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My gal has been having her Outlook email acting up for about 2 weeks now; it refuses to load, won't load unless you boot... blah blah, depending on what mood it's in. Half the time it won't work. Now she finds that it will load if she turns off AVG - which has been running for 8 months or so with no trouble. Oh oh...
Does anyone know of an AVG-Outlook incompatability??
Thanks a lot for any input...
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Not that I have heard of. My concern would be why it was working and suddenly it developed a problem. I would do a virus scan from http://www.housecall.trendmicro.com/
If the scan shows no infection I would download a new AVG program, then uninstall AVG and install the new download, and get the new updates. What firewall are you using?
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Have you done ANY MS updates lately, specifically related to IE?
If yes, that may be the problem.
I'd check all the settings in IE.
What exactly are the symptoms?
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Hard to say from here, but best guess is she's got malware of some kind - either a virus missed by AVG or some other nasty that AVG isn't even intended to detect. If there is *any* conflict between AVG & Outlook it would immediatley be documented by AVG on their site with a fix.
Verify (closely) that AVG is successfully updated & scan. If that fails to find the villian, download the following scan tools to search for non-viral malware:
www.agnitum.com/products/tauscan/
www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
For Ad-Aware be sure you are running ver.6, build 181 (the build is very important!) then run webupdate to obtain latest reference file.
Still no indication? You can either assume the system is clean & what you suffer is a mis-config or damaged app files (remove &/or repair both Outlook & AVG) or you can uninstall AVG & download/install a better AV scanner - I like ESET's nod32 (nod32.com) which offers a fully functional 30 day trial.
At the risk of repeating what you've already heard a million times: friends don't let friends use Outlook. I am not trying to be cute, it's a simple fact. It's very easy to migrate & adapt to a decent email client. Chose one that isn't dependent on IE to render it's html. In addition Outlook, many non-MS clients have OS dependencies - with IE dependencies being the riskiest.
There are a plethora of options. I use TheBat! but don't recommend it unless the user is adept at new interfaces. TheBat! is structurally unsurpassed but the GUI leaves much to be desired.
G'luck! - Jonathan
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Symptoms... well, nothing spectacular. The odd time it loads and works normally. Usually, the Outlook window (if that's the right term) loads, but without the detail of the window filling in... so just the frame appears, and then the hourglass icon just sits there forever. Occasionally, ALT-CNTRL-DEL, Close, and click on the OE icon again, and it will load OK and function; but usually, the hourglass icon is the end result, with no function. Oddly, the email sending function works by clicking the icon in Internet Explorer.
Now, when AVG is shut off, Outlook loads and functions normally, period.
There you go....
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I asked about what firewall, because of the new email settings that Zone Alarm pro 4 has. Does she use Outlook Express? I once had a problem when the my settings changed from Outlook to Outlook Express as my primary email program.
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the Sweetest Of Women advises me that the trouble started around the time that she downloaded some Microsoft "critical updates" 2 or 3 weeks ago when the virus frenzy got going.
Where's my screwdriver.....
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Visit the Microsoft Update site:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;w98
and Knowledge base and they have some PATCHES for their PATCHES with XP and 98. I see you are on 98 SE, still this could be an issue.
There were some issues with programs not working correctly after the Hot fix Q328310
for XP, but not 98 SE.
Very unlikely that AVG would have this type of MAJOR issue go un-noticed, until now.If you can SEND but not RECEIVE email, then I would check the following:
TCP/IP Network Settings in 98
Firewall Settings, and try it with the firewall DISABLED.
The AVG related issue may appear to be involved BUT it may not actually be the principal complaint.
I assume you are on DIAL-UP, so the email settings in OUTLOOK EXPRESS (?) are very important for incoming and outgoing functions, SMTP and POP.And lastly, for good measure do a complete ON-LINE scan at www.housecall.antivirus.com AND at www.symantec.com
And while you're at it, do a Trojan and worm scan too.
Download either the free 30-day trial of:
Beginners version: TROJAN REMOVER from
www.simplysup.comOR
ADVANCED version: TDS3 from www.diamondcs.com.auAND scan for malware, adware with AD-AWARE, SPYBOT and HIJACK THIS!
These last SECURITY SCANS are not likely to solve your problem, but it is always a good place to start with mysterious issues, especially these days and SECURITY should be your overall number concern.
And lastly, IMHO, I'd ditch Win 98, migrate to XP and you'll have an easier time when these issues arise.
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Thanks to everyone for suggestions.
Re-installing a new version of AVG did the trick.
Also, I loaded Spybot, and it found a piece of stuff called Hotbar, which was malfunctioning, and, among other things, was causing IE to dial in every time the computer booted. It was a BIG piece of adware or spyware.
The main issue though, was the AVG thing.
This was my girlfriends computer, I should have mentioned that she's on ME, not 98.
Again, thanks for the assistance. Hell hath no fury like a woman without email.
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