Contact folders not Displaying Information in Address Book

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Boothtech - 17 Aug 2005 03:14 GMT

This has probally been answered before as I have come accross this problem
many times.

The Problem is when I click on the TO:, CC: or BCC: to bring up the address
book, I change the contact folder and this error appears:

"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 premissions."

My clients and my contacts are setup with sub folders under the Contacts
Folder in the primary Personal Folder. The contact sub folders can be
accessed normally through the folder view and each of the contacts can be
edited, added and deleted.

I can right click on the contact sub folder, choose properties, click on the
Outlook Address book tab, put a tick in the value "Show this folder as an
e-mail Address Book". By selecting this option, the contacts list will
display in the address book as a duplicated name(unless I change the display
valur) The original Contact folder that does not work still appears.

I have not Moved or deleted the the contact sub folders. I do import and
export contact lists regulary, but this probem has just appeared for both
myself and clients.

Is there any reason for this behaviour to occur?
Can I prevent this behaviour from happening again?
How do I recitfy the problem so there are only working contact list folders
appear? (How do I remove broken Contact Folders from the list?)

Thankyou

Chris

Reply to this Message

Vince Averello [MVP-Outlook] - 17 Aug 2005 13:28 GMT

If you're using OL2003 check here: Tools menu > Email accounts > View/Change
existing address books/directories > Click Next > Highlight Outlook Address
Book > Click Change > Remove the bad folders shown in this dialog

> This has probally been answered before as I have come accross this problem
> many times.
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
> folders
> appear? (How do I remove broken Contact Folders from the list?)

Reply to this Message

Matt Morris - 17 Nov 2005 14:32 GMT

I have the same common problem with the error message etc. Including when I
try to access my contacts in the new email via the "to" button I get the
error message, click ok, the Select Names prompt opens, I then click on the
drop down menu and find the following:
Outlook Address Book
contacts
contacts
And as others have said, the second contacts is the winner for finding my
needed contact information. I tried the step mentioned before for deleting
the address book etc, but nothing changes, even when i close and reopen OL.
When I tried clicking the change button for the Outlook Address Book, the
Microsoft Office Outlook Address Book prompt opens but there are no
folders/etc listed to delete (e.g. the bad file). Please let me know what I
am doing wrong, or what I can do to remedy the problem.

Thx.

> If you're using OL2003 check here: Tools menu > Email accounts > View/Change
> existing address books/directories > Click Next > Highlight Outlook Address
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
> > folders
> > appear? (How do I remove broken Contact Folders from the list?)

Reply to this Message

Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] - 17 Nov 2005 21:05 GMT

Clarify more accurately what you tried.
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 2000, Corp/Workgroup:
Go to Tools > Services. Make sure the Outlook Address Book service is
listed. If not, add it. Next, R click on the Contact folder or folders you
want the OAB to display, choose "Properties", go to the Outlook Address Book
tab and check the "Show this folder as an E-mail address book" box. You may
also need to go to Tools > Options > Addressing Tab and choose to show your
Contacts folder.

For Outlook 2002/2003:
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

Signature

Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

>I have the same common problem with the error message etc. Including when
>I
[quoted text clipped - 65 lines]
>> > folders
>> > appear? (How do I remove broken Contact Folders from the list?)

Reply to this Message