Contacts file will not open AT ALL!!

[Toni]

First off, I'm new to Windows Mail. I've been using Outlook. I'm switching
over because my OLD Outlook doesn't work with Vista. Sooooo.....

When I click on contacts, while Windows Mail is open, a window like one that
you see when you go into "Explore All Users" screen. (Rt click on Start
button). It shows a folder that says Contacts, but when I click on it a
screen quickly opens and closes. So quick you can't even see it. Nothing
else happens. No contact screen no nothing.

I've tried entering contacts through Windows Mail and through the Start menu.

ANOTHER PROBLEM...

I tried to import my CSV file of Outlook Contacts, well when I click on
Import and the Window Contacts, I get a great big red "X". Nothing else, no
explainations.

I'm just wondering if anyone has come across these problems and have any
fixes or if I need to reinstall Windows Mail. Which BTW, I don't have disks
for because it was preloaded on the computer, so if I do need to reload, then
where would one go to find the download.

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Outlook 2000 fouls up Windows Mail contacts.
Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32 folder and rename wab32.dll to
wab32old.dll and wab32res.dll to wab32resold.dll.
This should allow your WM Contacts to work again. I'm not sure if it
affects Outlook 2000.

 

[Toni]

Thank you Gary.

Changing the file names did allow me to open the contacts and even use the
import to down load the CSV file.

The newly downloaded contacts show up in an explorer type window, but they
are there.

The new problem is this. When I try to send a message, the contacts are not
linked to the messages. So... when you start typing a name, nothing shows up
(have autofill on) and also when I click on "TO" it pops up "Unable to choose
recepients". So now I have a new problem.

Again thanks for your initial help.

Toni

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

In Windows Mail, what happens when you click on the Contacts button
on the toolbar? You should see a list of selectable contacts, as well as
a toolbar that has buttons for "New Contact", "New Contact Group", etc.
If you don't see that, the Contacts folder has lost its special folder type
assignment. To fix that:
Right-click somewhere in that empty white space to the far right of the
Contacts window. Select Customize This Folder, click the little triangle,
and from the dropdown list select Contacts, then Apply, OK, then close
the Contacts window and open it again.

You may also need to do the following:
Open the Default Programs applet, which you can access either from
the Start menu or via the Control Panel, then click the first item:
"Set your default programs."
After a few seconds, a list of programs comes up. Click on "Windows
Contacts". If it doesn't respond with "This program has all its defaults"
then fix it by clicking on the option indicated by the first green arrow.

Windows Mail will not auto-complete a contact unless it was one of the
last 29 recipients you've sent mail to. By contrast, auto-completion works
perfectly in the newer Windows Live Mail:

http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview

 

[Toni]

I just wanted to thank you yet again. It's been awhile since I tried your
trick, and one of them worked.

I've been having other computer issues, that didn't allow me to thank you
sooner.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

You're very welcome.