lost connection to Contacts in Outlook 2003

[jag8452]

After a hard drive crash, I reinstalled Outlook 2003. Entire Personal Folder
was intact, including complete Contacts folder. When I write an e-mail
message, and click on 'To:' to get drop-down list of names, I get a message
that 'the address list could not be displayed. . . .' When I click on 'OK',
it sends me to a dialog box where I can 'Select names from list:' (but no
names are available), or 'Show names from the:', which gives me the option of
choosing 'Contacts' (from a list that has 'Outlook Address Book' on the first
line, followed by two lines with 'Contacts'), which brings up the list that I
need. Obviously I don't want to have to go through this step every time.

I checked Microsoft help system for help, and found Article with ID 287563,
'Contact information does not appear in the address book in Outlook' I
followed the instructions. In Step 1, my Outlook Address Book was listed, so
I clicked on 'Cancel'. In Step 2, 'Contacts' was already checked as 'Show
this folder as an e-mail address book.' No help from either of these steps.

After checking the system out again, I went back to Step 2, and added '2008'
to the name of the Contacts file. Testing the process of getting names for a
message again, I found that the only change made in the process is that the
second 'Contacts' was now the 'Contacts 2008'.

How can I resolve this problem?

Thanks.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Hard to say what you did wrong because you did not tell us how you connected
your old data file to the new profile. It is not unusual for the Outlook
Address Book to “lose track†of the connection to its Contacts Folder when
you move or import your PST or update your Outlook version or operating
system. Use the following steps to reset the connection. Note that in some
instances you may actually have to remove the Outlook Address Book
completely from your Profile, close Outlook, and then re-add it before you
can get it to work.

For Outlook 2002/2003:
Remove any invalid or references to Contacts Folders that might exist here:
Tools > E-mail accounts > View or change existing directories or address
books > Outlook Address Book > Change… >
Make sure the correct Contacts folder is enabled as an email address book.
Right click the Contacts folder that contains your Contacts, choose
Properties then Outlook Address Book. Is the box to enable as email address
book checked?
If this is grayed out...Go to Tools | Email Accounts, choose View or change
existing directories or address book. Is the Outlook Address Book present?
If it isn't listed, add it and close and restart Outlook. If it is listed,
then remove it and close then restart Outlook and repeat these steps to add
it.

 

[jag8452]

Russ,

Thanks for the quick reply. Took me a couple of days to get back to this.
When I did follow your instructions, it took me a couple of tries to get it
right, but my Contacts folder is now available when I need it!! Thanks.
--
jag8452

Hard to say what you did wrong because you did not tell us how you connected
your old data file to the new profile. It is not unusual for the Outlook
Address Book to “lose track†of the connection to its Contacts Folder when
you move or import your PST or update your Outlook version or operating
system. Use the following steps to reset the connection. Note that in some
instances you may actually have to remove the Outlook Address Book
completely from your Profile, close Outlook, and then re-add it before you
can get it to work.

For Outlook 2002/2003:
Remove any invalid or references to Contacts Folders that might exist here:
Tools > E-mail accounts > View or change existing directories or address
books > Outlook Address Book > Change… >
Make sure the correct Contacts folder is enabled as an email address book.
Right click the Contacts folder that contains your Contacts, choose
Properties then Outlook Address Book. Is the box to enable as email address
book checked?
If this is grayed out...Go to Tools | Email Accounts, choose View or change
existing directories or address book. Is the Outlook Address Book present?
If it isn't listed, add it and close and restart Outlook. If it is listed,
then remove it and close then restart Outlook and repeat these steps to add
it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

After a hard drive crash, I reinstalled Outlook 2003. Entire Personal
Folder
was intact, including complete Contacts folder. When I write an e-mail
message, and click on 'To:' to get drop-down list of names, I get a
message
that 'the address list could not be displayed. . . .' When I click on
'OK',
it sends me to a dialog box where I can 'Select names from list:' (but no
names are available), or 'Show names from the:', which gives me the option
of
choosing 'Contacts' (from a list that has 'Outlook Address Book' on the
first
line, followed by two lines with 'Contacts'), which brings up the list
that I
need. Obviously I don't want to have to go through this step every time.

I checked Microsoft help system for help, and found Article with ID
287563,
'Contact information does not appear in the address book in Outlook' I
followed the instructions. In Step 1, my Outlook Address Book was listed,
so
I clicked on 'Cancel'. In Step 2, 'Contacts' was already checked as 'Show
this folder as an e-mail address book.' No help from either of these
steps.

After checking the system out again, I went back to Step 2, and added
'2008'
to the name of the Contacts file. Testing the process of getting names
for a
message again, I found that the only change made in the process is that
the
second 'Contacts' was now the 'Contacts 2008'.

How can I resolve this problem?

Thanks.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Good to know. Thanks for the follow up.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Russ,

Thanks for the quick reply. Took me a couple of days to get back to this.
When I did follow your instructions, it took me a couple of tries to get
it
right, but my Contacts folder is now available when I need it!! Thanks.
--
jag8452

Hard to say what you did wrong because you did not tell us how you
connected
your old data file to the new profile. It is not unusual for the Outlook
Address Book to “lose track†of the connection to its Contacts Folder
when
you move or import your PST or update your Outlook version or operating
system. Use the following steps to reset the connection. Note that in
some
instances you may actually have to remove the Outlook Address Book
completely from your Profile, close Outlook, and then re-add it before
you
can get it to work.

For Outlook 2002/2003:
Remove any invalid or references to Contacts Folders that might exist
here:
Tools > E-mail accounts > View or change existing directories or address
books > Outlook Address Book > Change… >
Make sure the correct Contacts folder is enabled as an email address
book.
Right click the Contacts folder that contains your Contacts, choose
Properties then Outlook Address Book. Is the box to enable as email
address
book checked?
If this is grayed out...Go to Tools | Email Accounts, choose View or
change
existing directories or address book. Is the Outlook Address Book
present?
If it isn't listed, add it and close and restart Outlook. If it is
listed,
then remove it and close then restart Outlook and repeat these steps to
add
it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

After a hard drive crash, I reinstalled Outlook 2003. Entire Personal
Folder
was intact, including complete Contacts folder. When I write an e-mail
message, and click on 'To:' to get drop-down list of names, I get a
message
that 'the address list could not be displayed. . . .' When I click on
'OK',
it sends me to a dialog box where I can 'Select names from list:' (but
no
names are available), or 'Show names from the:', which gives me the
option
of
choosing 'Contacts' (from a list that has 'Outlook Address Book' on the
first
line, followed by two lines with 'Contacts'), which brings up the list
that I
need. Obviously I don't want to have to go through this step every
time.

I checked Microsoft help system for help, and found Article with ID
287563,
'Contact information does not appear in the address book in Outlook' I
followed the instructions. In Step 1, my Outlook Address Book was
listed,
so
I clicked on 'Cancel'. In Step 2, 'Contacts' was already checked as
'Show
this folder as an e-mail address book.' No help from either of these
steps.

After checking the system out again, I went back to Step 2, and added
'2008'
to the name of the Contacts file. Testing the process of getting names
for a
message again, I found that the only change made in the process is that
the
second 'Contacts' was now the 'Contacts 2008'.

How can I resolve this problem?

Thanks.