Contacts folder empty

[Guest]

Hello, after upgrading to Office 2003 I noticed that the Contacts folder is
empty. Yet the Personal Address Book has been added. If I go into the Address
Book I see all the personal contacts under the Personal Address Book, but
nothing under Contacts. I also have the option "show this folder as an e-mail
Address Book" enabled in the Contacts folder Properties. Anyone know why that
folder is empty? I am not sure if this is a clue, but the message, that
prompts to convert the addresses to the Contacts folder, that should appear
when Outlook 2003 is opened for the first time did not appear. Thanks.

Regards,

Randy

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

None of this fits with reality. Outlook has not used a Personal Address Book
for years and most certainly would never install this service during an
upgrade operation. The Outlook Address Book replaced the Personal Address
Book more than 7 years ago.
There is more to this story than what you've told us. Tell us more
accurately and completely exactly how you "upgraded," from what version, and
how your Contact Data and address book service were configured before you
did this "upgrade." I suspect end-user error during this installation.

 

[Guest]

More details:

Upgraded from Office 97 SR-2, with the Personal Address Book already added
with the profile, pointing to a local PAB file. End user Outlook 97 profiles
are configured with a PAB, and sometimes with a PST (or PSTs), which on some
systems point to a folder on the local C: drive (laptops are configured that
way) or to the user's home folder on the network. A custom install build is
created using the Office 2003 Resource Kit Custom Installation Wizard, then
the package is installed on workstations as an upgrade. On some systems the
first time Outlook is opened it prompts the end user to choose to amalgamate
their address book into the Contacts folder, but on this particular system
that prompt did not appear. We are now wondering if that is part of the
problem. Also, we do not know if the end user's PAB was healthy before the
upgrade. Hope this extra info helps. Thanks.

Randy

None of this fits with reality. Outlook has not used a Personal Address Book
for years and most certainly would never install this service during an
upgrade operation. The Outlook Address Book replaced the Personal Address
Book more than 7 years ago.
There is more to this story than what you've told us. Tell us more
accurately and completely exactly how you "upgraded," from what version, and
how your Contact Data and address book service were configured before you
did this "upgrade." I suspect end-user error during this installation.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Hello, after upgrading to Office 2003 I noticed that the Contacts folder
is
empty. Yet the Personal Address Book has been added. If I go into the
Address
Book I see all the personal contacts under the Personal Address Book, but
nothing under Contacts. I also have the option "show this folder as an
e-mail
Address Book" enabled in the Contacts folder Properties. Anyone know why
that
folder is empty? I am not sure if this is a clue, but the message, that
prompts to convert the addresses to the Contacts folder, that should
appear
when Outlook 2003 is opened for the first time did not appear. Thanks.

Regards,

Randy

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Oh my word. An "upgrade" that skipped 4 versions? It is highly likely that
the Outlook 2003 install routine would not accommodate PAB's as the default
Contact Store reliably because users were advised to migrate to Contact
Folders years ago. Even single version upgrade installations rarely work
flawlessly.
It is essential that you migrate any user still using a PAB to Contacts
Folders, preferably before the upgrade, but certainly afterward if you still
can. Details here (plan #3):
http://www.slipstick.com/contacts/olconpab.htm
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

More details:

Upgraded from Office 97 SR-2, with the Personal Address Book already added
with the profile, pointing to a local PAB file. End user Outlook 97
profiles
are configured with a PAB, and sometimes with a PST (or PSTs), which on
some
systems point to a folder on the local C: drive (laptops are configured
that
way) or to the user's home folder on the network. A custom install build
is
created using the Office 2003 Resource Kit Custom Installation Wizard,
then
the package is installed on workstations as an upgrade. On some systems
the
first time Outlook is opened it prompts the end user to choose to
amalgamate
their address book into the Contacts folder, but on this particular system
that prompt did not appear. We are now wondering if that is part of the
problem. Also, we do not know if the end user's PAB was healthy before the
upgrade. Hope this extra info helps. Thanks.

Randy

None of this fits with reality. Outlook has not used a Personal Address
Book
for years and most certainly would never install this service during an
upgrade operation. The Outlook Address Book replaced the Personal Address
Book more than 7 years ago.
There is more to this story than what you've told us. Tell us more
accurately and completely exactly how you "upgraded," from what version,
and
how your Contact Data and address book service were configured before you
did this "upgrade." I suspect end-user error during this installation.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Hello, after upgrading to Office 2003 I noticed that the Contacts
folder
is
empty. Yet the Personal Address Book has been added. If I go into the
Address
Book I see all the personal contacts under the Personal Address Book,
but
nothing under Contacts. I also have the option "show this folder as an
e-mail
Address Book" enabled in the Contacts folder Properties. Anyone know
why
that
folder is empty? I am not sure if this is a clue, but the message, that
prompts to convert the addresses to the Contacts folder, that should
appear
when Outlook 2003 is opened for the first time did not appear. Thanks.

Regards,

Randy

 

[Guest]

Yes, we knew that being behind the times with Office versions that this would
not go perfect by any means. Having noted that, other than some oddities and
issues the upgrade seems to have gone well. I will take into consideration
your advice about migrating user's PAB to Contact Folder and follow the
attached article you provided. Thanks for your reply, it is appreciated.

Randy

Oh my word. An "upgrade" that skipped 4 versions? It is highly likely that
the Outlook 2003 install routine would not accommodate PAB's as the default
Contact Store reliably because users were advised to migrate to Contact
Folders years ago. Even single version upgrade installations rarely work
flawlessly.
It is essential that you migrate any user still using a PAB to Contacts
Folders, preferably before the upgrade, but certainly afterward if you still
can. Details here (plan #3):
http://www.slipstick.com/contacts/olconpab.htm
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

More details:

Upgraded from Office 97 SR-2, with the Personal Address Book already added
with the profile, pointing to a local PAB file. End user Outlook 97
profiles
are configured with a PAB, and sometimes with a PST (or PSTs), which on
some
systems point to a folder on the local C: drive (laptops are configured
that
way) or to the user's home folder on the network. A custom install build
is
created using the Office 2003 Resource Kit Custom Installation Wizard,
then
the package is installed on workstations as an upgrade. On some systems
the
first time Outlook is opened it prompts the end user to choose to
amalgamate
their address book into the Contacts folder, but on this particular system
that prompt did not appear. We are now wondering if that is part of the
problem. Also, we do not know if the end user's PAB was healthy before the
upgrade. Hope this extra info helps. Thanks.

Randy

None of this fits with reality. Outlook has not used a Personal Address
Book
for years and most certainly would never install this service during an
upgrade operation. The Outlook Address Book replaced the Personal Address
Book more than 7 years ago.
There is more to this story than what you've told us. Tell us more
accurately and completely exactly how you "upgraded," from what version,
and
how your Contact Data and address book service were configured before you
did this "upgrade." I suspect end-user error during this installation.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Hello, after upgrading to Office 2003 I noticed that the Contacts
folder
is
empty. Yet the Personal Address Book has been added. If I go into the
Address
Book I see all the personal contacts under the Personal Address Book,
but
nothing under Contacts. I also have the option "show this folder as an
e-mail
Address Book" enabled in the Contacts folder Properties. Anyone know
why
that
folder is empty? I am not sure if this is a clue, but the message, that
prompts to convert the addresses to the Contacts folder, that should
appear
when Outlook 2003 is opened for the first time did not appear. Thanks.

Regards,

Randy

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

It's good you're doing this now. The next version of Outlook won't even have
backwards compatibility with PAB's.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Yes, we knew that being behind the times with Office versions that this
would
not go perfect by any means. Having noted that, other than some oddities
and
issues the upgrade seems to have gone well. I will take into consideration
your advice about migrating user's PAB to Contact Folder and follow the
attached article you provided. Thanks for your reply, it is appreciated.

Randy

Oh my word. An "upgrade" that skipped 4 versions? It is highly likely
that
the Outlook 2003 install routine would not accommodate PAB's as the
default
Contact Store reliably because users were advised to migrate to Contact
Folders years ago. Even single version upgrade installations rarely work
flawlessly.
It is essential that you migrate any user still using a PAB to Contacts
Folders, preferably before the upgrade, but certainly afterward if you
still
can. Details here (plan #3):
http://www.slipstick.com/contacts/olconpab.htm
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

More details:

Upgraded from Office 97 SR-2, with the Personal Address Book already
added
with the profile, pointing to a local PAB file. End user Outlook 97
profiles
are configured with a PAB, and sometimes with a PST (or PSTs), which on
some
systems point to a folder on the local C: drive (laptops are configured
that
way) or to the user's home folder on the network. A custom install
build
is
created using the Office 2003 Resource Kit Custom Installation Wizard,
then
the package is installed on workstations as an upgrade. On some systems
the
first time Outlook is opened it prompts the end user to choose to
amalgamate
their address book into the Contacts folder, but on this particular
system
that prompt did not appear. We are now wondering if that is part of the
problem. Also, we do not know if the end user's PAB was healthy before
the
upgrade. Hope this extra info helps. Thanks.

Randy

:

None of this fits with reality. Outlook has not used a Personal
Address
Book
for years and most certainly would never install this service during
an
upgrade operation. The Outlook Address Book replaced the Personal
Address
Book more than 7 years ago.
There is more to this story than what you've told us. Tell us more
accurately and completely exactly how you "upgraded," from what
version,
and
how your Contact Data and address book service were configured before
you
did this "upgrade." I suspect end-user error during this installation.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Hello, after upgrading to Office 2003 I noticed that the Contacts
folder
is
empty. Yet the Personal Address Book has been added. If I go into
the
Address
Book I see all the personal contacts under the Personal Address
Book,
but
nothing under Contacts. I also have the option "show this folder as
an
e-mail
Address Book" enabled in the Contacts folder Properties. Anyone know
why
that
folder is empty? I am not sure if this is a clue, but the message,
that
prompts to convert the addresses to the Contacts folder, that should
appear
when Outlook 2003 is opened for the first time did not appear.
Thanks.

Regards,

Randy