Outlook 2007 RSS Feeds not Updating -- a Solution...
Over the past couple of weeks I've been struggling with Outlook 2007 and its RSS feeds. I first maxed out the limit of my PST file and learned that I needed to do a manual export and import into an Outlook 2007-style PST file that can handle more than 2G of data.
That was the first problem.
Once I completed that lengthy process, the next thing I found was that my RSS feeds within Outlook no longer updated properly. Making the problem even worse, I found that Outlook no longer even recognized most all of them when attempting to reset Send/Receive settings. So, I promptly ignored the problem for a couple of weeks, knowing I didn't have the time (or didn't want to make the time) to seek out a fix.
This morning I finally hit the wall and started looking for a resolution, which I found...
...Like a lot of people, I use IE to connect to new feeds and expect Outlook to pick up any new ones automatically.
Turns out that there are two or three files in your Windows profile that directly relate to Outlook's RSS feed synch inbound from Internet Explorer. On a Vista machine, look in the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook. There, you'll find two or three files named: outlook.sharing.xml.obi, ~last~.sharing.xml.obi, and outlook.xml.kfl.
Completely guessing here, but outlook.sharing.xml.obi is the file that determines the feed structures Outlook shares with Internet Exporer. The file with the ~last~ name I assume is some sort of locking file while Outlook is running. Finally, the outlook.xml.kfl file includes (according to the file) "known CFL feeds to Outlook".
What happened, it appears, is that when I completed the export and subsequent import, that process caused Outlook to lose its brains as to the connection with IE's feeds. These files drive that connection, and are re-created if not present every time Outlook starts.
So, the process to fix the problem was to shut down Outlook, remove these three files, and restart Outlook. Immediately, synched with IE, brought down the RSS parameters, and began updating again. If I read these two files, I now see that instead of being relatively empty, they now include feed characteristics for all my feeds.
The only bad part about this process is that data from my previous feeds was already in my PST. So, Outlook created all new folders with a trailing (1) in the title. I had to delete all the old data and rename the folders again, but with only about 50 feeds, this didn't take too long.
Has this worked for you? Have you seen this problem? I had a heckuva' hard time finding this solution, so I wanted to share.
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Comments
Well I had similar problems with that annoying Outlook problem. When I subscribe to some RSS feeds after couple days they just disappear like someone removed them. I did check is it maybe some kind of virus but it wasn’t so I stop to use Outlook for my RSS and now I use Mozilla Firefox browser which have few great options for my RSS.
Posted by: Microsoft Outlook Tips | November 1, 2007 5:36 PM
Hi Greg,
This fixed my RSS problem in Outlook. Thanks!
Posted by: Justin | November 30, 2007 11:08 AM
worked like a charm- though i have NO clue why. thx!
Posted by: ahmet | December 27, 2007 6:20 PM
Worked like a charm -- for 24 hours. I find that I have to do this pretty much once a day, which is a total drag. Answers online from MicroSoft or anyone else are nowhere to be found. I guess I have to read my RSS in IE until a fix comes along...
Posted by: Joe | December 28, 2007 11:46 PM
Fixed my problem too - however I have 200 feeds and have to try and figure out an automated way to delete the older feed sources
Posted by: Jack | January 7, 2008 8:08 AM
Nice work, this had been driving me mad too!
Posted by: Richard | March 13, 2008 7:20 PM
Thanks for the tips. I lost my RSS feeds in moving my .pst folder, and when I deleted those three files the RSS cache rebuilt itself.
Posted by: Larry | March 14, 2008 8:19 PM
There is a hotfix available from Microsoft to resolve this issue. See my posting about this: http://liebrand.wordpress.com/2008/04/03/outlook-2007-disappearing-rss-feeds-hotfix/
Posted by: Paul Liebrand | April 3, 2008 4:04 PM
Restoring outlook.sharing.xml.obi from a previous version does the trick seamlessly. You'll get your feeds back to working and updating without the annoying duplicates
Posted by: Zik | June 25, 2008 10:57 AM
A good piece of advice... If you have that previous version handy...
Posted by: Greg Shields | June 25, 2008 11:05 AM
Worked for me. Thanks.
Posted by: Adam Eurich | August 13, 2008 10:24 PM
Works great! Thanks!
In XP, the folder is:
C:\Documents and Settings\randy.deforest\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
Posted by: Randy DeForest | September 17, 2008 11:15 AM
Thanks for this tip! I had the exact problem you did and this solved it for me.
Posted by: Thanks | November 25, 2008 7:30 AM
I didn't have the .kfl file, but deleting the .obi files did the trick! Thanks a lot!
Posted by: Calazan | January 19, 2009 8:56 AM
Only is needed to delete 1 file, ~last~.sharing.xml.obi, thats all. Doing this way you will not have the new folder with the trailing (1). It works smooth.
Posted by: jeamado | February 23, 2009 9:14 AM
THANK YOU!! This was the only fix I've found. My RSS folder doubled up , but I didn't mind deleting the non-working ones. Thanks!
Posted by: kbonikowsky | March 10, 2009 1:36 PM
THANK YOU, that works! Why is it that Microsoft can't figure this out???
Posted by: Jersey Bob | March 16, 2009 12:52 PM
Great, thanks!
One detail: duplicated folders
Posted by: ATE | April 2, 2009 8:35 PM