I had the following problem. When I would open Outlook 2010 from the Start menu, the icon would appear in the Taskbar, but the Main Window would never open. Running in Safe mode would work, with the obvious limitations and annoyances. I wanted my "normal" Outlook back.
I do not claim to be the one to resolve this, but I will collect what I have learned from other threads and sites to post it here for future users to benefit from.
The resolution had nothing to do with new profiles, registry edits, new XML files and no command line operators. I tried them all as other posters have noted and to no avail.
The steps that resolved the issue for me are as follows... don't laugh.
1. Right click on the Shortcut you use to launch Outlook 2010 and choose Properties.
2. On the Shortcut tab next to Run, change it from Normal window, to Maximized.
3. Click OK.
4. Launch Outlook normally using the shortcut you just edited. (If you edited the Start menu shortcut use ONLY it)
In my case Outlook launched fine, but maximized. Clicking the Restore button would send it irretrievably back to the Taskbar forcing me to force close.
5. With Outlook open and Maximized, right click in the Taskbar and choose Cascade Windows. Presto!
Now I could minimize, restore, maximize, restore all day long without trouble.
6. Final step is to right click on the previously edited Shortcut and change Run back to "Normal window".
I hope that this can help at least one other person.
My sources include, but are not necessarily limited to the following links:
The Edit the Shortcut idea
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/F...
The Cascade Window idea
http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/prob...
Here is a link to my desktop background... a few people have mentioned it and I figured I would share it. I took this photo one night at a local fair. https://www.dropbox.com/s/n8i2cdftfo2...
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