Outlook 2000 client locks up and pounds server resources. 1

[meekrob]

When a certain user opens Outlook 2000, the client connects to Exchange but then locks up at the 'Outlook Today' page. Meanwhile back at the server the CPU utilization is going through the roof. STORE.EXE is using up about 90% resources. Anyone have a clue?

 

[meekrob]

OK - more information. It's got to be client side. I can log into the users mailbox from my workstation. I've already deleted and recreated the exchange profile on the users workstation. Still no luck.

What I don't understand is how a client (no matter how badly misconfigured) can cause the server (STORE.EXE) to hit 90% cpu usage... Is there a way to control the amount of CPU time a single client can get? I turned on all the diagnostic logging, but I still don't get any errors.

Even if you don't have an answer for me, I'd like to get some discussion on this, nobody has any theories?

 

[tom11011]

Well, I'm not sure what could be causing this but exchange 2000 SP2 addressed many problems with server resources, specifically the store.exe file. Are you running SP2?

 

[meekrob]

Yep already installed. Although I have heard different strategies on the specific order of installing service packs. For example install Windows 2000 SP2 BEFORE installing Exchange SP2. I would assume that was the order I did it in, but I really don't remember. I wonder if it would hurt to reapply SP2.

 

[tom11011]

Is the event log of any help?

 

[meekrob]

Nope. I even turned up all the exchange diagnostic logging levels. It's bad enough to make the SMTP queue fill up every once in a while, but I don't get a single error otherwise.

 

[tom11011]

Can you get a look inside the users mailbox on the server or through outlook web access to see if there is anything unusual in there?

 

[meekrob]

Problem resolved. Kind of a wierd one though. On the client side (Windows 2k/Outlook 2k) I deleted the mail profile and recreated it. The problem persisted. Eventually I renamed her windows 2000 profile folder from:

C:\Documents and Settings\susanc\

to:
C:\Documents and Settings\susanc.old\

I logged on again to recreate her profile. I then copied her shortcuts, favorites etc over to the new profile. I started Outlook, recreated her mail profile and everything works great now. Corrupt profile? CPU utilization on the Exchange server is back where it belongs, next to zero.

Thanks to everyone that helped me out!