How to re-install from scratch Outlook ?

Question

Good morning, I have an entry in Outlook->Tools->Account which causes email reception issues, and which I cannot suppress nor change to be not the default (when I try to suppress, or change default to the next entry, it works for the current Outlook execution, but when I quit and re-execute, the bad entry comes back as default). I checked for spywares and viruses, not the pb. So, I wanted to re-init entirely Outlook by removing it (control panel->add/supp programs) et re-install Outlook from the MS Office CD. Surprise !! After these steps, I executed Outlook and found my infos like emails, accounts, ..., including the bad entry. So, how to re-init from scratch Outlook (like at its first day) ? without any previously installed configuration items thanks for you help Jeff330

Mary G · Answer

Explain the problem & type of acct and what you have done to correct it. You can set up a duplicate or diff acct and select it as the default. Your bad acct setup does not warrant a reinstall.

esquire · Answer

Have you also tried removing the account in your OL?     I recently came across a problem with a phantom Personal Folders file (PST) that just would not go away, and the solution was to remove the OL Profile and restart OL:   1.  Exit OL 2.  Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles 3.  Select the default profile called Outlook and click the Remove button 4.  Restart OL and reconfigure all email accounts

Jeff330 · Answer

The first and default profile which is causing pbs is called Wanadoo. It has a strange behaviour: the email address should stay as gbpourrat@orange.fr but changes to gbpourrat@orange.fr@wanadoo.fr automatically in background.
So, I cannot send email because of this incorrect sender email address.
If I change it back right away to gbpourrat@orange.fr, I can send emails.
If I remove the profile right away and use the second correct profile (same inputs without the strange email change), I can send emails.
If I swith the default to the second profile, I can send emails.
As soon as I quit Outlook for a while then come back, the bad profile is there again (if removed) and/or the incorrect email address is back, and is the default.

For me, control panel/mail brings me to same window as in OL/Tools.

So, either I can remove the bad profile entry or re-init OL from scratch ?
Could I do it with 'regedit' ?
Could I do it by removing a directory ? a file ?

Thanks a lot
Jeff330

esquire · Answer

Which OL version are you using?   Did you configure this yourself?  OL names its first Profile 'Outlook' by default.

Jeff330 · Answer

I use OL 2000.
I configured myself, upgrading from OL Express to OL, moving the parameters and messages.
I have no first entry like Outlook.
The first entry is the one got from the upgrade, the one having the email address problem.
I created the second entry, which can be selected as default from one OL execution to another.

So, either I can remove the bad entry or I re-init OL.

Thanks for your help
Jeff330

esquire · Answer

Unfortuantely it is rather difficult to do so - there isn't really a function to reinitiate. There is a function to start OL like it's the first time but it only appears in OL 2003, even then it will not work since you have existing account setup, so removing all Profiles OL has created may be your best and quickest solution.

OL2000 comes with two modes - Internet Mail Only (IMO) and Corpoate and Workgroup (CW). For more details, please see: http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/choosingmode.htm. If I remember correctly, it isn't possible to access or manage Profiles using IMO mode. If you are using CW mode, you can access OL Profiles from the Mail icon in your Control Panel.

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