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Outlook 2007 "blinking" issue in the inbox with PST files.

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BN

unread,
Apr 23, 2008, 2:53:01 PM4/23/08
to
Hi.
I am a PC Technician and have multiple computers have this issue. Our shop
upgraded from Office XP to Office 2007... and we left Frontpage XP installed.

The issue is that Outlook 2007 "blinks" as if it was trying to create a new
personal folders file and can't. If you let it do it it will continue for
days then create multiple "personal folders" items that Outlook can't open
because they don't exist. I've rebuilt the windows profile only copying over
documents/favorites/desktop folders, created a new PST file and then removed
it after it prompted me to find the personal folder it was looking for but
the issue will still remain and both don't resolve the issue. I have also
used Scanpst to scan the PST files and it finds and fixes errors in them. My
only conclusion is that there is a PST folder that is getting too large and
being corrupted and Outlook it trying to auto-create a new non-corrupted PST
file.

My question is what would cause this action by Outlook 2007 and is there one
setting or solution that I deploy that would prevent Outlook to stop
"blinking" or auto-creating new personal folders?

Hal Hostetler [MVP P/I]

unread,
Apr 23, 2008, 3:06:45 PM4/23/08
to
This sounds a lot like a corrupted Outlook profile. Try creating a new one
and see if the problem persists. In general, you should uninstall old
versions of Outlook rather than overwrite them with a newer version.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/829918/en-us
How to create a new e-mail profile in Outlook 2007 and in Outlook 2003

Hal
--
Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- h...@kvoa.com
Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX
http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"
KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
Live at Hot Licks - www.badnewsbluesband.com

"BN" <B...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:17571C69-789F-485B...@microsoft.com...

BN

unread,
Apr 23, 2008, 3:26:06 PM4/23/08
to
We have recreated the outlook profiles however it doesn't resolve the issue
and the thing that seems to help the most is rebuilding their windows profile
but we've had them contact us about it again after 1-2 months of it being
fine.

I agree that our shop should have uninstalled Office XP completely then
installed Office 2007. The top-down decision was to leave Frontpage for
whatever reason and we have hundreds of computers. So essentially it becomes
a big enough of an issue to redo the install to see if that is the cause
however we're unable to pinpoint the cause. That makes it hard to fix for
good as it happens so randomly with different computers. The next step
possibly if there are no other solutions/settings I'm overlooking is to try
uninstall office xp, reinstall office 2007 and check back in with the users.

In my mind it seems like a personal folder that is becoming corrupted and
needs repaired however that still leaves me wondering why Outlook 2007
automatically tries to create a new personal folder, gets stuck, causing the
"blinking".

Thanks for your quick response & hope to hear more from you,
Joe

wol...@gmail.com

unread,
Jun 9, 2008, 1:48:41 PM6/9/08
to
On Apr 23, 3:26 pm, BN <B...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> We have recreated theoutlookprofiles however it doesn't resolve the issue

> and the thing that seems to help the most is rebuilding their windows profile
> but we've had them contact us about it again after 1-2 months of it being
> fine.
>
> I agree that our shop should have uninstalled Office XP completely then
> installed Office2007. The top-down decision was to leave Frontpage for

> whatever reason and we have hundreds of computers. So essentially it becomes
> a big enough of an issue to redo the install to see if that is the cause
> however we're unable to pinpoint the cause. That makes it hard to fix for
> good as it happens so randomly with different computers. The next step
> possibly if there are no other solutions/settings I'm overlooking is to try
> uninstall office xp, reinstall office2007and check back in with the users.

>
> In my mind it seems like a personal folder that is becoming corrupted and
> needs repaired however that still leaves me wondering whyOutlook2007
> automatically tries to create a new personal folder, gets stuck, causing the
> "blinking".
>
> Thanks for your quick response & hope to hear more from you,
> Joe
>
> "Hal Hostetler [MVP P/I]" wrote:
>
> > This sounds a lot like a corruptedOutlookprofile. Try creating a new one

> > and see if the problem persists. In general, you should uninstall old
> > versions ofOutlookrather than overwrite them with a newer version.

>
> >http://support.microsoft.com/kb/829918/en-us
> > How to create a new e-mail profile inOutlook2007and inOutlook2003
>
> > Hal
> > --
> > Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- h...@kvoa.com
> > Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX
> >http://www.kvoa.com-- "When News breaks, we fix it!"

> > KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
> > Live at Hot Licks -www.badnewsbluesband.com
>
> > "BN" <B...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >news:17571C69-789F-485B...@microsoft.com...
> > > Hi.
> > > I am a PC Technician and have multiple computers have this issue. Our shop
> > > upgraded from Office XP to Office2007... and we left Frontpage XP
> > installed.
>
> > > The issue is thatOutlook2007"blinks" as if it was trying to create a

> > new
> > > personal folders file and can't. If you let it do it it will continue for
> > > days then create multiple "personal folders" items thatOutlookcan't open

> > > because they don't exist. I've rebuilt the windows profile only copying
> > over
> > > documents/favorites/desktop folders, created a newPSTfile and then

> > removed
> > > it after it prompted me to find the personal folder it was looking for but
> > > the issue will still remain and both don't resolve the issue. I have also
> > > used Scanpst to scan thePSTfiles and it finds and fixes errors in them.
> > My
> > > only conclusion is that there is aPSTfolder that is getting too large
> > and
> > > being corrupted andOutlookit trying to auto-create a new non-corrupted
> >PST
> > > file.
>
> > > My question is what would cause this action byOutlook2007and is there
> > one
> > > setting or solution that I deploy that would preventOutlookto stop

> > > "blinking" or auto-creating new personal folders?

Any update on this?

BN

unread,
Jun 9, 2008, 2:17:23 PM6/9/08
to
Here's a follow-up to this issue... after using a fresh ghost image on the
computer with Office 2007 (so we eliminated it being an Office upgrade
issue), copied over the user profile and pst files. She still has the
blinking issue. Another fellow tech re-imaged a different PC using a base
image with office 2007, copied over the profile, didnt copy the pst files.
The issue was there still. We are now in the process of using the base image
w/ office 2007, just copying the user's documents/favorites over to a newly
rebuilt profile, and NO pst files at all. We'll see how that goes.

Are their any other insights as to what file or what would be causing this
to Outlook??? Anyone else having the issue where the PST file blinks in
Outlook 2007??

The only other thought I had was our Sharepoint web server auto-creates a
pst file so users can save items directly to Sharepoint however those are
never large enough to corrupt so it would be odd if that was the cause.

Please HELP ME MICROSOFT!!!

- Joe

Lee

unread,
Jul 24, 2008, 11:16:03 AM7/24/08
to
I'm having the exact same problem. Any update on this? Any help from
Microsoft? The blinking is about to drive me crazy.

adamgrice

unread,
Apr 27, 2010, 8:00:11 AM4/27/10
to
Sounds like I am also having the same problem did any one find a solution to this. Maybe upgrade to Office 2010.

Thanks eggs

Adam

Le wrote:

I'm having the exact same problem. Any update on this? Any help from Microsoft?

24-Jul-08

I am having the exact same problem. Any update on this? Any help from


Microsoft? The blinking is about to drive me crazy.

Previous Posts In This Thread:

On Wednesday, April 23, 2008 2:53 PM
B wrote:

Outlook 2007 "blinking" issue in the inbox with PST files.


Hi.
I am a PC Technician and have multiple computers have this issue. Our shop

upgraded from Office XP to Office 2007... and we left Frontpage XP installed.

The issue is that Outlook 2007 "blinks" as if it was trying to create a new

personal folders file and can't. If you let it do it it will continue for

days then create multiple "personal folders" items that Outlook can't open

because they don't exist. I've rebuilt the windows profile only copying over

documents/favorites/desktop folders, created a new PST file and then removed

it after it prompted me to find the personal folder it was looking for but
the issue will still remain and both don't resolve the issue. I have also

used Scanpst to scan the PST files and it finds and fixes errors in them. My
only conclusion is that there is a PST folder that is getting too large and
being corrupted and Outlook it trying to auto-create a new non-corrupted PST
file.

My question is what would cause this action by Outlook 2007 and is there one
setting or solution that I deploy that would prevent Outlook to stop

"blinking" or auto-creating new personal folders?

On Wednesday, April 23, 2008 3:06 PM


Hal Hostetler [MVP P/I] wrote:

This sounds a lot like a corrupted Outlook profile.

This sounds a lot like a corrupted Outlook profile. Try creating a new one


and see if the problem persists. In general, you should uninstall old

versions of Outlook rather than overwrite them with a newer version.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/829918/en-us


How to create a new e-mail profile in Outlook 2007 and in Outlook 2003

Hal


--
Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- h...@kvoa.com
Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX

http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"


KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
Live at Hot Licks - www.badnewsbluesband.com

"BN" <B...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:17571C69-789F-485B...@microsoft.com...

installed.
new
over
removed
My
and
PST
one

On Wednesday, April 23, 2008 3:26 PM
B wrote:

We have recreated the outlook profiles however it doesn't resolve the issue
We have recreated the outlook profiles however it doesn't resolve the issue

and the thing that seems to help the most is rebuilding their windows profile
but we've had them contact us about it again after 1-2 months of it being
fine.

I agree that our shop should have uninstalled Office XP completely then

installed Office 2007. The top-down decision was to leave Frontpage for

whatever reason and we have hundreds of computers. So essentially it becomes
a big enough of an issue to redo the install to see if that is the cause
however we're unable to pinpoint the cause. That makes it hard to fix for
good as it happens so randomly with different computers. The next step
possibly if there are no other solutions/settings I'm overlooking is to try

uninstall office xp, reinstall office 2007 and check back in with the users.

In my mind it seems like a personal folder that is becoming corrupted and
needs repaired however that still leaves me wondering why Outlook 2007
automatically tries to create a new personal folder, gets stuck, causing the
"blinking".

Thanks for your quick response & hope to hear more from you,
Joe

"Hal Hostetler [MVP P/I]" wrote:

On Thursday, July 24, 2008 11:16 AM
Le wrote:

I'm having the exact same problem. Any update on this? Any help from Microsoft?

I am having the exact same problem. Any update on this? Any help from


Microsoft? The blinking is about to drive me crazy.


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jag...@gmail.com

unread,
Apr 20, 2012, 3:14:45 PM4/20/12
to
Sorry I'm late in sharing this information with the whole world... however I did work on this with Microsoft. We identified and resolved the issue together a while ago.....See the fix below, you're welcome IT world!

Subject:
Outlook 2007 Blinking PST in Navigation Pane

Problem Description:
The user is getting a blinking personal folder in the Navigation Pane in Outlook 2007. This error is because the user has their own SharePoint "my site" page, which automatically enrolls the user to sync their Outlook with SharePoint - which then attempts to create the SharePoint lists.pst file within outlook to sync.

The issue with the blinking occurs when the user's Outlook can't find the local path to where it's trying to add the Sharepoint Lists.pst file.

Problem Resolution:
1. User must have admin rights on the PC (grant temporary admin rights if needed) to run the regedit.
2. Run the following registry edit under the affected user's profile (You can just copy/paste the follow into a text file, then rename the text file extension from .txt to .reg), please note that this Registry edit is for Windows XP:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Outlook]
"ForcePSTPath"="%userprofile%\\Local Settings\\Application Data\\Microsoft\\Outlook"

3. Open Outlook.
4. The user now has a Sharepoint Lists.pst folder added to their Outlook 2007 with NO more blinking.
5.If you gave the user temporary admin rights on their PC, remove them, have the user log out & back in.
6. Open Outlook again to confirm the Sharepoint Lists.pst is there & no blinking.

*The blinking can also happen if the PST is located on a network share - this is not supported by Microsoft and would need to be saved locally on the pc to resolve.

- Joe
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