Sigh.. Lord knows what's going on with Microsoft's Hotfix QC (Quality Control) these past 6 months but it sure is going down the toilet. After the (ongoing) Windows/Microsoft Update SVCHOST fiasco, a hotfix released as part of May's Patch Tuesday causes problems with Outlook 2003.The hotfix is 931768 - MS07-027: Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer - and it messes up the HTML rendering engine in Outlook 2003, causing lockups, massive slowdown and Outlook to use 100% CPU time in Task Manager (SVCHOST anyone?!)
The only 'fixes' at present are as follows:
1. Uninstall the 931768 hotfix
2. When you start Outlook 2003, right click on the root mail folder (either called Personal Folders if using a PST file or Mailbox - Username if using Exchange) and select 'Properties'. Then click the 'Folder Size' button at the bottom of the window and wait for it to calculate your folder sizes. Then close that window and the 'Properties' window. This strangely sorts the issue but only while that Outlook window is open - if you shut then re-open Outlook you have to do it again.
3. Change the zone in which Outlook operates from 'Restricted Sites' to 'Internet' via Tools Menu -> Options -> Security Tab -> Zone Drop Down. This presents a security risk however.
And finally the strangest one that works and is my preferred 'fix':
4. Change Outlook so that it opens to 'Outlook Today' rather than goes straight to your Inbox. Change this via Tools Menu -> Options -> Other -> Avvanced Options button & click the 'Browse' button next to 'Startup in this folder' and select your mailbox root folder (again either Personal Folders... or Mailbox - Your Name).
Hope this helps somebody else who was in danger of losing hair over this...
