Can not get Address book to open

[Guest]

When I hit the "To" button in a new e-mail message or I hit the address
button on Outlook I receive this error message:

"The messaging interface has returned an unknown error. If the problem
persists, restart Outlook." <ok>

The "Show this folder as an e-mail Address Book" is checked under Contact
Properties.

If I load an additional .pst file I can get it to work, but very briefly.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Create a new profile.

 

[Guest]

I created a new profile but it did not resolve the problem.

This bug can be consistently replicated:

1. Select “Data File Management†in File menu
2. Add additional Outlook Data file than contains contacts (which causes an
error and restarts Outlook)
3. When Outlook restarts
a. New personal folder appears below existing personal folder
b. Error message window appears: “This information service has not been
configured. Select an existing file to configure, or type the name of a new
file to create†<OK>
c. When <OK> is selected “Create/open Personal folder file†panel opens up
d. Select any .pst file
4. Goto Contact tab. Select Contact properties of the newly added folder
file. Select “Outlook Address Book†and check “Show this folder as an e-mail
Address Book†and select <apply>. Then uncheck “Show this folder as an e-mail
Address Book†and select <apply>.
5. You can now open a new mail message and select “To. . .â€. The address
book will now open.
6. In addition the address book on the main Outlook string will open when
selected.
7. The Outlook address book will continue to work until Outlook is closed.
After Outlook is restarted the Address book will again not be available and
the original error message: "The messaging interface has returned an unknown
error. If the problem persists, restart Outlook." <ok> is displayed.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Doesn't sound like a bug.You did not post your Outlook version. You did not
state which mail transports are installed.
Since this is a new profile, why are you adding an additional data file
before you've even configured the first? Provide clearer steps to repro.

 

[Guest]

Outlook 2003

I created a new profile pointed to my POP earthlink.net account, but the I
was still not able to access the address book.

I added the additional data file to create the error that ultimately lets me
access my address book. I need these address books more to set up search
folders.

Whether or not it's labeled a bug, the events following adding an
additiional data file results in a predictable error message which causes
Outlook 2003 to re-boot. After the re-boot I'm asked to associate a data file
to the aborted data file addition, and from there I can set it as the Outlook
address book, the unset it. The result of all of this is that the address
book is now accessible until I quit Outlook.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Your post is still far to vague for anyone to help from the distance of a
newsgroup. Provide precise steps to repro the problem.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Outlook 2003

I created a new profile pointed to my POP earthlink.net account, but the I
was still not able to access the address book.

I added the additional data file to create the error that ultimately lets
me
access my address book. I need these address books more to set up search
folders.

Whether or not it's labeled a bug, the events following adding an
additiional data file results in a predictable error message which causes
Outlook 2003 to re-boot. After the re-boot I'm asked to associate a data
file
to the aborted data file addition, and from there I can set it as the
Outlook
address book, the unset it. The result of all of this is that the address
book is now accessible until I quit Outlook.

 

[Guest]

You want me to be more specific then my post of 4/10/2007 at 6:33 AM PST?

What am I missing?

 

[Brian Tillman]

You want me to be more specific then my post of 4/10/2007 at 6:33 AM
PST?

While that post was specific about some things, it didn't describe how you
created your new profile. You said in that message and in the one from 6 PM
PST that you "created a new profile", but did you use the Mail applet in
Control Panel with Outlook not running to do it?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

How you created the profile. How you configured your mail transports and the
first data file. How you configured the Outlook Address Book Service--and
whether all of this worked.
The precise steps you used and what you meant by "Add additional Outlook
Data file than contains contacts (which causes an error and restarts
Outlook)" and what that error is.
I've never seen anyone able to reproduce this behavior, see we need clearer
direction on how to reproduce it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

You want me to be more specific then my post of 4/10/2007 at 6:33 AM PST?

What am I missing?

 

[Guest]

I have been working with Outlook for years. Would you please send me a link
to the prefered method for setting up a profile so that we can be assured I'm
not missing anything?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Sure.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;829918&Product=out2003

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I have been working with Outlook for years. Would you please send me a link
to the prefered method for setting up a profile so that we can be assured
I'm
not missing anything?

 

[Guest]

I followed the procedure exactly as it is outlined in the link you gave me. I
set up my earthlink.net account as a POP3 server. Tested the connection and
relaunched Outlook.

Problem persists as outlined previously.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

So does your lack of details.
Unless you provide precise steps of what you did and what happened, we
cannot help.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I followed the procedure exactly as it is outlined in the link you gave me.
I
set up my earthlink.net account as a POP3 server. Tested the connection
and
relaunched Outlook.

Problem persists as outlined previously.