleanfinders

Removes Search Folders from the Microsoft Exchange server store.

/cleanfreebusy

Clears and regenerates free/busy information. This switch can only be used when you are able to connect to your Microsoft Exchange server.

/cleanprofile

Removes invalid profile keys and recreates default registry keys where applicable.

/cleanpst

Launches Outlook with a clean Personal Folders file (.pst)

/cleanreminders

Clears and regenerates reminders.

/cleanrules

Starts Outlook and deletes client- and server-based rules.

/cleanschedplus

Deletes all Schedule+ data (free/busy, permissions, and .cal file) from the server and enables the free/busy information from the Outlook Calendar to be used and viewed by all Schedule+ 1.0 users.

/cleanserverrules

Starts Outlook and deletes server-based rules. Used only with Exchange server accounts.

/cleansniff

Overrides the programmatic lockout that determines which of your computers (when running Outlook simultaneously) processes meeting items. The lockout process helps prevent duplicate reminder messages. This switch clears the lockout on the computer it is used, enabling Outlook to process meeting items.

/cleansubscriptions

Deletes the subscription messages and properties for subscription features. Used with SharePoint alerts.

/cleanviews

Restores default views. Use with care as all custom views you created are lost.

/designer

Starts Outlook without figuring out if Outlook should be the default client in the first run.

/embedding

Opens the specified message file (.msg) as an OLE embedding. Also used without command-line parameters for standard OLE co-create.

/explorer

Opens the new window in "explorer" mode (link bar on).

/f msgfilename

Opens the specified message file (.msg) or Microsoft Office saved search (.oss).

/firstrun

Starts Outlook as if it were run for the first time.

/folder

Opens a new window in "folder" mode (Navigation Pane off).

/hol holfilename

Opens the specified .hol file.

/ical icsfilename

Opens the specified .ics file.

/importprf prffilename

Launches Outlook and opens/imports the defined MAPI profile (*.prf). If Outlook is already open, queues the profile to be imported on the next clean launch.

/l olkfilename

Opens the specified .olk file.

/launchtraininghelp assetid

Opens a Help window with the Help topic specified in assetid.

/m emailname

Provides a way for the user to add an e-mail name to the item. Use either the full address or let alias resolve. Only works in conjunction with the /c command-line parameter.

Usage:

Outlook.exe /c ipm.note /m test@poremsky.com

Outlook.exe /c ipm.note /m dianep

/nocustomize

Starts Outlook without loading outcmd.dat (customized toolbars). With older versions of Outlook the *.fav file doesn't load.

/noextensions

Starts Outlook with extensions turned off, but listed in the Add-In Manager.

/nopollmail

Starts Outlook without checking mail at startup.

/nopreview

Starts Outlook with the Reading Pane off and removes the option from the View menu.

/p msgfilename

Prints the specified message (.msg). Does not work with HTML.

/profile profilename

Loads the specified profile. If your profile name contains a space, enclose the profile name in quotation marks.

/profiles

Opens the Choose Profile dialog box regardless of the Options setting on the Tools menu.

/recycle

Starts Outlook using an existing Outlook window, if one exists. Can be used in combination with /explorer or /folder. The Outlook shortcut in the Quick Launch bar uses the /recycle switch.

/resetfoldernames

Resets default folder names (such as Inbox or Sent Items) to default names in the current Office user interface language.

For example, if you first connect to your mailbox Outlook using a Russian user interface, the Russian default folder names cannot be renamed. To change the default folder names to another language such as Japanese or English, you can use this switch to reset the default folder names after changing the user interface language or installing a different language version of Outlook.

/resetfolders

Restores missing folders for the default delivery location.

/resetnavpane

Clears and regenerates the Navigation Pane for the current profile. Removes all Shortcuts and Favorite Folders. Has the same effect as deleting profilename.xml in your user directory.

/rpcdiag

Opens Outlook and displays the remote procedure call (RPC) connection status dialog.

/s filename

Loads the specified shortcuts file (.fav). Use to load *.fav files created in older versions of Outlook.

/safe

Starts Outlook without extensions, Reading Pane, or toolbar customization.

/safe:1

Starts Outlook with the Reading Pane off. New to Outlook 2003.

/safe:2

Starts Outlook without checking mail at startup. New to Outlook 2003.

/safe:3

Starts Outlook with extensions turned off, but listed in the Add-In Manager.

/safe:4

Starts Outlook without loading Outcmd.dat (customized toolbars) and *.fav file.

/select foldername

Starts Outlook and opens the specified folder in a new window.

Usage:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\Outlook.exe" /select outlook:calendar

outlook /select "outlook:Inbox\Old Messages"

/sniff

Starts Outlook and forces a detection of new meeting requests in the Inbox, and then adds them to the calendar.

/t oftfilename

Opens the specified .oft file.

/v vcffilename

Opens the specified .vcf file.

/vcal vcsfilename

Opens the specified .vcs file.

/x xnkfilename

Opens the specified .xnk file.

cannot start microsoft office outlook

Once you try starting Microsoft outlook it does not open correctly and you may receive following error message : Cannot start Microsoft office outlook. cannot open the outlook window

Method 1

   1. Click Start and then Run, type following command:
      Outlook.exe /resetnavpane
   2. Try to open Microsoft Outlook.

Method 2: Disable the compatibility setting

   1. Locate Outlook.exe.

          * Microsoft Office Outlook 2007- C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12
          * Microsoft Office Outlook 2003- C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office 11
          * Microsoft Outlook 2002- C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office 10
          * Microsoft Outlook 2000- C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office 9

   2. Right click Outlook.exe and then click Properties
   3. Click Compatibility tab and then click to clear the Run this program in compatibility mode  check box
   4. Click OK
   5. Try to restart Outlook.

Method 3: how to back up registry

   1. Click Start and then click Run
   2. Type Regedit and then press Enter
   3. Locate the following key:

      HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging Subsystem

   4. Delete the Profiles key under the Windows Messaging (Subsystem) key
   5. Exit Registory Editor
   6. Restart MS Outlook

Or Microsoft Fix
Using Command lines for outlook

How to Organize Internet Explorer Favorites in Alphabetical Order

Using the favorites option Internet Explorer is a quick and easy way to bookmark the websites you regularly visit, or find and want to visit again. When you have a list of favorites, you can organize them in alphabetical order for easy reference. Here is how to organize your favorites in alphabetical order when using Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, or Internet Explorer 8.

1. Click the favorites menu in Microsoft IE7 or IE8. You will find this at the top of the screen on the toolbar.

2. Right click any website listed. A list of options will appear.

3. Click “sort by name.”

4. The websites will be listed in alphabetical order. You can do this each time you add a site to your favorites.

5. You can also create folders for sites like blogs, social websites, or whatever categories make sense to you. Those can be alphabetized the same way.

No Mail icon in Control Panel in windows vista 64bit

I’m trying to make a change to my mail profile and I was advised to go to Control Panel-> Mail. However, when I go to Control Panel, there is no Mail icon. I’m using Windows Vista 64-bit.

Windows Vista 64-bit is the keyword here. Outlook is a 32-bit application and so is its Mail applet in Control Panel. 32-bit items have their own section in the Control Panel which is easily overlooked.

To get to the Mail icon choose;
Start-> Control Panel-> (Additional Options) View 32-bit Control Panel Items-> Mail

If you have Outlook pinned to the top of your Start Menu there is a much shorter way to reach it; Start-> right click on the Outlook icon-> Properties

How to obtain the Microsoft Office 2007 key/ serial for free

Microsoft had released Microsoft Office 2007 for download to masses. Following the link to download a copy of Microsoft Office 2007. (Note that due do high load, it may take a some time for download to begin).

To get the serial, click the ‘Try Now’ button beside the product you wish to try. You will get the product key and the link to download once you finish the process. Microsoft has the following trial products for download:

• Microsoft® Office Accounting Express 2007
• Microsoft® Office Small Business 2007
• Microsoft® Office Standard 2007
• Microsoft® Office Project Standard 2007
• Microsoft® Office Professional 2007
• Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2007
• Microsoft® Office Live Groove 2007
• Microsoft® Office Visio Standard 2007
• Microsoft® Office Visio Professional 2007
• Microsoft® Office OneNote 2007
• Microsoft® Office Publisher 2007
• Microsoft® Office Accounting Professional 2007

Note: The free trial lasts 60-days। You can upgrade the trial product and easily convert it into a permanent licensed version.

Solution:-Close all Microsoft Office programs।
Click on Start button, then click on Run.
Type “regedit” (without quotes) in the Run text box, and click OK or press Enter.
Locate and then click the following subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Registration

Inside, you will find another subkey that resembles the following subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Registration\{30120000-0011-0000-0000-0000000FF1CE}

Optional: Backup this registry branch by exporting the Registration subkey to a file, just in case the new product key does not work and you have to restore back the old product key. To export the registry, right click on the Registration subkey and click on Export, and follow the on-screen prompt to enter a file name for the registry file and choose a location to store it.
Under the Registration subkey, there may be several Globally Unique Identifiers (GUID) subkey that contain a combination of alphanumeric characters. Each GUID is specific to a program that is installed on your computer.

If you find additional subkeys that reference Microsoft 12.0 registration, then click and open each GUID subkey to view and identify the Office product version by the ProductName registry entry in the right pane. For example:

ProductName=Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007
After you find the GUID subkey that contains your Office product or program which you want to remove the existing product license key or registration details, delete the following registry entries by right clicking on the registry entry in the GUID subkey, click Delete, and then click Yes:

• DigitalProductID
• ProductID
Exit Registry Editor.
Run or open an Office application program, such as Microsoft Word or Excel or Outlook. Office 2007 will prompt you to enter a new 25-character product key.
Type in the valid and genuine product key, and then click OK.
Then when prompted to choose your preferred type of Microsoft Office 2007 installation, press on “Install Now”.
Microsoft Office 2007 will be updated with new product CD key or volume license key, and ready for activation (if it’s a non-VLK serial) or use.