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XP

Outlook 2003 keeps crashing, sometimes freezing my whole computer.

The STR:

  1. Have Outlook 2003 running (with the added "app" LOOKOUT for search and a pop mail as well as MS mail set up.
  2. The program loads and displays my reminders. I minimize the reminders.
  3. Outlook displays my email list. I have the "Reading pane" set to display right.
  4. There is often junk in my junk folder. When I click on the MS mail junk folder, there is sometimes junk with a blank description. Clicking on this to select and delete it is when the program is virtually certain to crash.
  5. Often when I reboot the program, the reading pane is again reset to the default, which is "no reading pane". If I change it back and then again click on the message the program often crashes. If I don't set the reading pane but select the message(s), they can be selected and removed. I then set the reading pane and things are okay for a period.

This has been going on for some time now. As a part of trying to solve it, I did a deep scan with a number of "root kit" virus-removers. One did find 2 related root kit viruses and removed them.

Ram seems okay, HDD shows okay.

As I write this I realize that one thing I haven't tried is removing and re-installing LOOKOUT. I will do that now.

Any other ideas or even better, solutions, would be most welcome.

EDIT: I have un-installed LOOKOUT as per @Ramhound, and my system seems much more stable, but of course, I no longer have the superior search capabilities. I am considering XOBNI: http://download.cnet.com/Xobni/3000-2369_4-10839523.html.

Any information gratefully considered.

EDIT: As noted above, I removed "Lookout". The system has remained stable since that time (about 2 days ago).

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    Post what was found exactly. Post what tools you used. More information is required. At this point I would just reinstall the product. As for Lookout, I only had problems with that product, don't put it back on your system.
    – Ramhound
    Dec 6, 2012 at 16:50
  • I have removed Lookout and so far the system seems much more stable (20 hours). Do you have any direction as to Xobni?
    – Xavierjazz
    Dec 7, 2012 at 15:10
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    Considering I have no idea what Xobni is exactly I suggest you update your question.
    – Ramhound
    Dec 7, 2012 at 15:13

1 Answer 1

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One did find 2 related root kit viruses and removed them

Sorry, but the only advice I'd give here is to backup your data, wipe the machine and reinstall. You really can't know for sure that:

  1. The rootkits are completely removed
  2. That if they are, there are no side effects due to the damage they did on the way in
  3. That any security holes they opened while they were in are closed
  4. That there are not a bunch of other malware items (let in by those rootkits, or which got in on their own using the same flaw (or some other) that those did) hiding well enough that the scanners did not locate them

If Outlook crashing is the only side-effect then a reinstall of that may help, but you can still not be sure that you have dealt with all the issues the infections left behind unless you rebuild the whole machine.

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