Lost Address Book when importing to Outlook

[Guest]

I recently installed and started using Outlook 2003. I decided to import my address book from from Outlook Express 6. I did what I thought was the right thing...
File>Import and Export>Import Internet Mail and Addresses>Outlook Express 4.x, 5.x, 6.x and the radio button for Do not import duplicate items.
It imported my messages but not my address book, so I went ahead and manually entered the information for my contacts in Outlook. (Only 5 of them thank goodness so I remembered their info).
When I went back to look at Outlook Express my address book was gone! I have another friend who has this same problem, however his address book is more extensive than mine and cannot possibly remember all of his contacts. I have searched for .wab files, .pst files and a couple of other types of files that I have seen suggested throughout these threads even searching in hidden files and folders and the results keep coming up empty!
What did I (we) do wrong, and is there any way to try to recover these files?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
BTW, i tried that website that kept popping up in here www.tomsterdam.com and that site reads like a set of crochet instructions. grrr

 

[neo [mvp outlook]]

Assuming that each of you are on Windows XP, not only do you have to
configure Explorer to show you all hidden/system files, but you also have to
configure the search to look for hidden/system files. In any event, I like
opening a command prompt, getting to C:\ and then doing a search like this:

c:\>dir *.wab /a /s

Rather than do an import (which is one way of doing it), try starting the
Windows Address Book (wab.exe) and do an export to a Text (CSV) file. The
option is something like File | Export | Other Address Book | Text. At the
very least this would net you a file that can be imported into just about
anything including the contacts folder of Outlook.

--
Neo [MVP Outlook]
Due to the Swen virus, all e-mails sent to this account will be deleted
w/out reading.

I recently installed and started using Outlook 2003. I decided to import

my address book from from Outlook Express 6. I did what I thought was the
right thing...

File>Import and Export>Import Internet Mail and Addresses>Outlook Express

4.x, 5.x, 6.x and the radio button for Do not import duplicate items.

It imported my messages but not my address book, so I went ahead and

manually entered the information for my contacts in Outlook. (Only 5 of them
thank goodness so I remembered their info).

When I went back to look at Outlook Express my address book was gone! I

have another friend who has this same problem, however his address book is
more extensive than mine and cannot possibly remember all of his contacts.
I have searched for .wab files, .pst files and a couple of other types of
files that I have seen suggested throughout these threads even searching in
hidden files and folders and the results keep coming up empty!

What did I (we) do wrong, and is there any way to try to recover these files?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
BTW, i tried that website that kept popping up in here www.tomsterdam.com

and that site reads like a set of crochet instructions. grrr

 

[Guest]

1. I have configured the search to look for hidden/system files, still nothing
2. I opened the command prompt and tried what you suggested, I got an error that reads
'c:\dir' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file
3. When I run wab.exe I get a window that should show my address book, but it is blank...this is what I meant by "my address book is lost"
Are there any other options that I may have, or am I just 'S.O.L.

----- neo [mvp outlook] wrote: ----

Assuming that each of you are on Windows XP, not only do you have t
configure Explorer to show you all hidden/system files, but you also have t
configure the search to look for hidden/system files. In any event, I lik
opening a command prompt, getting to C:\ and then doing a search like this

c:\>dir *.wab /a /

Rather than do an import (which is one way of doing it), try starting th
Windows Address Book (wab.exe) and do an export to a Text (CSV) file. Th
option is something like File | Export | Other Address Book | Text. At th
very least this would net you a file that can be imported into just abou
anything including the contacts folder of Outlook

--
Neo [MVP Outlook
Due to the Swen virus, all e-mails sent to this account will be delete
w/out reading

I recently installed and started using Outlook 2003. I decided to impor

my address book from from Outlook Express 6. I did what I thought was th
right thing..

File>Import and Export>Import Internet Mail and Addresses>Outlook Expres

4.x, 5.x, 6.x and the radio button for Do not import duplicate items

It imported my messages but not my address book, so I went ahead an

manually entered the information for my contacts in Outlook. (Only 5 of the
thank goodness so I remembered their info)

When I went back to look at Outlook Express my address book was gone!

have another friend who has this same problem, however his address book i
more extensive than mine and cannot possibly remember all of his contacts
I have searched for .wab files, .pst files and a couple of other types o
files that I have seen suggested throughout these threads even searching i
hidden files and folders and the results keep coming up empty

What did I (we) do wrong, and is there any way to try to recover thes files
Any help would be greatly appreciated
BTW, i tried that website that kept popping up in here www.tomsterdam.co

and that site reads like a set of crochet instructions. grr

 

[neo [mvp outlook]]

Drop the "c:\>" part. It should just be dir *.wab /a /s

I've never seen an import delete/wipe a *.wab.

--
Neo [MVP Outlook]
Due to the Swen virus, all e-mails sent to this account will be deleted
w/out reading.

1. I have configured the search to look for hidden/system files, still nothing.
2. I opened the command prompt and tried what you suggested, I got an error that reads:
'c:\dir' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.
3. When I run wab.exe I get a window that should show my address book,

but it is blank...this is what I meant by "my address book is lost"

Are there any other options that I may have, or am I just 'S.O.L.'

----- neo [mvp outlook] wrote: -----

Assuming that each of you are on Windows XP, not only do you have to
configure Explorer to show you all hidden/system files, but you also have to
configure the search to look for hidden/system files. In any event, I like
opening a command prompt, getting to C:\ and then doing a search like this:

c:\>dir *.wab /a /s

Rather than do an import (which is one way of doing it), try starting the
Windows Address Book (wab.exe) and do an export to a Text (CSV) file. The
option is something like File | Export | Other Address Book | Text. At the
very least this would net you a file that can be imported into just about
anything including the contacts folder of Outlook.

--
Neo [MVP Outlook]
Due to the Swen virus, all e-mails sent to this account will be deleted
w/out reading.

I recently installed and started using Outlook 2003. I decided to

import
my address book from from Outlook Express 6. I did what I thought was the
right thing...

File>Import and Export>Import Internet Mail and Addresses>Outlook

Express
4.x, 5.x, 6.x and the radio button for Do not import duplicate items.

It imported my messages but not my address book, so I went ahead

and
manually entered the information for my contacts in Outlook. (Only 5 of them
thank goodness so I remembered their info).

When I went back to look at Outlook Express my address book was

gone! I
have another friend who has this same problem, however his address book is
more extensive than mine and cannot possibly remember all of his contacts.
I have searched for .wab files, .pst files and a couple of other types of
files that I have seen suggested throughout these threads even searching in
hidden files and folders and the results keep coming up empty!

What did I (we) do wrong, and is there any way to try to recover

these

files?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
BTW, i tried that website that kept popping up in here

www.tomsterdam.com
and that site reads like a set of crochet instructions. grrr

 

[Guest]

Ok, last time. I found the directory that you said. All it did was the same thing as running wab.exe. It opened up the Outlook Express address book, but as I stated before there are no entries in it. There should have been 5 entries and they are no longer there. I even try "Find" and put in the names or email addresses that should be there and it can't find them.