nicknames stopped working suddenly

[Gordon Prince, MCP]

An Outlook 2003 user reported to me today that her nicknames stopped working this morning. I found a utility that reads the contents of the ..NK2 file (nk2csv.exe from http://www.epute.com/nk2csv/) which shows there are a couple of hundred names in the file. But typing part of a name doesn't display the dropdown list of potential matches any more from Outlook.

I renamed the .NK2 file, restarted Outlook, sent an E-mail, closed Outlook and there was a new .NK2 file, just like there is supposed to be. I replaced it with the original file but only the names I've typed in today seem to show up as prospective matches -- the couple of hundred old nicknames.

It seems like the .NK2 file is corrupt -- the names are there, but they don't work. Is there a way to repair the corrupt file? Or does it just need to rebuild a new .NK2 file as it gets used?

 

[Brian Tillman]

It seems like the .NK2 file is corrupt -- the names are there, but
they don't work. Is there a way to repair the corrupt file? Or does
it just need to rebuild a new .NK2 file as it gets used?

You could try creating a new mail file and before starting Outlook
afterward, name the NK2 file you want to use to match the mail profile name.
If that doesn't work, a new NK2 file is the way to go.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Almost never is the NK2 file corrupt. More likely, the profile is corrupt.
Did you try creating a new profile, then migrating the old NK2 file?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
An Outlook 2003 user reported to me today that her nicknames stopped working
this morning. I found a utility that reads the contents of the .NK2 file
(nk2csv.exe from http://www.epute.com/nk2csv/) which shows there are a
couple of hundred names in the file. But typing part of a name doesn't
display the dropdown list of potential matches any more from Outlook.

I renamed the .NK2 file, restarted Outlook, sent an E-mail, closed Outlook
and there was a new .NK2 file, just like there is supposed to be. I replaced
it with the original file but only the names I've typed in today seem to
show up as prospective matches -- the couple of hundred old nicknames.

It seems like the .NK2 file is corrupt -- the names are there, but they
don't work. Is there a way to repair the corrupt file? Or does it just need
to rebuild a new .NK2 file as it gets used?

 

[Randy]

You might want to correct your statement to read that the nk2csv reads "part" of the contents of the NK2 file. It doesn't read Exchange records, and it doesn't read name, x500 or GAL info. If you want to view the entire contents of the file quickly, download a demo of our program called Ingressor at www.ingressor.com. The Desktop program is what you want to take a look at.
An Outlook 2003 user reported to me today that her nicknames stopped working this morning. I found a utility that reads the contents of the ..NK2 file (nk2csv.exe from http://www.epute.com/nk2csv/) which shows there are a couple of hundred names in the file. But typing part of a name doesn't display the dropdown list of potential matches any more from Outlook.

I renamed the .NK2 file, restarted Outlook, sent an E-mail, closed Outlook and there was a new .NK2 file, just like there is supposed to be. I replaced it with the original file but only the names I've typed in today seem to show up as prospective matches -- the couple of hundred old nicknames.

It seems like the .NK2 file is corrupt -- the names are there, but they don't work. Is there a way to repair the corrupt file? Or does it just need to rebuild a new .NK2 file as it gets used?