Troubleshooting ClearContext Issues: Start Here

[Administrator]

When experiencing issues with ClearContext, there are a number of things you can try to resolve and/or identify the problem:

General Troubleshooting
For expedient resolution of known issues, try all of the below before contacting support:

1. Search known issues in our FAQ.
2. Search the forums for your specific issue. If you have received an error code or message from Outlook or ClearContext, include it in your search.
3. Check Windows Update to install the latest Windows and Office updates. Outlook 2007 users should ensure that they are running Service Pack 2.
4. Check to see if you are running an add-in that is known to cause conflicts with ClearContext.
5. Disable all additional Outlook add-ins that you are running. If the problem goes away, add them back one at a time until you identify the source of the conflict. Please post your findings in the forums.
6. Run Office Diagnostics according to your Outlook version below:
   
   • Outlook 2010 - Open Programs in Windows Control Panel, highlight Office 2010 and click Repair.
   • Outlook 2007 - Run Help > Diagnostics from within Outlook.
   • Outlook 2003 - Run Help > Detect & Repair from within Outlook. You will likely be asked for your Office installation CD’s.
7. Perform Outlook mail file maintenance to eliminate corruption in your mail file(s).
8. Run FIXMAPI from your Windows\System folder to repair MAPI corruption in Outlook.
9. If on Exchange, enable cached exchange mode:
   
   1. Open your accounts list via File > Account Settings > Account Settings (2010), Tools > Account Settings (2007) or Tools > Email Accounts > Next (2003)
   2. Double-click your Exchange account to open it
   3. Check "use cached Exchange mode"
   4. Exit and restart Outlook
   Note that this will create a local copy of your Exchange mail file on your PC.
10. If the problem is at startup, try troubleshooting here.

Advanced Troubleshooting
If the above is unsuccessful, the more extreme measures below may resolve the issue. Please read all warnings before attempting these fixes.

1. Run a complete, thorough uninstall of ClearContext. Please be very careful when running this utility, as this will remove all of your ClearContext preferences and settings, including AutoAssign rules, topic suggestions and performance metrics. Once complete, reinstall ClearContext.
2. If you didn’t do so when performing mail file maintenance during General Troubleshooting, create a new Outlook Profile. Details are in step #3 here.
3. Reinstall Microsoft Office from your Office installation CDs. This may reset some of our Office settings to factory default.
4. Create a new Windows Account (Vista \ XP) and set up Outlook after you log into the new account.

Contacting Support \ Data Collection
If the above troubleshooting was unsuccessful, collect data about your issue and environment and send it to ClearContext.

1. Send a support request from within Outlook via ClearContext > About > Email Support. Include details on how to reproduce the issue. If ClearContext is not running, send an email to support at clearcontext dot com with the following information:
   
   • What version of Outlook and Windows are you using?
   • How do you access your mail? (Pop or Exchange? Online or Cached Exchange?)
   • What additional add-ins are you running in Outlook?
2. If experiencing a crash, try and capture a crash file.
3. If you are experiencing a repeatable error with ClearContext enabled, the Support team may ask you to turn on Advanced Logging and send that detail to ClearContext Support. There's no need to turn on Advanced Logging unless you have been instructed by ClearContext Support to do so.