Wintivity

Outlook 2007 UserName UserInitials cause Outlook to FAIL on first launch!

Outlook 2007 setup has a glaring error that has been recurring across installations in both Windows Vista and Windows XP. The error is in reference to the RSS Common Feed List syncronization pop-up and the Outlook Full Name (UserName) and Initials (UserInitials) dialog box.

• This error does not allow the user to close the program – Microsoft Outlook 2007 SP1
• This error causes Microsoft Outlook 2007 SP1 to attempt to configure accounts every time it is launched
• This error causes broken keyboards and bruised knuckles
• This error appears in Microsoft Outlook 2007 Service Pack 1 and also can appear for new users logging on AFTER Service Pack 1 for Office 2007 has been installed.

Here is what is happening (a WalkThrough):

• Install Microsoft Office (with Outlook 2007)
• Launch Outlook for the first time
• User is prompted with a dialog box to enter Full Name (UserName ) and Initials (UserInitials) for Outlook 2007
  • the User is given “no-time” to enter the data before another pop-up overlays the Outlook UserName UserInitials dialog box
• the 2nd pop-up overlays the UserName UserInitials dialog box and asks for input choosing whether or not to Syncronize the RSS Common Feeds List between Internet Explorer + Outlook + whatever else in Windows is using the RSS Common Feeds List
• when the user clicks either YES -or- NO to the RSS Common Feeds list pop-up – THE USERNAME USERINITIALS DIALOG BOX FROM OUTLOOK DISAPPEARS (the one originally “behind” the RSS pop-up) and can no longer be recovered
• the result is that the User cannot close Microsoft Outlook without terminating the OUTLOOK.EXE process AND the UserName UserInitials dialog box is never offered again to enter the requested data and resolve the issue
• the sum of this sequence is that Outlook continually fails TO CLOSE, must be launched in Safe Mode continually and frustrates the “heck” out of the User and the Administrator

Solution to Outlook 2007 Full Name-UserName and Initial-UserInitial error

SOLUTION 1

The first solution is the most simple:

• Close all programs
• Open any other Microsoft Office Program (i.e. Word, Excel, etc..)
• When prompted to enter Full Name and Initials, do exactly that and click OK
• Wait for the program to complete it’s initialization and fully launch
• Close the program
• Launch Microsoft Outlook (the issue should be resolved)

SOLUTION 2

• Go to Start | Run | and type regedit
• Navigate to the following location:
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Common\
• In the Common node you will need to create a new key named UserInfo
  • right click the node HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Common\
  • select New and then select Key
  • name they key by typing UserInfo
  • click on the new UserInfo key
  • create three new string values under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Common\UserInfo
  • UserName = (create the UserName string)
    • right click the open area to the right (called the details pane), select New and select String
    • type UserName to name the string and hit enter
    • double click ValueName you just created – i.e. UserName
    • a window will open, under Value data type the real First Name and the Last Name of your user (the users complete full name)
    • click OK
  • UserInitials = (create the UserInitials string)
    • right click the open area to the right (called the details pane), select New and select String
    • type UserInitials to name the string and hit enter
    • double click ValueName you just created – i.e. UserInitials
    • a window will open, under Value data type the real initials of that user (the two or three letters they use)
    • click OK
  • Company = (create the Company string)
    • right click the open area to the right (called the details pane), select New and select String
    • type Company to name the string and hit enter
    • double click ValueName you just created – i.e. Company
    • a window will open, under Value data type the real Company Name
    • click OK
      
• NOTE: Be certain to capitalize your ValueNames exactly as shown above
• Restart Outlook, you should be good to go

IMPORTANT: This entire sequence creates the same values as launching another Microsoft Office program as described in SOLUTION 1. It should only be used if all other office programs have been launched and for some reason??? the UserName and UserInitials values were not created.

FURTHER READING

Outlook 2007 won’t close for one user only on Vista

Outlook bypass “please enter your full name and initials below” popup

KB932126 The “Synchronize Outlook RSS Feeds with Common Feed List” setting is not set correctly in the Office Customization Tool and in the Group Policy templates

CLOSING REMARKS

Please comment on this here at Wintivity. Also, if you have other solutions (please let everyone know). You can let Microsoft know by commenting it somewhere in their domains. it would be nice to get it fixed for other users via Windows Update. Thanks

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