Outlook 2003 - Contacts

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Gail - 16 Oct 2005 16:55 GMT

I just switched to a new computer. I was able to copy my old .pst file and
therefore have all my previous Outlook information. If I go
to the "Contact" tab, I cann view my entire contact list. Yet if I write a
new message and press the "To" to pull up my conatact list, I
get the following message: "Address list could not be displayed. Contacts
folder associated with this address list could not be opened...."
So... How do I fix this???

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Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] - 16 Oct 2005 19:38 GMT

It's always best to think of the Outlook Address Book as deaf, dumb, and
blind. It cannot possibly know that you changed your Outlook Data File. Now
it can't find its data source. You must tell it where it is.
You did not specify enough information to permit specific troubleshooting.
We have no way to know how you migrated your data. Just read through all the
possible permutations:
http://home.indy.rr.com/russval/addressbook.htm#Lose

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Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

> I just switched to a new computer. I was able to copy my old .pst file and
> therefore have all my previous Outlook information. If I go
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> folder associated with this address list could not be opened...."
> So... How do I fix this???

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Meg M. - 26 Oct 2005 20:59 GMT

Russ, I appreciate your cross reference to the http//home... shown below in
trying to answer challenges with Outlook. I have an additional question for
you in that I followed the directions, and the address book is an email
address book. but when I do a search for any *.pab or *.oap extensions on the
c: drive I get nothing found. when Outlookis open I look at the row with new
message etc bar and see the address book. I click on it and find all
addresses. But if I go down to Contacts on the left bar of Outlook there are
no names or addresses listed. I need to get these backed up and exported as
they are very valuable. Can you give me any other help? THANKS!! Meg

> It's always best to think of the Outlook Address Book as deaf, dumb, and
> blind. It cannot possibly know that you changed your Outlook Data File. Now
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> > folder associated with this address list could not be opened...."
> > So... How do I fix this???

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Brian Tillman - 27 Oct 2005 18:30 GMT

> when I do a search for
> any *.pab or *.oap extensions on the c: drive I get nothing found.

It's highly unlikely you'll find a .pab file (Personal Address Book), as
Outlook 2003 doesn't use them and they've been obsolete since Outlook 98.
As for the .oab files, click Start>Run and enter the following into the Open
field:

%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Click OK. If you have any, they'll be there. You may not have any, if you
don't have the Offline Address Book options turned on. Exchange is needed
for that.

> when Outlookis open I look at the row with new message etc bar and
> see the address book. I click on it and find all addresses. But if
> I go down to Contacts on the left bar of Outlook there are no names
> or addresses listed. I need to get these backed up and exported as
> they are very valuable.

You have the Address Book looking in a Contacts folder other than the one
you're displaying in the Navigation Pane, but the Contacts folder the
Address Book is referencing MUST be in your mail profile. Click File>Data
File Management and see if you have more than one data file defined. Also,
in the Address Book, click Tools>Options, select the Contacts folder in the
lower pane, and click Properties. Where does it show your contacts reside?

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Brian Tillman

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Meg M. - 28 Oct 2005 07:10 GMT

> > when I do a search for
> > any *.pab or *.oap extensions on the c: drive I get nothing found.
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> in the Address Book, click Tools>Options, select the Contacts folder in the
> lower pane, and click Properties. Where does it show your contacts reside?

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Brian Tillman - 28 Oct 2005 16:55 GMT

>I do remember that when I look for the path of the contacts
> all that is shown is midi. no C:docs and settings etc. Got any
> clues? What I ended up doing as a quick fix is exporting the
> contacts as a CSV file and importing to the other computer.

Exporting and importing is never the way to transfer Outlook data from one
Outlook to another. See the following:
http://www.howto-outlook.com/howto/backupandrestore.htm

Signature

Brian Tillman

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Meg M. - 01 Nov 2005 21:40 GMT

Brian, I have another question.... I went to the howto-outlook.htm listed
in your reply to my prior question, but cannot tell if backing up the .pst
file will ALSO back up our "contacts" this is what started my questions in
the first place. I cannot seem to move the contacts or address book back to
the laptop. Please help. Thanks!! Meg

> >I do remember that when I look for the path of the contacts
> > all that is shown is midi. no C:docs and settings etc. Got any
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> Outlook to another. See the following:
> http://www.howto-outlook.com/howto/backupandrestore.htm

Reply to this Message

Brian Tillman - 01 Nov 2005 22:14 GMT

> Brian, I have another question.... I went to the howto-outlook.htm
> listed in your reply to my prior question, but cannot tell if backing
> up the .pst file will ALSO back up our "contacts" this is what
> started my questions in the first place. I cannot seem to move the
> contacts or address book back to the laptop.

The PST contains ALL Outlook data: e-mail, contacts, calendar, tasks,
journal, and notes. The address book doesn't contain anything. It's just a
view into your contacts folders.

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Brian Tillman

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