Stop Outlook from asking for an account password?

Hi Dave:
I think there is a bigger issue here (Dave, How do I get Outlook to stop asking me for my network password every time I send an email? I just hooked up SBC Yahoo DSL. I finally was able to get emails to send out, but now this window keeps popping up. What's the trick to solve this problem?)

I think this may be an SBC issue. This happens on both my MACs and my Dell laptop. If you just hit cancel everything is fine, but it pops up constantly. Clicking the "remember password" box does not make it go away.
Brent

I have a problem with Outlook asking for a password every 10 or 15 minutes. The appropriate check boxes are marked in the Tools > email accounts > view or change accounts window but it still insists on the pw bein entered. Any suggestions PLEASE. This one is a real annoyance.

Dave,

There is more to this question than meets the eye. Outlook will also ask you for a net password if the mail service provider fails to repsond to a logon sequence within a certain time (Outlook seems to assume the password is bad rather the ISP is at fault - and some of the major UK ISPs are pretty dire in this regard!) If I remember correctly, OL2000 had a registry setting that turned this into a genuine error so that Outlook just gave up without asking for a new password and recorded an error in the progress dialogue. I can no longer find any reference to this, nor whether the same trick is even possible with OL2003. I'd appreciate any insight you have on this as it causes me a MAJOR problem. (These message boxes are a disaster is one crops up while playing World of Warcraft if you're in the middle of a fight!)

I have been looking around for a solution, and even called M$ support. They took me through the deletion of a registry setting (search around and you will find this solution), and I deleted and remade my account, these did not work.

I also set the ammount of time that outlook will wait (Tools -> Email Accounts -> View or Change existing email accounts -> [My Account] -> Change ->More Settings ... -> Advanced -> Server Timeouts) to 10 min. Still no solution.

hi,
I am also getting the same prblem.What could be the reason. If any solution is there please send me the solution

I've had the same experience many times... spent hours on the phone with Microsoft, SBC, etc. and none of them have a clue. I ended up figuring it out myself.
1) Shut down your computer
2) On the back of your DSL modem - use the switch to turn off power to the modem, unplug the DSL (RJ45) cable, the telephone cable and the power cable
3) Wait one minute
4) Plug all the cables back in and turn your modem back on
5) Turn on your computer
6) Wait until all the lights on the front of you modem turn green

Voila! Outlook will stop asking for your password every 10 seconds. Don't ask me why this works because I don't know... it just does.

Dave,

I am a network administrator. I recently re-enabled a disabled account when the user came back from an absence of a few months. The user cannot Open MS Outlook 2003 anymore - it keeps asking him for his password and does not accept his password. I tried having him login with his old password, but that didn't work either. I have been able to add the inbox to my Outlook but still cannot open it. Can you help me?

Thanks.

I have switched my emails over to Outlook from Outlook Express. Since I have done this it will not accept my user ID and password, even though I am entering the correct information. I have no idea what to do because I cannot send or receive emails in Outlook or Express and I run a business where I need all of my emails on the same place.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

I also had this issue in Outlook 2003, but also in indows Live Messenger and Internet Explorer 7.

I spend hours and hours searching the internet and could not find the solution. The only possible solution you find on almost all forums (but does not help in most cases is to repair the protected storage system provided registry key: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290684.

So, here is a solution that is not even in the Microsoft knowledge base. It helped me and hopefully many others. It was found because I new exactly when it started to happen: after uninstalling a software program. The uninstall procedure removed to many registry keys...

HERE WE GO...

Important: this solution contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. View the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base for information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/

Follow the next steps to solve this issue:

1. Close all running programs
2. Click on [Start] » Run
3. Type "Regedit" and click [OK]
4. Open the following folder:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
5. Now choose Edit » New » Expandable String Value
6. Enter "AppData" as a name
7. Double click the new entry
8. Enter "%USERPROFILE%\Application Data" in the value data field.
9. Close the registry editor

It is possible that additional registry keys are missing. Below is a list of all keys that should exist in the "User Shell Folders". There are different ways to add these keys again:
* Use the instructions provided on http://windowsxp.mvps.org/usershellfolders.htm
* Add them manually by following the steps above
* Export the keys from a computer/user on which the issue does not occur, and then importing them again.

To export and import:
1. Logon to Windows with a user account for which the issue does not occur (this may also be a different workstation).
2. Click on [Start] » Run
3. Type "Regedit" and click [OK]
4. Open the following folder:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
5. Right click the "User Shell Folders" key on the left and choose "Export". Specify a name and location of for the export file and click [Save].
6. Close the registry editor
7. Logon to Windows with the user account that experiences this issue
8. Double click on the exported registry key you created in step 5.
9. Click [Yes] when asked if you are sure to add the information, then click [OK] for the "successfully imported" message.

Registry keys that should exist in the "User Shell Folders" key.
The list below has the format "Key Name - Value Data". The type for all keys is "Expandable String Value" (REG_EXPAND_SZ).

* AppData - %USERPROFILE%\Application Data
* Cache - %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files
* Cookies - %USERPROFILE%\Cookies
* Desktop - %USERPROFILE%\Desktop
* Favorites - %USERPROFILE%\Favorites
* History - %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\History
* Local AppData - %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data
* Local Settings - %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings
* My Pictures - %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Pictures
* NetHood - %USERPROFILE%\NetHood
* Personal - %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\
* PrintHood - %USERPROFILE%\PrintHood
* Programs - %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs
* SendTo - %USERPROFILE%\SendTo
* Start Menu - %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu
* Startup - %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
* Templates - %USERPROFILE%\Templates

MORE INFORMATION
The "User Shell Folder" is a subkey of the
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer registry. Entries in this subkey can also appear in the "Shell Folders" subkey and in both HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER. The entries that appear in user User Shell Folders take precedence over those in Shell Folders. The entries that appear in HKEY_CURRENT_USER take precedence over those in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

I had similar problem which I think is related. Ever since I changed my password on my hotmail account (which I access through OL2007) OL was asking for a password, even though the username and password were correct and I had checked the box to remember the details, it still kept asking each time I loaded OL2007.

The solution for me was to use the 'repair' option under 'account settings' instead of 'change'. Outlook then checks your credentials and runs a test with the email server. I have not been asked for a password since so presumably running this repair utility changes something in the registry.

Hope this helps!

JeePee.

BRILLIANT! ABSOLUTELY #$#@$#@$ BRILLIANT

Your suggestion FIXED my problem. This happened before to me (kept asking for password) , my IT dept told me all that could be done was to reload windows!

You made my day! Your registry fix WORKS!

I have a question.

I removed an Outlook POP3 email account. NOTE: It is no longer in the EMAIL ACCOUNTS listing.

However, OUTLOOK keeps popping up the "ENTER NETWORK PASSWORD" window.

Where can I go to fix this or how do I get this account permanently deleted?

Hi, how do I stop the error message with Outlook 2007 and Vista?
None of the regedt fixes work. Going bonkers quietly.

Hi all, this is a very common problem within MS Outlook and Outlook Express.

Like many, it took lots of digging to find a solution that worked and this worked.

Now, in this article they advice deleting a reg string however, you can't as the file is locked. The only work around I found was to export the registry, make the changes and re-import it.

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=290684

JeePee.

I cant remember how long i've been putting up with this! Thanks soo much for providing this info!

My set up. Windows Vista and Outlook 2007. The problem. Keeps asking me to enter my network password despite checking the remember my password box. I have looked every where for the answer. No one seems to have the answer for this set up. Only other versions of outlook and windows. I'm going crazy anyone with answers is a god.

I have also got this problem with outlook. I tried what jeepee said but I already had that key in outlook. This has only just started happening on my pc since I downgraded from office 2007 back to office xp. But I have also put a new programme on my pc ashampoo magic optimizer and I think this may be the problem, I think it may be cleaning and deleting certain files from my machine everytime it starts up. Don't know if anyone else is using something like this, I may take the magic optimizer off and see if this stops the problem.

thank you Dave , i have office outlook 2007 and every time it was askiing for password for my hotmail account I DID WHAT U SAID ABOUT EDITING THE REGESTRY AND IT WORKS,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, THANK YOU, MANY MANY THAKS

THANK YOU JeePee. This worked after nothing else would and I was about to tear my hair out!

guess what i did. i followed the registry patch fix but did not work for me so i restored the system to a previews state. Created a new user profile, transfered all my data from the old profile to the new one and then i deleted the old profile.
Now my outlook is back to normal state.
Thanks everyone.

CAN YOU SEND ME DAVE, WHERE TO FIND PASSWORD IN REGISTRY FOE E MAIL ACCOUNT IN OUTLOOK EXPRESS ?
IN CUURENT USER/SOFTWARE /MICROSOFT/INTRENET ACCOUNTS MANAGER/ACCOUNT/ , J CAN NOT FIND IT?

Thank you JeePee!!!!!! I can't believe all the Sh!t I had to go through to find this. You have saved me from going bald (cause I was going to rip my hair out).

I have read all the comments i am not sure even if you will recieve this my Outlook Express and Internet Explorer seem to be having a prolem with each other. As you have probably noticed by my email address i live in australia, i am using Windows XP when i go to send an email my outlook express will not accept my new internet service provider which is www.iinet.net.au it keeps going back to the american one which is iinet.com. and it is so annoying is there anyone out there that can send me some simple steps to follow as i do have a disability and i need to have it in easy simple steps. If any one can help me i would be eternally grateful. Thank you. Barbara (Barb) Mackay

Jee Pee, your registry fix worked - thx very much

Hello Dave,

I have setup 4 accounts in outlook 2002 on my new laptop and imported my old pst files. All seems to work fine except that every couple of minutes i get 4 boxes asking me to enter my network password for each account. It's driving me crazy. I've selected 'remember password' in email accounts and i've tried resetting my modem and nothing is working. Can you help me.

Thanks, Narayana

I want to thank you for posting this info. I spent hours trying to fix my outlook password issue and finally I read Kelly Burris' suggestion on the registry keys, which were, indeed, missing. I uninstalled the Walmart music download service, Note to users: don't use it, and all those registry keys were gone. So, I went to my laptop and exported the shell info, imported it into my desktop, and WOW!!!!!! it worked. Thanks so much, you are a lifesaver.
Sue

Ok i cant either receive or send email the enter password window just keeps poping up i have outlook 2007 and i went to repair it but when it is about to load the last step it just asks for passwprd again and again PLEASE HELP ME

Every time I click on a link in my school email (Outlook Web Access), it logs me out and makes me re-enter my username and password. However, it will not recognize it. It only recognizes it when I originally log in the 1st time.

Any suggestions,
Donna

Thanks... the App registry works perfect... I didn't see the another keys but i think i don't need those...

Thanks...

When you configure your outlook account in Outlook, if you check the "Remember password" checkbox, your password will be automatically saved, it will not longer ask you to type password again when you check your email next time!

JeePee, that totally worked, thanks. Just for the rest of you; I only created the first reg value and didn't have any of the ones on the second list, but the fix worked after I created the first reg value.

Congrats to Rob Middleton - see his post above on 5/27/07 at 3:38a. Worked perfectly.

I was a little uncomfortable trying the registry fix, but it looks like that works too. The post from Rob, though? It took me about five seconds to go into Outlook 2007 and click on Tools/Account settings and then select the hotmail account and click on repair.

That's been driving me crazy for a few years now...

:)

JeePee,

You are awesome!

Mike
FixMonster.com

THis post from JEEPEE fixed it. I only had one other key in there but it is workin fine for now.

Follow the next steps to solve this issue:

1. Close all running programs
2. Click on [Start] » Run
3. Type "Regedit" and click [OK]
4. Open the following folder:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
5. Now choose Edit » New » Expandable String Value
6. Enter "AppData" as a name
7. Double click the new entry
8. Enter "%USERPROFILE%\Application Data" in the value data field.
9. Close the registry editor

I think it happened when i immunized with spy bot.

Thanks so much for this fix, I have spent the last 5 days trying everything I could find to fix this problem and nothing worked until this and it was so easy! THANKYOU for the bottom of my heart!

God bless you, JeePee! You have made my day!

Hey

How do I know the OUTLOOK password. I want to add my outlook account to gmail account. I didn't set the password for outlook. The outlook is automatically opens when I log-in to windows. I am not getting LOGIN tab when I do the following

# Tools -> Options -> Mail
Setup tab -> E-mail Accounts button)
# The "View or change existing e-mail accounts" item should be already selected. Click "Next".
# Select the account you want to modify and click "Change".

Can you please suggest me

Thanks
Grady

Thanks for the registry fix for Outlook. It did the trick. Good stuff.

I Love you....... the registry key edit thing worked! Just have to pick up my PC from the garden where it landed when i threw it out the window!

Thank you JeePee!

The registry fix did the trick. Like many others I have spent many hours looking for solutions. I think I even passed this one by a few days ago...

Funny - I noticed Sue mentioned Wal-Mart Music Download which I had recently done also. I don't know if it kill my registry but...

sorry if i seem a little dence but i don't find the "CurrentVersion" in the string? I need help lts of help

Hi Dave;

I amy have been at this longer than anyone else posting... Ugh! I ahve tried everything stated in the previous posts. No luck. Then it occurred to me I have a 64-bit operating system, and that could be the culprit. I even found a link to the issue, but still am experiencing the same issue. Any help? I'm using Outlook XP (by choice) and Vista (NOT by choice). Thanks. -Tracy

I figured it out. I'm smart! not really but thats what I tell my wife.

Follow to here:
http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=75289

The answer needed is the first article - you need to 'clear your captcha' file - whatever this is.

After spending 2 days searching the web and MS trying to get Outlook 2003 to save the password nothing worked.
God Bless you JeePee your instructions worked great.
Thank you a million times.

JeePee,

You are awesome! and then some - thanks for the easy fix.

jeeeeeeeeePeeeeeeeeee for the WIIIIIIIIIIIN!

JeePee, you're the man!!! I've been looking all over the internet for a solution to this problem for over 2 months now. It drove me crazy. You saved my sanity ;-) CONGRATULATIONS!!!

JeePee's solution worked for me after a week of hell, including re-installing Office 2007 and waiting for a solution on experts-exchange.com. This worked, and no one ever responded on that pay service, so I'm unsubscribing. THANK YOU!!

Great!!! it works.... you are the Man....
Thanks to jeepee.........

Hari Krishna

I have Microsoft Outlook 2003. This is how I fixed this problem for me after trying a lot of other things:

Click 'HELP', then 'DETECT & REPAIR', then 'START'. When it was done = problem solved!!

Good luck!

Thank you for all the suggestions I have read. I have tried all the solutions suggested but nothing seems to work for me though. For my case I have two computers connected to the server and the message keeps pooping on both the machines.
Any help?

JeePee's fix worked. Thanks.

My problems occurred when I upgraded from Office 2000 to Office Enterprise 2007. I run XP.

Wow! That did it! Been searching forever on this problem. Thanks!

I have run into this problem for years, and at least on Vista/W7, the above solutions don't work for me. to get my normal accounts to work properly, I have to go into the accounts panel and click "repair" for the account that isn't remembering the password.

For hotmail, it's a little different. I have to log in to hotmail using a browser, then while I'm logged in, open Outlook and do a send/receive. From then on, Outlook remembers and doesn't ask again for the hotmail password.

The problem I am having is, all of the users at one site access their e-mail via Outlook to an exchange server at their parent company 30 miles away. The remote site is on an internal Domain only with Server 2003 SP2. Every time they change their user account password they are prompted to enter their POP3 mail account password. Onece they re-enter that, and click remeber my password, It works just fine. Untill they change their user account password again.

Da@# this is frustrating!

how to password protect my outlook 2007 from acessing other in same user in computer idle time

Wow! I have been trying for YEARS to get this @&%$ Outlook 2003 to quit asking for passwords. I cannot tell you how many ways I have tried, until your article. I don't normally gush, but thank you thank you thank you.

Okay, what if my outlook is asking for the network password every 10-15 SECONDS and it doesn't matter what I enter or if it's saved or if I hit cancel, it just keeps doing it. I've tried all of the fixes I can find. Any suggestions?

Thank you! This worked for me after I tried the microsoft and all other fixes to no avail. In hindsight, it happened after uninstalling IE8 and some all of the registry values you mentioned were missing in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders". After doing this and rebooting, it worked. Great job!

JeePee - you are a genius, tried everything to fix this and the reg fix corrected it. Thanks for contributing to ALL of our sanity....

The regedit for the user shell worked 100%. Thanks for the fix. JayPee is the man!!

Outlook 2007 asking for password for every upload or download.

This worked for me and solved a big headache. thanks so much....

1. Close all running programs
2. Click on [Start] » Run
3. Type "Regedit" and click [OK]
4. Open the following folder:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
5. Now choose Edit » New » Expandable String Value
6. Enter "AppData" as a name
7. Double click the new entry
8. Enter "%USERPROFILE%\Application Data" in the value data field.
9. Close the registry editor

All I had to do was to delete all of my email users' passwords and reset them, to make the pop ups go away!

JeePee - You are the man!

I have been trying to fix this problem for about two weeks, all the MS KB suggestions didn't work. Thanks so much.

MJ

Let me also chime in.

JeePee, YOU are the Man!!!!

I was in the same boat at MightyJimbo. This solution is a real life saver.

Thank you for sharing.

I want to when we start MS outlookthis time asking me password.

kindly solve this quey plz

JeePee is a genius!

JeePee, will you father my first born ?

Wal Mart online Music Downloader is the culprit behind passwords/registry getting corrupted. Thousands of their customers have the problem and cannot fix the issue, they don't realize what even caused it. It took me weeks to determine the cause, only to do a system restore. First thing I did was to delete the program from my system, BAM, did it when I tried to remove it, as well as when I downloaded a song earlier. I called everybody at wal-mart, talked to their tech guys, and they knew they had/have a problem.
I just find it hard to believe more people haven't figured out and raised heck. Do you have this problem? Have you ever used the Wal Mart service? I finally had to remove and reinstall IE8 & Windows Live Mail and do another system restore. Have started using Amazons MP3 Store for my DRM free downloads. Have had no problems.

Unlike most forums the above solution is simple and actually works!

Using; Windows Internet Explorer 8,Microsoft Outlook, Virgin Media Broadband using ahome computer inked to a modem using USB2.

After Virgin Media recently upgrade my 2Mb to 10Mb for free, I kept on getting the, 'Enter Network Password, dialogue box, which repeatedly kept asking me for a password.

I contacted the Virgin Media's help line probably at least 6 times. They kept on changing the password and giving me the wrong advice. One supervisor stated that it was the settings on my computer and a number of people told me to take it to a PC World or local computer repair shop. I was also told to look on the local Virgin Media Website, Virginmedia.com, in England. I decided to search the internet before contacting their premium rate telephone line. I tried numerous sites that were useless until I found this one, which actually worked. Since I am using Microsoft 2007 the tab was probably different, but I went to the tab that allowed me to change each e-mail account.

The problem appears to be caused by the account being corrupted as I have read somewhere. I didnot change the e-mail account to a different name but to the same e-mail address. This meant that even though I couldn't tell which e-mail accounts were correct but by re-entering the same e-mail I was replacing the corrupt (faulty) e-mail with one that worked properly even though it was exactly the same address.

Thanks, for the solution - sofar so good.

I have place this forum on my favourites for use in future.

Dave,

Since, posting a previous message: August 17, 2009 10:43 PM US time, the solution above actually still works properly.

1) A Person should have the correct; Username and Password, check with Independent Server Provider.

2) Follow the instructions above. The instructions as Dave admits may be different, because the different version of softwares, but find the change account - that enables you to change the name of e-mail accounts. Change the name or reinsert (refresh) the same e-mail address name and problem should be solved.

3) A moment ago, the error did came back again, but it was only after Virgin Media's Technician had to change or reinsert (refresh) my password, because somebody was phising (pretending to be Virgin Media). Sent me an e-mail asking me to provide all my e-mail details.

Therefore, the problem appears to be caused by ISP altering the password. - This type of problem usually occurs because Microsoft doesn't want people to make any alterations to their software. Microsoft would probably call it anti piracy protection, but I would call it a nuisance.

One moment, I shall close Microsoft Outlook and e-mails to verify that the problem is actually solved still. Microsoft Outlook 2007 asked me for the Personal Folders Password that I inputted.

The problem is still solved. That means that the solution actually still works perfectly!

The ISP changing the password has corrupted the e-mail accounts that have been already created.

The solution is to either refresh (reinsert the e-mail account's address again), input a new address or even do both things.

I have problem with outlook 2007 it always asks password for exchange
please help

regards

Amjad Saeed

Can someone please tell me how to change/reset a preexisting password in outlook?

This also worked for me.

Go into Outlook 2007 and click on Tools/Account settings and then select the email account and click on repair.

Thanks Rob and Danbrew

Hi all, I am trying to resolve this issue of the enter password on the Outlook 2002 email. I tried to do the registry edit, but a Appdata folder already exists. I am not sure if I should modify it. I am not real pc savy and this issue is driving me crazy. I am running 64-bit Vista, in case that is important. Thanks.

Another happy person gratefully assisted by JeePee's response. Not sure why MS haven't updated their KB with JeePee's response, but I'll be putting it forwarded to them as a suggested resolution - it's obvious the current listed fixes don't always solve the problem!

Kim Green, you need to ensure _all_ listed keys are present - not just AppData. In my case, only "Local AppData" was present. As the effected machine was running Win XP, double-clicking the .REG file on the site linked to by JeePee was all I needed. I'm sure it _won't_ work on Vista, due to different path names.

Vista uses "expandable strings" compared to XP's "strings", so the .reg file is full of hex data. The easiest way to solve is a couple of ways...

NOTE: Before proceeding:

* create a restore point via System Restore, in the event things turn sour...!
* ensure Outlook is closed

In addition, my Vista experience is basic at best so there may be a couple of things that aren't 100% right.

My UserShellFolders registry key in Vista: http://i34.tinypic.com/33dl186.jpg
Use it as a guide for what yours should look like.

NOTE: Only

1. Export the default User Shell Folders options when a new user is created:

* click Start, type in regedit, press Enter
* press Continue if prompted by UAC
* navigate to HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
* confirm the paths look a lot like those in the screenshot
* right-click User Shell Folders, click Export
* save in your Documents folder as filename UserShellFolders.reg
* open the file in Notepad, by right-clicking Documents/UserShellFolders.reg and clicking Edit
* replace:

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders]

with:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders]

* save file and exit Notepad
* double-click Documents\UserShellFolders.reg - press Continue if prompted - and press Yes when prompted to import/merge the file
* time to test Outlook - you may be required to type in the password the first time

2. If another user exists on your PC that does not experience this issue, their User Shell Folders registry entries are probably intact. Make use of them...

* ensure you are logged in as the user _not_ experiencing the password problem in Outlook
* click Start, type in regedit, press Enter
* press Continue if prompted by UAC
* navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
* confirm their paths look a lot like those in the screenshot
* right-click User Shell Folders, click Export
* enter a useful filename like UserShellFolders.reg and save in a publicly accessible location e.g. - Public, or C:\
* switch back to the problematic/corrupt profile
* double-click on the .reg file - press Continue if prompted - and press Yes when prompted to import/merge the file
* time to test Outlook - you may be required to type in the password the first time

3. Enter everything in manually as per the screenshot, excluding the %USERPROFILE%\Downloads entry (not required, and varies per user?)

* browse to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
* click the Edit menu, New, Expandable String Value
* type the key name e.g. Cache, then press Enter
* double-click the key to edit its contents
* in 'Value data', type in the content e.g. %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files
* click OK (or press Enter)
* repeat all steps for next missing registry key
* close regedit
* time to test Outlook - you may be required to type in the password the first time

4. If you're trusting enough, create a .reg file with the required registry keys and import

* open Notepad, and copy/paste the following:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders]
"AppData"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\
4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,5c,00,52,\
00,6f,00,61,00,6d,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,00,00
"Cache"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,4c,\
00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,5c,00,4c,00,\
6f,00,63,00,61,00,6c,00,5c,00,4d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,00,73,00,6f,00,66,\
00,74,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,5c,00,54,00,65,00,\
6d,00,70,00,6f,00,72,00,61,00,72,00,79,00,20,00,49,00,6e,00,74,00,65,00,72,\
00,6e,00,65,00,74,00,20,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,00,00
"Cookies"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\
4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,5c,00,52,\
00,6f,00,61,00,6d,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,5c,00,4d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,00,\
73,00,6f,00,66,00,74,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,5c,\
00,43,00,6f,00,6f,00,6b,00,69,00,65,00,73,00,00,00
"Desktop"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\
4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,44,00,65,00,73,00,6b,00,74,00,6f,00,70,00,00,00
"Favorites"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\
4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,46,00,61,00,76,00,6f,00,72,00,69,00,74,00,65,00,73,\
00,00,00
"History"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\
4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,5c,00,4c,\
00,6f,00,63,00,61,00,6c,00,5c,00,4d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,00,73,00,6f,00,\
66,00,74,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,5c,00,48,00,69,\
00,73,00,74,00,6f,00,72,00,79,00,00,00
"Local AppData"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,\
49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,5c,\
00,4c,00,6f,00,63,00,61,00,6c,00,00,00
"My Music"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\
4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,4d,00,75,00,73,00,69,00,63,00,00,00
"My Pictures"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,\
00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,50,00,69,00,63,00,74,00,75,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,\
00,00
"My Video"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\
4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,56,00,69,00,64,00,65,00,6f,00,73,00,00,00
"NetHood"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\
4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,5c,00,52,\
00,6f,00,61,00,6d,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,5c,00,4d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,00,\
73,00,6f,00,66,00,74,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,5c,\
00,4e,00,65,00,74,00,77,00,6f,00,72,00,6b,00,20,00,53,00,68,00,6f,00,72,00,\
74,00,63,00,75,00,74,00,73,00,00,00
"Personal"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\
4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,44,00,6f,00,63,00,75,00,6d,00,65,00,6e,00,74,00,73,\
00,00,00
"PrintHood"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\
4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,5c,00,52,\
00,6f,00,61,00,6d,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,5c,00,4d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,00,\
73,00,6f,00,66,00,74,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,5c,\
00,50,00,72,00,69,00,6e,00,74,00,65,00,72,00,20,00,53,00,68,00,6f,00,72,00,\
74,00,63,00,75,00,74,00,73,00,00,00
"Programs"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\
4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,5c,00,52,\
00,6f,00,61,00,6d,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,5c,00,4d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,00,\
73,00,6f,00,66,00,74,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,5c,\
00,53,00,74,00,61,00,72,00,74,00,20,00,4d,00,65,00,6e,00,75,00,5c,00,50,00,\
72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,73,00,00,00
"Recent"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,4c,\
00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,5c,00,52,00,\
6f,00,61,00,6d,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,5c,00,4d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,00,73,\
00,6f,00,66,00,74,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,5c,00,\
52,00,65,00,63,00,65,00,6e,00,74,00,00,00
"SendTo"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,4c,\
00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,5c,00,52,00,\
6f,00,61,00,6d,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,5c,00,4d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,00,73,\
00,6f,00,66,00,74,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,5c,00,\
53,00,65,00,6e,00,64,00,54,00,6f,00,00,00
"Startup"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\
4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,5c,00,52,\
00,6f,00,61,00,6d,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,5c,00,4d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,00,\
73,00,6f,00,66,00,74,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,5c,\
00,53,00,74,00,61,00,72,00,74,00,20,00,4d,00,65,00,6e,00,75,00,5c,00,50,00,\
72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,73,00,5c,00,53,00,74,00,61,00,72,00,74,\
00,75,00,70,00,00,00
"Start Menu"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,\
00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,5c,00,\
52,00,6f,00,61,00,6d,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,5c,00,4d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,\
00,73,00,6f,00,66,00,74,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,\
5c,00,53,00,74,00,61,00,72,00,74,00,20,00,4d,00,65,00,6e,00,75,00,00,00
"Templates"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\
4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,5c,00,52,\
00,6f,00,61,00,6d,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,5c,00,4d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,00,\
73,00,6f,00,66,00,74,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,5c,\
00,54,00,65,00,6d,00,70,00,6c,00,61,00,74,00,65,00,73,00,00,00

* click File, Save As...
* ensure 'Save as type' is 'All files'
* save in your Documents folder as filename UserShellFolders.reg
* double-click Documents\UserShellFolders.reg - press Continue if prompted - and press Yes when prompted to import/merge the file
* time to test Outlook - you may be required to type in the password the first time

5. LAST RESORT: Re-create your Windows profile. I'm sure instructions for this process have been covered before, so Google for more info if required. Doing so should re-create the User Shell Folders as they should be. This will require the most work overall, and it's not a guaranteed fix, so it is the least ideal.