Hi Russ,

In searching for some help with my problem, I noticed you seemed to be
the resident expert on solving problems involving Microsoft Outlook. I
am running Windows XP SP2 and using Outlook 2002 V10 Build 4219.

I deleted my primary contacts folder (see below for the longer story).*
I then generated a second contacts folder and named it "Friends".
When I go to the Contacts folder (under my personal folder list) I have
series of blank gray bars and the title is "Contacts (blank)-(blank)".
If I click on any of these blank gray bars I open up the window showing
the specifics for a given entry in the recently created 'Friends"
contact list.

When I open the Address book, I get the typical error "The address list
could not be displayed. The Contacts folder associated.....(etc.)" If
I click OK, I still go to the Address Book window but it is empty for
the "Contacts" window. Under "Show names from the:" window I have two
Outlook Address Books entitled "Contacts" and "Friends". I can go to
the "Friends" contact list and all the entries are present. If I try
to add a new contact to the either the "Contacts" or "Friends" list I
get the error "A new entry could not be added. Please use the contacts
module to create this entry."

How does one restore the default Contact list? I backed up my hard
drive prior to deleting the default contacts folder. Should I just
simply restore the Outlook Express files (if possible)?

Thanks for any assistance,

Mark

*(This is a longer story. A while ago after crashing my computer I
could not open Outlook Express. It told me to me use a hidden recovery
program (the name of the program escapes but RecoveryPST comes to
mind). Anyways, after recovery my contact list ended up in a recovered
folder. Last week I deleted this recovered folder while cleaning out
some other folders. This is when all the other problems described
above started.)

Since Outlook does not permit you to delete or even rename a default Folder,
I must ask how you managed to do this. You would be the first in the world
to do so.
You mention both Outlook and Outlook Express. Which are you actually using?
OE would not prompt you to repair your PST file.
You appear to have corrupted your Outlook Data File. When you run the Inbox
Repair Tool against it, what happens?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Russ,

In searching for some help with my problem, I noticed you seemed to be
the resident expert on solving problems involving Microsoft Outlook. I
am running Windows XP SP2 and using Outlook 2002 V10 Build 4219.

I deleted my primary contacts folder (see below for the longer story).*
I then generated a second contacts folder and named it "Friends".
When I go to the Contacts folder (under my personal folder list) I have
series of blank gray bars and the title is "Contacts (blank)-(blank)".
If I click on any of these blank gray bars I open up the window showing
the specifics for a given entry in the recently created 'Friends"
contact list.

When I open the Address book, I get the typical error "The address list
could not be displayed. The Contacts folder associated.....(etc.)" If
I click OK, I still go to the Address Book window but it is empty for
the "Contacts" window. Under "Show names from the:" window I have two
Outlook Address Books entitled "Contacts" and "Friends". I can go to
the "Friends" contact list and all the entries are present. If I try
to add a new contact to the either the "Contacts" or "Friends" list I
get the error "A new entry could not be added. Please use the contacts
module to create this entry."

How does one restore the default Contact list? I backed up my hard
drive prior to deleting the default contacts folder. Should I just
simply restore the Outlook Express files (if possible)?

Thanks for any assistance,

Mark

*(This is a longer story. A while ago after crashing my computer I
could not open Outlook Express. It told me to me use a hidden recovery
program (the name of the program escapes but RecoveryPST comes to
mind). Anyways, after recovery my contact list ended up in a recovered
folder. Last week I deleted this recovered folder while cleaning out
some other folders. This is when all the other problems described
above started.)

Sorry about that. I am running Outlook.

Since Outlook does not permit you to delete or even rename a default
Folder,
I must ask how you managed to do this. You would be the first in the
world
to do so.

I did not actually rename the default Contacts folder. When I
highlight the default Contacts folder and go to properties, under
Outlook Address Book heading I changed the name of the address book to
"Friends" (and clicked on the box "Show this folder as an e-mail
Address book").

You appear to have corrupted your Outlook Data File. When you run the
Inbox
Repair Tool against it, what happens?

If I remember correctly, after I ran the Inbox Repair Tool, I was able
to open Outlook. Recovered e-mails were in a series of recovered
folders. In one of the recovered folders, were all my e-mail addresses
(under the Icon column, an ID card image was shown (Vcard ?)). I
managed to crash Outlook a second time and had to rerun the Inbox
Repair Tool a second time. On both occasions, I lost recent e-mails.
Since this time I routinely backup all my e-mails. I have not recently
run the Inbox Repair Tool. Should I run it now?

Interestingly, I still am able to generate e-mail addresses in a
message by typing in the person's name. I guess there is an address
book somewhere that is being accessed.

I also noticed that Under Tools/E-mail accounts/Directory/View or
change/Outlook Address Book there are two "Contacts: Personal Folders"
listed. Is this normal?

I was thinking about reinstalling Outlook and starting over. How
difficult is it to only reinstall Outlook (or do you have to restore
Office)?

I always use to bring the "interesting" problems to the IT person at my
last job. I think he enjoyed the challenge since he typically was
asked more mundane questions (e.g. "How do you prevent e-mailing to all
recipients?" type of questions).

Thanks Russ

Do you back up your data? You appear to have thoroughly corrupted your PST
file. You should never use the Outlook Address Book interface to enter or
edit any data. That's not what it's for.
If I were you, I'd at least try to see if you can move your Contacts back
into your default folder from whatever folder they are in now. Then I would
run the Inbox Repair Tool against your PST file, alternating it with a
scandisk utility until no errors are returned. Even then, you may have to
manually recreate your File As fields.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
wrote in message
ups.com...
Sorry about that. I am running Outlook.

Since Outlook does not permit you to delete or even rename a default
Folder,
I must ask how you managed to do this. You would be the first in the
world
to do so.

I did not actually rename the default Contacts folder. When I
highlight the default Contacts folder and go to properties, under
Outlook Address Book heading I changed the name of the address book to
"Friends" (and clicked on the box "Show this folder as an e-mail
Address book").

You appear to have corrupted your Outlook Data File. When you run the
Inbox
Repair Tool against it, what happens?

If I remember correctly, after I ran the Inbox Repair Tool, I was able
to open Outlook. Recovered e-mails were in a series of recovered
folders. In one of the recovered folders, were all my e-mail addresses
(under the Icon column, an ID card image was shown (Vcard ?)). I
managed to crash Outlook a second time and had to rerun the Inbox
Repair Tool a second time. On both occasions, I lost recent e-mails.
Since this time I routinely backup all my e-mails. I have not recently
run the Inbox Repair Tool. Should I run it now?

Interestingly, I still am able to generate e-mail addresses in a
message by typing in the person's name. I guess there is an address
book somewhere that is being accessed.

I also noticed that Under Tools/E-mail accounts/Directory/View or
change/Outlook Address Book there are two "Contacts: Personal Folders"
listed. Is this normal?

I was thinking about reinstalling Outlook and starting over. How
difficult is it to only reinstall Outlook (or do you have to restore
Office)?

I always use to bring the "interesting" problems to the IT person at my
last job. I think he enjoyed the challenge since he typically was
asked more mundane questions (e.g. "How do you prevent e-mailing to all
recipients?" type of questions).

Thanks Russ

Hi Russ,

I ran the SCANPST.exe program against the OUTLOOK.PST file and
corrected two errors. I believe my problem was that my original
Contacts folder was no longer associated with the Address Book. When
my Outlook crashed my Contact list ended up as a recovered folder.
Deleting this recovered folder messed everything up.

I went into the Tools/E-mail accounts/Directory/View or change existing
directories or address books. I highlighted the Outlook Address Book
and went to Change. There were two "Contacts:Personal Folders" listed.
I deleted the "bad" one, exited Outlook and restarted Outlook.
Everything seems fine now.

I do notice that when I open the address book, it is set for my
Contacts (I think it remembers the last list opened). If I highlight
Outlook Address Book, there are no addresses listed. Is this normal?

Thanks for you help.

Mark

Normal. The Outlook Address Book should contain references only to those
Contact Folders which you have enabled as email address books. Any outdated
or invalid references should be removed.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Russ,

I ran the SCANPST.exe program against the OUTLOOK.PST file and
corrected two errors. I believe my problem was that my original
Contacts folder was no longer associated with the Address Book. When
my Outlook crashed my Contact list ended up as a recovered folder.
Deleting this recovered folder messed everything up.

I went into the Tools/E-mail accounts/Directory/View or change existing
directories or address books. I highlighted the Outlook Address Book
and went to Change. There were two "Contacts:Personal Folders" listed.
I deleted the "bad" one, exited Outlook and restarted Outlook.
Everything seems fine now.

I do notice that when I open the address book, it is set for my
Contacts (I think it remembers the last list opened). If I highlight
Outlook Address Book, there are no addresses listed. Is this normal?

Thanks for you help.

Mark