Solved How to get my Inbox Screen back to normal?

[Adela]

Last Microsoft Update changed my 3 columns in my Inbox screen: Folders; Incoming; and Preview. I tried to fix it by applying the instructions I found in the net but some of the steps they indicated weren't in my computer. So I tried and tried for the last 2 days but I made it worse each time and now it's completely impossible to find anything in each of these 3 columns (which aren't columns anymore) meaning: I can't use the Inbox Page! Help please? Is there any hope??

THANK YOU!

 

[Bruce]

g'day Adela and welcome to the forums.

what email software are you using?
show us a screen shot of how it looks now.

 

[Adela]

Good day to you too Bruce and thanks so very much for your kindness in trying to help my weird Inbox Screen mixup Also, sorry for the delay in responding but it took me this long to find what I used to have - the snipping tool (don't know where MS Update put it) so I used the keyboard "Print Scrn" and the 2 screenshots went directly to OneDrive and I'm trying to copy them and send them to you as soon as I figure out how to..

I have a Win10 (with latest UNDESIRABLE multiple updates); 2016 MS Outlook, Lenovo laptop; Chrome Browser. If I forgot any, please let me know. Been trying to find where I had notated all about my computer software including my version of updates, etc. (but recently MS changed them a few times), anyway couldn't find the file in my mixed up Inbox.

This is SO aggravating. I see the 2 square screenshots I took (they come out from my screen bottom each time I click on any taskbar icon) and yet it won't respond to copying them. Maybe I'll send you this email and will try to get them from your website.

Thank you alot to be willing to help. Adela

 

[Bruce]

OK.
let's see if we can't get it looking like it used to!

click File, Options, Advanced and untick the Show Apps in Outlook to get rid of those 5 icons down the left hand side.
restart Outlook as prompted.

now down the bottom in the left hand column, click the . . . icon and select Folders.
up the top of that left hand column, click the > icon and that will expand that column, then click the pin icon in the right hand corner.

how we looking now?
more useful or does it still need tweaking?

 

[Adela]

Hello Bruce and THANK YOU so much for making my Inbox page normal again! It was such a comfort to see the familiar columns in the usual order, especially to be able to find things again and send and receive too. But it all disappeared this morning when I opened the computer due to an impossible to fix years long monumental glitch which disrupts everything I do and it’s impossible to type or read. I explain now that it stopped....



many times when I open the computer (or in the middle of it) everything starts to tremble on the screen whether I use the cursor to move around or not, and the cursor and/or the little arrow trembles too. Among other things when this attack starts and I try to type, say, on the “To” the cursor rapidly runs down making it long and empty, and remains at the bottom. Similarly when I try to type a message on the email space, it may suddenly take whatever text I already have, or that I’m typing at the time, all the way down and stays down.



It stopped now so I’ll be able to follow the instructions again that you so kindly sent me...hopefully before it may start again. It happens also at Word and at my 2 accounts one in Gmail and the other a “client” at RCN. Years back it also did it when I was at a website forum. And yes, it happened when I came here this morning. Unbelievable! There’s a story in which you may or may not be interested, but just in case:



This phenomenon happens only in this corner of my apartment where I have my desk, computer, printer and home phone. It started many years ago and I had so many techies come to try to see what it was but – my luck – it never happened in their presence. I tried to take a pic but it happens so suddenly and so quickly that by the time I quickly grab the phone and open the video…it disappears. This morning, it lasted over one hour but…again my luck, since for some days it didn’t do this, I didn’t have my phone loaded so still can’t capture this monster. For many years I moved my computer to my kitchen table and there it didn’t do it, but, it was SO inconvenient that after 5 or 6 years filling my kitchen with papers and whathaveyou, I decided to try my luck again at my desk. At first it was fine no monster tremblings, then gradually it started again, first only every few months but continued slowly progressing until now it’s any time for any length disrupting anything. ☹



Did you ever experience something like this or saw it on someone? I even talked to my building’s electrician who came to investigate and said he didn’t find any electric defect.



Bruce, please forgive this long post but wanted to explain why what I fixed thanks to you, now disappeared. Again I thank you so much for your most valuable help.

 

[Rustys]

Is this a laptop and do you use an external mouse?

 

[Adela]

Is this a laptop and do you use an external mouse?

Yes, it is a laptop and I use a different mouse because I don't like lthe one that comes installed with the laptop. Do you thiink this could cause that weird activity? It even happened years back when I had a regular Dell's desktop which came with its own mouse and keyboard.

 

[Bruce]

is the mouse wired (plugged into a USB port) or wireless (there is a wireless dongle receiver)?

if wired, try another USB port.
if wireless, replace the batteries and also try another port.

also, if using a mouse pad, make sure it has no pattern printed on it, that it is just a matt, plain colour.
or if using no pad, a folded A4 white piece of paper works best.

and when using an external mouse, make sure you turn off the laptop's trackpad - there's usually a Fn key combo to disable the trackpad.

or, just for testing, unplug the mouse and just use the trackpad for a few days to see if the issue repeats.

also check for sticky keyboard keys - or even stop using it and try an external keyboard as well.

keep us posted.

 

[Adela]

How kind of you to help me with such a weird problem Bruce! I appreciate it so much!

The mouse is wireless and plugged into my laptop USB port. If by “dongle” you mean an USB “extension” device to reach to the laptop ports, yes.



I will replace the mouse's batteries but unfortunately the only extra USB outlets I have are on that extension since my laptop came without enough ports 2 or 3. Another port looks different so I don't know what it is.



I have a mouse pad, no printed pattern, it's just a plain pad. I may try the folded A4 paper just in case.



As to my external mouse I never heard about the laptop "trackpad". I'll try to turn it off and then will use the Fn combo, so with what other key do I press Fn to disable it?



Is the "trackpad" the laptop installed to use as mouse? I'll try to unplug the mouse and use the one embedded in the laptop, though it'll be difficult to learn it from scratch as I've never ever touched it because I dislike it so much. lol! I'll see if I find some instructions from the beginning.



You'll think I'm crazy, but I also dislike the laptop keyboard that came installed and have been using one of the old ones with elevated and separated keys. Well....I'm an old lady (95 yo) so I feel more confident with old tech (excuse me Mr. Bates and AI) haha!

P.S. Would it be easier for you if I typed my responses under each of your paragraphs? Of course it woudl take more space on this site....unless is it possible (though I doubt) to insert my answers under your paragraphs on your message?

 

[PeterOz]

do you always use the external keyboard or do you sometimes use the laptop keyboard.

Lenovo laptop

May we have the model and serial number please?

 

[PeterOz]

Also when you press the mouse scroll button does it turn into a double headed arrow or 4 headed arrow.
If you use too much pressure on the scroll button it changes the function of the mouse and the pages will start to
move about (scroll) like they are out of control.

 

[Bruce]

that USB extension you speak of sounds like, what is called, a USB hub.
it's basically a power board, but instead of for power, it converts one USB into many.
these hubs aren't always the best, depending on make/model, and especially price.

if your mouse plugs into this hub via its cable, there will be no batteries, the USB cable is what powers the mouse.

since it sounds like you have an external mouse and an external keyboard both plugged into this hub - this would be the most logical device to take out of the equation initially.

so unplug that hub, and yes sadly, start using the laptops own keyboard and 'mouse', which is technically called a trackpad or touchpad, which is that flat 'pad' thing below the keyboard, in the middle. swiping your finger along it moves the mouse on the screen (apologies if I telling you how to suck eggs).

run the laptop a few days without the external mouse and keyboard and see if that weird issue repeats.

and if you do want to disable the trackpad, the Fn key combo varies per laptop manufacturer.
as Peter has requested - giving us your laptops make/model and serial number will help us. it should be on a sticker on the underside of the unit.

 

[Rustys]

Yes, it is a laptop and I use a different mouse because I don't like lthe one that comes installed with the laptop.

You have it set to automatically disabled the onboard pad when the mouse is attached?

 

[Adela]

First, I'm sorry I answered your both your messages into one. I'll answer separately next time.

Love your Rule 1) and Rule 2) But oh…it seems everything that can go wrong for me these days, it does. Thank you Peter and thanks again Bruce. On opening my laptop at 9am today I see yet another MS update in progress and as usual no reason given (except pushing into their W11!) I suspect this update has emptied many of my folders (accidentally or deliberately) that I found out when I tried to open them. In my “Computer Info.” folder I have the entire info. in detail on all my devices including the serial numbers, etc. Now I’ll have to go one by one file in the “All Mailboxes” and “All Outlook Items” and transfer them into their respective folders which I’ll try tonight as today I must leave for a doctor’s appointment soon. But I hope first to answer the following:



I always use the external keyboard (and mouse). Dislike a lot typing on those flat keys.



I have the model of the Lenovo laptop: “Lenovo IdeaPod L-340” as it’s clear and on front of the laptop, but serial # I have it neatly typed with all other info. in my “Computer info.” folder which content is now missing. Otherwise it’s hard to read it on dark grey metal on black background in tiny/fancy fonts that even with reading glasses AND a magnifying glass I couldn’t read. Also, turning over the large laptop (17” with a wire jungle attached) is so hard.



Meantime I may get lucky and find Lenovo’s S/N in my emails as I found this while looking for something else: “Win10 Version 20H2 (OS Bild)19042.928”. You may or may not need it by now?



The mouse scroll button does not turn into a double headed arrow. I don’t have to press the mouse scroll button, I just roll it up or down. What you describe that happens to pages running down uncontrollably, also happens without me doing anything, or when I’m typing or pointing at something.

(But it turns into a 4 headed arrow when I paste something I copy from the net or someone’s email and it’s impossible to get rid of, but not a problem now).



Thank you for clarifying that what I called Extension is actually a USB hub and I agree it may be a very poorly made one. Perhaps I should buy a good one since I need more ports anyway?



“(apologies if I telling you how to suck eggs).” Hahaha! No apologies needed as I can use ever any tech info. really!

“since it sounds like you have an external mouse and an external keyboard both plugged into this hub - this would be the most logical device to take out of the equation initially.” OUCH!!! ☹



I understand thoroughly how important is the S/N to further help me with this problem, especially to disable the trackpad! (Is it possible?)



I just got an answer from my dr’s office where I left a message, that’s okay to come later at 3:00, therefore I’ll devote this time to get my S/N from my email files and if I can’t find it I’ll call Lenovo and get it, maybe along with more info on my machine. Years back I did ask them abvout this problem but they wanted me to ship the laptop to them and I declined as the way they wanted me to shipl it was crazy!



I remind you that I had this crippling problem since decades ago when I had my first Dell computer (good old desktop haha!) which came with its own mouse and keyboard. And it started doing this, many months after I bought it. And that changing computers and keyboards and mice didn’t help. Except…while in the kitchen I didn’t have it! But oh SO inconvenient!!! That’s why I had my bldg.’s electrician investigate but found nothing. Someone in the internet mentioned to cover it with a special type foil papaer. Have you maybe heard such thing?



Thank you both Bruce and Peter for your valuable help. I appreciate it enormously!

 

[Bruce]

Win10 Version 20H2 (OS Bild)19042.928 is your version of Windows, and I must say, it's fairly out of date.
the latest for Windows 10 is 22H2 - 19045.2965.
personally, I would be spending some time on getting that up to date.
click Start, then the cog icon for Settings, then click Windows Update, Check for Updates.
get the ones listed, and after that, do that process again and there should be one that says something like, Get the Latest build, with a link to click.

the old Dell PC that also had this issue, any chance you had this USB hub connected to it as well???

how old is this Lenovo laptop?

from what you are describing, I'm still thinking it can be blamed on sticky keys, or a faulty mouse/keyboard, either the external ones, or the laptop ones. or the USB hub.

pulling out the USB hub cable from the laptop and using the laptop's gear will narrow that down.

as to the kitchen being the 'sweet spot', that's another level of weird right there!

 

[PeterOz]

laptop, but serial # I

Click on search
Type in cmd and press enter
This should open a black screen with white writing
Type in wmic bios get SerialNumber press enter.

I don’t have to press the mouse scroll button

True but with old age comes the lack of dexterity. I mentioned this only because I teach a lot of old people on how to use computers.
And them pushing down on the scroll button is one of the biggest problems.
What happens is if you press the scroll button (without meaning to)whilst scrolling it locks and you can start typing and just touch the mouse
and the screen goes haywire.

 

[PeterOz]

can we have a pic of your current setup?

 

[Adela]

Yes, of course Peter, do you need it of my Inbox page? Or other sections?
It seems to me I saw another one line question here from either of you but I don't see it anymore. Happen to know about it so I can answer it? Thank you.

I copied below all my soft/hardware for Lenovo Laptop and what I found about my update version of Microsoft Outlook 2016:

Lenovo Serial Number found! And a whole lot more you probably don’t need:

Model: Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17IRH

S/N: PF267Q6Y 2007 9527 80

Intel Core: 17-9750HF (2.60Hz, 12MB)

17.3 1920x1080 Windows 10

Home 64, 8.0GB 1x2 56GB

SSD PCIe, 1x1TB SATA

NVIDIA GTX1050

Intel9560ac+BT5, 720p HD

Camera, 3cell Li-Polymer, 1 year mail in.

6-4-20: INSTALLED (PIPC) OUTLOOK 2016 TODAY FOR Lenovo L340-17IRH

Win10 Version 20H2 (OS Bild)19042.928

Contact Support Team: 1-877-453-6686



My Updated Version copied from “About Outlook”:

2304 (Build 16327.20214 Click-to-Run). [What does it mean click to run?]

Nighty night...

 

[PeterOz]

A pic of how your keyboard mouse etc are connected to the laptop

 

[Adela]

Oh yes, I'll do it tomorrow morning. I'll take a few of them.