Outlook 2002 SP3: Contact list unusable

[J]

I can see many names with email addresses in my Contacts folder. But when I
try to create a new email to one of those contacts, I get an error dialog
that says, "The address list could not be displayed. The Contacts folder
associated with this address list could not be opened; it may have been
moved or deleted or you do not have permissions. ....".

I think this might be related to a problem I had a month or so ago, where my
(only) Windows User became corrupted, and I created a new Windows User with
the same permissions (admin) as the old User. If I recall correctly, I just
copied the Documents and Settings folders for the old user into the new user
.... but my memory is not as good as it should be.

I don't understand how Outlook can display the Contacts correctly, but not
be able to access them when creating an email.

Is there a simple way to get Outlook to recognize/access the existing
contacts when I try to create an email?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Answered here every day. 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.

Make sure the Contact folder is enabled as an email address book. Right
click the Contacts folder, 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.

More details available here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;287563&Product=ol2002

 

[John Pollard]

Answered here every day. 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.
Make sure the Contact folder is enabled as an email address book.
Right click the Contacts folder, 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.

More details available here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;287563&Product=ol2002

The problem was "Show this folder as an email address book" was unchecked.
It wasn't grayed out, so I checked it ... and email addresses are back.

Thank you very much.

 

[DL]

If you know how to set your Contacts properties to View as an Outllook
Address book, and you checked that option, then the probable scenario is
that you have corrupted your outlook Profile, Create a new one, add the data
file & accounts and test

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Excellent. Outlook will only enable a Contacts Folder as an email address
book for the default data file it creates with a new profile. Anything else
you must remember to enable yourself.