I found the answer in the following posting. Well done and thanks Mark!

Subject: Outlook 2003 CPU Usage 12/21/2006 11:02 AM PST

By: In: microsoft.public.outlook


I think I have solved the problem. Apparently there as an Outlook
add-in that gets installed with Dell's MediaDirect, a multimedia
application that allows you to view media files without booting into
windows. It also allows you to view contact and calender info. It looks
like this was causing the problem, because uninstalling it has brought
Outlook back to life.

On Dec 21, 11:34 am, wrote:
I have a new Dell Inspiron 6400 notebook with a core2duo cpu. When
first received from Dell, I setup Outlook using the "Save My Settings
Wizard" from my old notebook. It never worked properly. No matter what
I did, Outlook would go to 50% cpu usage (100% of one core) and become
unresponsive within seconds. I decided to start from a totally clean
environment and reinstalled the operating system (XP MSE 2005) and
applications from scratch. Outlook and Office had worked perfectly for
over a week. Unfortunately, this morning Outlook crashed. Since that
point, it has been using 50% cpu (100% one core) and becomes totally
unresponsive. I am very frustrated. I have tried disabling
GoogleDesktop and Avast virus protection with no success. Safe mode
exhibits the same problem. I don't think I have any add-ins installed
except Outlook to OneNote and Adobe Acrobat PDF toolbar. If anyone has
any suggestions on how to fix or even diagnose the cause of this, it
would be greatly appreciated.



"DaveC" wrote:

I have a Dell Inspiron E1505 with 2 gig of memory that is running XP and
Outlook 2003, all the latest versions that I’m aware of.

Outlook is causing the CPU usage to peak at 70% for 5 seconds every 10
seconds. During this peak time Outlook and all Outlook related functions are
frozen. At the bottom of these peaks (CPU loading at 0-2%) Outlook functions
as expected.

I have found another entry by Philip Herlihy on 2/21/2007 that describes a
similar condition which was fixed by creating a new profile. I tried this and
it did work, until I imported my contact list and calendar back into this new
profile which brought with it the CPU usage issue. Deleting the contacts and
calendar for this new profile corrected the CPU loading issue. Deleting these
in the original profile had no effect on the CPU loading. I have created
another profile with just the Calendar and Contacts and no E-Mail, this
profile exhibits the CPU issue, as if it is trying to connect to something or
synchronize with something?

Others use the Calendar and contacts with no problem.

I’ve reinstalled Office 2003 and tried everything I can think of and am
stumped – any thoughts or guidance?