Step 1: Quit Outlook and all other applications
To quit active applications, follow these steps:
Choose Force Quit from the Apple menu (or press Command - Option - Esc).
Select an application in the "Force Quit Applications" window.
Note: You cannot quit Finder.
Click Force Quit.
Repeat this process until you quit all active applications.
Step 2: Open Outlook 2011 without running schedules or trying to connect to a mail server
Opening Outlook without running schedules or trying to connect to a mail server is a way to determine whether the issue is related to the account settings or pending send/receive actions. To do this, follow these steps:
Press the Shift key and then click the Outlook icon on the Dock. This prevents Outlook from sending or receiving mail.
Quit Outlook.
Open Outlook.
Step 3: Verify the Outlook Identity
The Outlook database and data records are stored in the Office 2011 Identities folder. By moving the folder to the desktop, Outlook will automatically create a new database. If Outlook opens without a problem, we will have to troubleshoot the Outlook database. To do this, follow these steps:
Quit all applications.
On the Go menu, click Home.
Open Documents, and then open Microsoft User Data.
Drag Office 2011 Identities to the desktop.
Open Outlook.
If the problem is resolved, the issue is related to the Outlook database. You may have to repair the Outlook database. To do this, view the following Microsoft knowledge base article:
2360509 How to troubleshoot Mac Outlook 2011 identity database
Step 4: Remove Outlook preferences
This step will determine whether the problem is caused by damaged Outlook preferences. To move preferences to the desktop, follow these steps:
Quit all applications.
On the Go menu, click Home.
Open Library.
Note The Library folder is hidden in MAC OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.
Open Preferences, and then drag the following files to the desktop:
com.microsoft.Outlook.plist
com.microsoft.outlook.database_daemon.plist
com.microsoft.outlook.database_utility.plist
com.microsoft.outlook.office_reminders.plist
com.microsoft.Outlook.SyncServicesPreferences.plist
Note: If you cannot find one of these files, continue to the next. Some of these files may not have been created if an Outlook feature was not used.
Open Outlook. Does the problem occur?
No, the error no longer occurs.
One of the files that you moved is causing the problem. To isolate the file, follow these steps:
Quit Outlook.
Move one of the files back to its original location.
Open Outlook.
If the error reoccurs, the file that you just moved is causing the problem. Drag this file to the Trash.
If the error does not occur, continue repeating steps A to C until you isolate the file.
Yes, the error still occurs.
Quit Outlook, and move the files back to their original location. Go to the next step.
Quit all applications.
On the Go menu, click Home.
Open Library.
Note The Library folder is hidden in MAC OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.
Open Preferences.
Note If you have Service Pack 2 installed, open Application Support instead of Preferences.
Open Microsoft, and then open Office 2011. Drag the following files to the desktop:
Outlook Preferences
OfficeSync Prefs
Note: If you cannot find one of these files, continue to the next. Some of these files may not have been created if an Outlook feature was not used.
Open Outlook. Does the problem occur?
No, the error no longer occurs.
One of the files that you moved is causing the problem. To isolate the file, follow these steps:
Quit Outlook.
Move one of the files back to its original location.
Open Outlook.
If the error reoccurs, the file that you just moved is causing the problem. Drag this file to the Trash.
If the error does not occur, continue repeating steps A to C until you isolate the file.
Yes, the error still occurs.
Quit Outlook, and move the files back to their original location. Go to "Step 5: Clean startup or safe mode."