[EAFiedler]

Try creating one rule in a new profile in Outlook to see if that rule fails, as well.

If it fails, run Detect and Repair
Help > Detect and Repair
You may need the Office CD to complete the process.

[tdrapp]

Second part first -- I have run detect and repair a number of times probably five on my old machine, and at least three on this one. I have also removed (as much as program un-installs remove) and reloaded the entire Office 2003 suite twice, and Outlook only twice.

Please don't get me wrong here, I greatly appreciate all of your efforts and help. Heaven knows you've offered several checks that I probably wouldn't have tried, but... in the end, all rules work correctly when Outlook does it's FIRST send/receive after launching. They also work when they are user/manually invoked. But, they do not work automatically when the user initiates a subsequent send/receive, or when Outlook initiates an automatic send/receive based on the user's timed frequency.

The problem seems to be that the routine(s) that launches the rules sorting process (automatically) against incoming messages is/are either not being "called" or are aborted very early in the process.

Does that make sense?

[EAFiedler]

Yes, I get it. Rules work when Outlook is first started, then they fail to fire, until Outlook is restarted.

What part in my replies, leads you to think I misunderstood the issue?


I can't verify it, but if I were able to, I would start with one rule and make sure it fires when it is supposed to, even using a rule that I did not necessarily intend to keep. The best way to test the rule fast, is to have a rule that covers any message that arrives in the Inbox.

After the first rule was verified to work, I would remove that rule, since it covered all messages, then add in one or two of the rules you had in place. Give those rules a few days if necessary, to verify they are working as they should. Then adding in a couple more after that. As you stated earlier, the conditions for the rules are not always met immediately.

Aunt Martha may only send you an e-mail once a week, so her rule would only fire at that time. Unless, Outlook had been open for several minutes before you received her e-mail then the rule wouldn't fire at all.


Now, you already stated that the one rule alone, did not fire in the original profile.
For whatever reason, profiles become corrupted, trying one rule in a new profile and getting the same results would help to rule out profile corruption.

If you are getting the same results, with one rule, in a new profile and you said you have uninstalled and reinstalled and run Detect and Repair. Then we would need to look else where. Outlook Add-ins or third party programs such as anti-spam programs.
What do the two computers have in common?

[tdrapp]

My sincere apologies, I was afraid that it might sound like I was challenging your knowledge and approach. Sorry. That was certainly NOT my intent.

Yes, you understand my problems. (I mean my Outlook problems ;-) )

I meant to say in thread 15 --

New profile, one rule same old results. The situation seems to be immediate and not relative to profile or rule.

Regarding add-ons and/or 3rd party programs... There are no consciously added add-ons beyond whatever interaction there is among the programs in the Office 2003 suite. I use the downloaded paid version of AVG for security (including email scanner).

The other computer that has the same problem is the one my wife uses.

Similarities: Both have Outlook 2003, Office 2003, paid downloaded AVG, no add-ons (to our knowledge).

Differences: She has XP Home Edition and she uses an online de-spammer called Mail Washer (paid version).

My old machine that had the same issue we're working here had: no add-ons, XP Pro, Office/Outlook 2003, and free version of AVG

In all three, our ISP is high-speed Qwest and we both have multiple email accounts, including Qwest, Yahoo, and Gmail.

(Hey, I lost how to add emoticons to these postings? Might have helped soften my "short" response? Again, my apologies. Still friends?)

[EAFiedler]

We are good and you are funny.

See if disabling e-mail scanning in AVG makes a difference.


Just to clarify we are on the same page, you checked for Add-ins here:
Tools > Options > Other tab > Advanced Options button
Add-In Manager button
and
COM Add-Ins button ?

[tdrapp]

Disabling AVG consisted of UN-checking: "Scan incoming messages" and "Display notification window while email is being scanned." To make sure the disabling took effect, I rebooted.

Sad news, no impact on the problem.

I confirmed the no add-ins. The COM Add-ins available list is empty, and the Add-In Manager has two UN-checked items on it's list; AVG Exchange Extension, and Exchange Extensions property pages.

And about your "you are funny" claim... I have no pictures posted here...?

No rush, I'm off to sleep

[EAFiedler]

Originally Posted by tdrapp

Yes, you understand my problems. (I mean my Outlook problems ;-) )

This was funny.

I didn't say you were funny looking.


I am running out of ideas, the only other thing I can think of, would be to check what processes are running. See if you can Identify all the processes, perhaps there is a third party program running that integrates with Outlook?

If not, I would test another new profile, otherwise, I am at loss.

With that said, have you tried a new Windows user account?

[tdrapp]

Like you, I am unwilling to accept defeat.

But...

We may have reached a point of diminishing returns. Although finding and correcting the problem would rank as one of mankinds' greatest achievements in defeating computer logic, I see two other alternatives...

1. Breakdown and buy the latest version of Outlook, or
2. Live with it, as in:
A. Turn off the automatic send/receive and Close and reopen Outlook, or
B. Manually run the rules against the inbasket every once in a while.

In the end, MY guess is that it's not a setting in the registry or dll or something, it's an incompatible instruction in the program that causes it to skip the rules sorting subroutines (now doesn't THAT sound impressive...:-})

So, I am glad you showed the purple face (even though you offered two more ideas), because I am ready to cry Uncle, myself.

Now I'm going to work on how I'm going to present my NEXT nagging little issue, so we can start anew!

Thanks for all the help!

Should I mark this "solved" or what?

[EAFiedler]

Instead of buying Office 2007, download the 60 day trial version from Microsoft.

No, only mark the thread solved if it is solved.