Windows 10 Problem with Outlook 2021 continued

Ensure Proper Account Configuration and Data File Setup​

1. Remove the Existing (OST) Profile Completely:
   • Open Control Panel > Mail (Microsoft Outlook) > Show Profiles.
   • Delete any existing profiles that are not in use, especially those set to use the OST file.
   • Ensure nothing is left that could conflict with your new setup.
2. Create a Fresh Profile with a PST File:
   • After deleting, go back to Show Profiles.
   • Click Add to create a new profile and give it a name.
   • Do NOT connect to any account at this point.
3. Open Outlook:
   • Launch Outlook with this new profile. Since no accounts exist, it should open without connecting.
   • This time, let’s configure the data file explicitly.
4. Manually Add a New Data File (PST):
   • Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
   • Click on the Data Files tab.
   • Click Add and create a new PST file where you want your mail to be stored. Name it appropriately.
   • Once this is done, ensure that this PST file is set as the default data file by selecting it and clicking Set as Default.
5. Now, Add Your POP Account:
   • With the PST file set up and as the default, go back to Account Settings.
   • Click on New and select POP or IMAP.
   • Enter your email settings for the POP account as discussed previously.
     • Incoming server: outlook.office365.com
     • Outgoing server: smtp.office365.com
   • Complete the setup, making sure to input your email address and password correctly.
6. Ensure the Account Uses the PST File:
   • After adding your account, go back to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
   • Ensure that your POP account is listed under the Email tab.
   • Check the Data Files tab again to ensure that your POP account is linked to the new PST file you created.

Final Steps​

1. Test Account Settings:
   • In the Add Account wizard, click Test Account Settings to ensure everything seems right. If there are issues, make the necessary adjustments based on any error messages.
2. Reopen Outlook:
   • After adding everything, restart Outlook to ensure all settings are active.
3. Check for Updates:
   • Finally, check that both your Outlook and Windows are fully updated to avoid any underlying bugs affecting functionality.

Conclusion​

Key Steps to Resolve OST Usage for a POP Account​

1. Confirm the Type of Account:
   • When you set up the POP account, make sure you explicitly select POP or IMAP. If Outlook is defaulting to an Exchange setup, it will create an OST file instead.
2. Check Profile Settings:
   • After creating a new profile, open Control Panel > Mail (Microsoft Outlook) > Show Profiles.
   • Ensure that the new profile you created is the one that is being used when Outlook starts.
3. Manually Define Data File:
   • After creating the new profile, go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
   • Click on the Data Files tab.
   • Here, ensure that your new PST file is created and selected as the default data file. If it isn't listed, create a new PST file using the Add button.
4. Add the POP Account:
   • With the profile set to use your PST file, add the POP email account:
   • Still in Account Settings, click on New under the Email tab and select POP.
   • Enter your account details using:
     • Incoming server: outlook.office365.com (ensure this is set to POP)
     • Outgoing server: smtp.office365.com
   • Make sure to input your username (full email) and password correctly.
5. Remove Any Existing OST Files:
   • Before adding the account, you can navigate to the directory containing the OST file (C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook) and temporarily rename the OST file (e.g., add _old at the end of it). This can sometimes prevent Outlook from reverting to the OST setup automatically.
   • Test the Add Account Settings:
     • After setting everything up, use the Test Account Settings feature to check if there are issues. If the account tests successfully and connects, you should then check to see if emails are being saved to the PST file rather than the OST.

Additional Considerations​

• Profile Management: Sometimes, having multiple profiles can create confusion. Make sure to manage mail profiles meticulously and eliminate any redundant or unwanted profiles.
• Outlook Repair: If these steps continue to yield problems, consider running a repair on the Office installation through Control Panel to address any underlying corruption or issues without needing a full reinstallation.
• Create a New Outlook Profile: If nothing else seems to be solving the problem, creating a completely fresh profile while ensuring Outlook's default data settings point towards using a PST file can often fix many problems.

Conclusion​

Steps to Resolve Outlook Prompting for Email Connection​

1. Start from Scratch:
   • Since Outlook might still be in a mode trying to establish a connection, close Outlook completely before proceeding. You can also check Task Manager to ensure no Outlook processes are running.
2. Create or Locate Your PST File:
   • Open Control Panel > Mail (Microsoft Outlook) > Show Profiles.
   • Select your profile and do NOT create a new email account just yet.
   • Instead, first, go to the Data Files tab and see if you can add/create a PST file directly here (be sure to have it available where you want).
3. Open Outlook Without Account Setup:
   • Open Outlook without trying to add an account from the start.
   • In the Mail window, click on File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
   • In the Data Files tab, if it prompts for an email again, it suggests that it has not yet fully settled into the profile without an account.
4. Test New Profile:
   • Instead of clicking on an account to configure, ensure you have a new profile completely devoid of any email accounts.
   • After confirming this, ensure that no email accounts are linked:
     • Click on New to only set up the new PST file if prompted for email during the process.
5. Skip Email Account Setup:
   • If it presents options or prompts to connect for an email setup, you may cancel out of this dialog.
   • Once the PST data file is successfully added, you’re not in a connecting state.
6. Add Email Account Later:
   • After confirming that your PST file is now showing in the Data Files along with its location, you can proceed to add the email account later via the Account Settings without overriding the existing profile settings.

Conclusion​

Step-by-Step Guide to Set Up a New Profile Without Connecting​

1. Ensure Outlook is Closed:
   • Completely close Outlook to ensure there are no lingering processes running. Check Task Manager and end any Outlook processes if necessary.
2. Create a New User Profile:
   • Open Control Panel.
   • Go to Mail (Microsoft Outlook).
   • Click on Show Profiles.
   • Click on Add to create a new profile, give it a name (e.g., "NewProfile").
3. Do Not Configure an Email Account Yet:
   • When prompted to set up an email account during the profile creation, do NOT enter any email address or account details.
   • If there is an option to skip or cancel, please choose that option (this can sometimes depend on different Outlook versions).
4. Access the New Profile:
   • After the new profile has been created, select it and define it to be used as your default profile by choosing “Always use this profile” and selecting it from the dropdown.
   • Click OK to exit the mail setup.
5. Open Outlook:
   • Start Outlook again. Since no email account is set up, it should open without prompting anything related to email connections.
   • At this point, go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
6. Creating the PST File:
   • In the Data Files tab, click Add. Create a new PST file and give it a name (e.g., "MyDataFile.pst").
   • Set this PST file as the default by selecting it and clicking Set as Default.
7. Add the POP Account:
   • Now, once the PST is set correctly, click on New in the Email tab of Account Settings.
   • Select POP or IMAP and fill out your account details accurately.
8. Check for Issues:
   • Ensure there are no existing profiles linked. Sometimes remnants of previous setups can create issues.
   • If you're still questioned about connecting to your email address, cancel out, go back into profiles and try regenerating from scratch, ensuring no prior account details are left.

Additional Tips​

• If Issues Persist:
  • Consider resetting the profile settings in the registry, as custom settings can sometimes be saved there.
  • Open Regedit, and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\\Outlook\Profiles and carefully delete the existing profile keys (back up the registry before making changes!).

Conclusion​

Instructions for Opening Outlook in Safe Mode​

1. Open Outlook in Safe Mode:
   • Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
   • Type outlook.exe /safe and hit Enter.
2. Check Reference to Profiles:
   • If Outlook opens in Safe Mode, go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
   • See if it prompts you again to connect to an email address. If it does not, you should be able to add your PST file or configure your settings without interruptions.
3. Verify Data Files:
   • In the Account Settings window, check the Data Files tab.
   • Ensure that the PST file you created is listed and set as the default data file.
4. Add Email Account:
   • If Safe Mode allows you to configure settings without prompting for an email address, proceed to add your POP account under Email settings.
5. Restart Normally:
   • If everything works correctly in Safe Mode, close Outlook and try restarting it normally. See if the same connection prompt occurs.
   • If it opens without issue, that indicates your problem likely lies with add-ins, settings, or potentially corruption in the main Outlook profile.

Additional Recommendations​

• Disable Add-ins: If Outlook opens successfully in Safe Mode, consider disabling all add-ins by going to File > Options > Add-Ins, and then disable any currently enabled add-ins.
• Rebuild the Profile: If you still encounter problems, you might need to consider creating yet another new profile, but ensure you’ve done it carefully to skip email setup as required.
• Repair Outlook: If nothing seems to resolve the issue, running a repair on your Office installation can sometimes resolve these persistent, unyielding issues.

Conclusion​

Steps to Resolve the Issue​

1. Completely Remove Existing Profiles:
   • Since the current profile seems to be problematic, let’s delete any existing profiles entirely.
   • Open Control Panel > Mail (Microsoft Outlook) > Show Profiles.
   • Delete all existing profiles (preferably back up any data if necessary).
   • After deleting, try creating a new profile again while ensuring not to configure any accounts at this point.
2. Create a New Profile Without Configuring an Email Account (Again):
   • Follow the process to add a new profile as before. This time:
     • Do NOT enter any email address or setup tasks when it prompts for email configuration.
     • After profile creation, ensure the profile is set as default in the mail settings.
3. Open Outlook without Adding Account First:
   • Start Outlook again without linking any email account.
   • If it prompts for an email address, cancel out of it and check if it loads without attempting to connect.
4. Create and Set Default PST File:
   • Once inside the new profile, go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings > Data Files.
   • Add a new PST file and set it as default if you haven’t done this yet.
5. Add Email Account After PST Setup:
   • After confirming that the PST is there and designated correctly, you can then proceed to add your email account by going to File > Account Settings > New.
6. Disable Automatic Account Setup:
   • If this issue persists and consistently brings up the email prompt, check the setting for Outlook to disable automatic account discovery:
     • In the Outlook Options, there may be settings related to Automatic Account Setup. If you find an option about connecting automatically to Exchange servers, consider disabling it.
7. Run Outlook Repair:
   • If issues continue, consider running a quick repair of the Office installation:
     • Go to Control Panel > Programs and Features > select Microsoft Office > click Change > choose the Repair option.

Final Thoughts​

Here’s a focused approach to bypass this issue:​

1. Ensure All Previous Profiles Are Removed:
   • Reconfirm that all previous profiles have been completely removed in Control Panel > Mail (Microsoft Outlook) > Show Profiles. Nothing should remain that might corrupt the new setup.
2. Create a New User Profile in Windows:
   • As a potential workaround, you could create a new Windows user profile. This can help isolate Outlook from any user-specific settings or configurations that are causing the problems.
   • To create a new user profile:
     • Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC.
     • Choose to create a new user account with a Microsoft account or offline account.
   • Log into the new user profile and set up Outlook from scratch there.
3. Start Outlook Without Any Profile:
   • If creating a new Windows user is too drastic or impractical, ensure you do the following:
   • Temporarily rename or move your Outlook profile folder to ensure it does not load any associated settings. This folder can typically be found at:
     • C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook.
     • After this, reopen Outlook. Without any previously loaded settings, it might force a clean start.
   • Repair Office Installation:
     • If troubleshooting at a profile level fails, try repairing the Office installation directly from Control Panel > Programs and Features.
     • Select Microsoft Office, click on Change, then choose Repair.
   • Check for Windows Updates:
     • Ensure that your Windows operating system is fully updated. Sometimes, installed components or frameworks may need updates for compatibility with Outlook.
   • Consider Safe Mode with Command:
     • If you want to try other options, open Outlook using:
       • outlook.exe /resetnavpane in the Run dialog. This can reset the navigation pane view, which sometimes helps reset configurations.
     • Alternatively, outlook.exe /cleanviews can also help reset the views if the UI itself is causing issues.

Conclusion​

Steps to Switch from Microsoft Account to Local Account​

1. Open Settings:
   • Click on the Start Menu and select Settings (the gear icon).
2. Navigate to Accounts:
   • In the Settings window, click on Accounts.
3. Your Info:
   • In the left sidebar, select Your info.
   • Here, you will see your current account type (Microsoft account).
4. Sign in with a Local Account Instead:
   • Under your account info, look for an option that says "Sign in with a local account instead."
   • Click on this option.
5. Follow the Prompts:
   • You may be prompted to enter your current Microsoft account password for verification.
   • After verification, you will be asked to create a local account. Input the following:
     • User name: Choose a username for your local account.
     • Password: Create a password (optional but recommended) for added security.
     • Password Hint: Provide a hint for your password (optional).
6. Finish Setup:
   • Once you complete the setup, click on Next and then Sign out and finish.
   • This will sign you out of your Microsoft account, and your PC will log in with the local account settings you just created.
7. Log in with the Local Account:
   • After signing out, log in with your new local account credentials.

Additional Steps After Switching​

• Reconfigure Outlook: Once you've switched to a local account, you should be able to set up Outlook without the complications related to a Microsoft account. Make sure to create a new Outlook profile and set up your email accounts again.
• Backup Important Files: If you used OneDrive or other Microsoft services linked to your Microsoft account, ensure you back up any important files before switching accounts.

Conclusion​

Method 1: Use Settings to Switch Accounts​

1. Open Settings:
   • Press Win + I to open the Settings directly.
2. Navigate to Accounts:
   • Click on Accounts.
3. Access Family & Other Users:
   • In the left sidebar, click on Family & other users (or Other users on some versions).
4. Add a Local User:
   • Under the "Other Users" section, look for Add someone else to this PC.
   • Choose I don’t have this person’s sign-in information.
5. Create Local Account:
   • Then select Add a user without a Microsoft account.
   • Follow the prompts to create a local account, entering a username, password, and password hint.
6. Set the Local Account as Admin (if desired):
   • Once the local account is created, click on it, select Change account type, and set it to Administrator.
7. Sign Out and Switch Accounts:
   • Sign out of your current Microsoft account by clicking on your start menu, and then on your account picture, followed by Sign out.
   • Log in with your new local account.

Method 2: Use the Control Panel​

1. Open Control Panel:
   • Type Control Panel in the Windows search bar and open it.
2. Go to User Accounts:
   • Click on User Accounts.
3. Manage Another Account:
   • Click on Manage another account.
   • If prompted by User Account Control (UAC), allow it.
4. Add a New Account:
   • Click on Add a new user in PC settings.
   • This will take you back to the Settings app where you can create a new local account as previously described.

Method 3: Use Command Prompt​

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator:
   • Type cmd in the Windows search bar, right-click on "Command Prompt" and choose Run as administrator.
2. Create a New Local User:
   • Type the following command and replace Username and Password with your desired account name and password:
     
     Code:

     cmd net user Username Password /add

3. Add to Administrators Group (optional):
   • If you need this account to have administrative privileges, type:
     
     Code:

     cmd net localgroup administrators Username /add

4. Log Out and Switch:
   • Once created, log out of your current account and log in with the new local account.

Conclusion​

Here's an Alternative Method to Set Up a Local Account Without Email Prompt:​

1. Open Settings:
   • Press Win + I to open the Settings menu.
2. Navigate to Accounts:
   • Click on Accounts.
3. Family & Other Users:
   • In the left sidebar, select Family & other users (or just Other users).
4. Add Someone Else to This PC:
   • Click on Add someone else to this PC.
   • When prompted for an email, look for the option at the bottom that says:
     “I don’t have this person’s sign-in information” and click on it.
5. Add a User Without a Microsoft Account:
   • On the next screen, you should now see an option to Add a user without a Microsoft account.
   • Click on it. This will enable you to create a new local user account.
6. Fill in the User Information:
   • Enter the desired username, password, and a password hint for the new local account.
   • Click Next to complete the process.
7. Log Out or Switch Users:
   • After you have created the account, you can log out of your current account by clicking on the Start menu, selecting your account picture, and choosing Sign out.
   • When signing back in, select the new local account.

In Case of Recurring Email Prompts​

• Using Command Prompt:
  • You can still create a local user account via command prompt as mentioned previously. Here’s a recap in case you want to try that:
    1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator:
       • Type cmd in the Windows search bar, right-click on "Command Prompt" and select Run as administrator.
    2. Create a Local User:
       • Type the command:
         
         Code:

         cmd net user Username Password /add

       • Replace Username with your preferred username, and Password with a password of your choice.
    3. Optionally Give Admin Rights:
       • To add this user to the administrators group:
         
         Code:

         cmd net localgroup administrators Username /add

    4. Log Out:
       • Log out and switch to the new local account once created.

Conclusion​