MS Outlook 2003 - Printing Emails

[im-a-pc]

Hi Everyone!

A user has recently noticed that when they have printed an email the main body text is next to the subject line.

Example
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Hi John Smith

Thank you for your order....

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Normally there is a line between the subject and the main text. Is there anything they can do to cure this problem? The only way I can think of is by pressing ENTER before I start typing my email. That way it will leave a line. Could it be to do with margins, Word being the Outlook Email editor, etc?

Your help would be greatly appreciated!

Many thanks

Russ Barnes

[Rob Pomeroy]

Does this happen with all emails, regardless of whether in HTML, RTF or plain text?  If they open the email and print it, do they get different results from printing within the Inbox (single-click, File-->Print)?

[im-a-pc]

Hi Rob

Yes, it does appear to be happing with all emails printed, whether it be HTML, Rich Text or Plain Text. I ruled those formats out by changing each in the options menu and closing/re-opening outlook. All the prints are the same. Maybe I should repair Outlook using the disc.

Oh and single-click, File-->Print is the same.

Thanks

RB

[Rob Pomeroy]

Detect and repair is indeed the best place to go next.  You might not even need the disk.  See if the option is on the Help menu.

[im-a-pc]

Rob

Sorry for the delay in replying! I didn't get chance to access my clients machine until today. I have tried Detect & Repair on Outlook and the prints are still coming out the same. I even went to the extremes of discarding any settings they have in Outlook so all were reset back to default. This one has really got me.

Russ

[Rob Pomeroy]

Can I just ask: is this happening with emails that the user is printing before sending?  Or with emails the user has received?

[im-a-pc]

It seems to happen to emails received only.

[im-a-pc]

The user is still experiencing problems with printing received emails within Outlook 2003. I have tried the Detect & Repair option but to no avail. It only seems to be the top message that is very close to the subject line. If they forward or reply to an email and they receive one back their original email looks fine. Not really sure what is going on.

[Rob Pomeroy]

I suppose there's the remote possibility that it's the printer drivers...?

[im-a-pc]

Other PC’s are fine, the prints are normal. It only seems to be this one machine. The machine is running XP SP3 and using Outlook 2003 just like the others. I tried deleting the normal.dot file just to see if that made any difference. All the prints are going to a printer on the network. I wonder if it’s the users Outlook profile or something more complicated.

[patio]

Have you tried printing from Print Preview instead of the main window ? ?

[im-a-pc]

Hi patio, I have tried printing from print preview instead of the main window but the problem still occurs. I have also tried File & Print without opening up the message (just selecting the email I want and then hitting print).

[Rob Pomeroy]

All the prints are going to a printer on the network. I wonder if it’s the users Outlook profile or something more complicated.

If this is only happening with one computer, it could well be a problem with the printer drivers on that computer.  Any chance of deleting and re-adding the printer, reinstalling the drivers as you go?  I mean just on the affected computer.

[killerb255]

Other options:

1) Create a new Outlook profile on that computer without deleting the existing one.  Configure it with the same settings (Exchange or POP settings, etc.).  You'll have to go to Start -> Control Panel -> Mail -> Profiles to create the new profile and to select the option to ask for a profile when starting up Outlook.

2) Open the new profile and see if the problem still exists.  If yes, then go to Step 3.  If no, then go back to Start -> Control Panel -> Mail -> Profiles, and select the new profile as the default one to load.

3) Make sure Outlook has the latest Service Pack.  Outlook 2003's latest Service Pack is 3.

4) Try printing to a different printer.  If the same thing happens, go to Step 5.  If not, then the problem is the printer driver.  Uninstall it, download the latest update for the printer, and reinstall it with the update.

5) Try logging in as a different user.  I'm not sure if your corporate environment is using roaming profiles, but if it is, then this could eliminate a few things.  Open up Outlook under the different user account and try printing an e-mail.  If the problem doesn't occur here, then the user's roaming profile might be corrupt.  To confirm this, log onto another PC with the user's account that is having the problem, and try to print.  If the problem exists, then yes, indeed, their profile is corrupt.  Start rebuilding that profile!

[Rob Pomeroy]

Comprehensive answer - good job killerb.