How to Fix Outlook 2010 Only Starting in Safe Mode Issue (KB3114409)

If you are experiencing issues with Outlook 2010 only starting in Safe Mode, you are not alone. The recent Microsoft Patch releases have caused an issue that was meant to be prevented instead of fixed. Fortunately, there is a way to address this problem.

The KB3114409 update, which was released on Patch Tuesday, was designed to prevent Outlook 2010 from starting in Safe Mode. However, it appears to have caused the opposite effect, forcing all users to use Safe Mode for Outlook and not retaining display preferences. This issue has affected many users and is still very fresh, meaning there may be other issues associated with this release.

While the core objective of the above fix was to limit Outlook 2010 opening in Safe Mode, a feature released in KB3114305, it appears as though the patch has caused unintended consequences. If you have installed the KB3114409 update, you may have found that Outlook 2010 only starts in Safe Mode, and display preferences are not being retained.

The good news is that there is a workaround. To fix the issue, you will need to uninstall or prevent the hotfix from being installed. This will return the functionality in those cases where the fix has caused issues.

For sites using Outlook 2010 with SCCM ADRs to deploy patches, it is advisable to disable this update. However, sites using Lotus Notes are not affected, as this update is specific to Outlook (and not Office) 2010.

Conclusion

If you are experiencing issues with Outlook 2010 only starting in Safe Mode, the KB3114409 update may be the culprit. Fortunately, there is a workaround to fix this problem. By uninstalling or preventing the hotfix from being installed, you can restore the functionality of Outlook 2010. Remember, if you are using SCCM ADRs to deploy patches, disable this update to avoid issues. With these simple steps, you can fix the issue and get back to using Outlook 2010 without any problems.

If you want more information about this update, visit the Microsoft site links below

 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3114409

While the core objective of the above fix was (to provide a means) to limit Outlook 2010 opening in Safe Mode, a feature released in KB3114305: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3114305