Address book can't see contacts - New profile didn't help

[GNP]

Hi,

I'm running Outlook 2007 in Vista SP1. I have all the current updates.
This is a brand new HP Pavillion that I would like to get to work properly.

I have the common problem of Outllook not being able to see the Windows
Contacts folder after migrating the data incorrectly by importing. I tried
all of the often repeated suggestions that I could find here, including the
easiest one of setting up a new profile.

In the new profile, the Outlook address book/contacts is empty, even though
my Windows address book/Contacts folder contains several hundred entries.

In the new Outlook profile, Tools > Account settings > Address books shows
the Outlook MAPI address book and in File > Folder > Properties for
"Contacts" > Outlook Address Book, the "Show this folder..." is checked and
greyed out.

I'm not sure what my next step should be.

I apologize in advance is this has been answered before, but I have been
unable to find a solution after searching.

I would appreciate any help that anyone here can provide. Is there a
registry edit that will fix this?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

That should have corrected the problem. I'm not sure why you mention the
"Windows Address Book" because it has nothing to do with Outlook at all.
If "Show this folder as an electronic address book" is both checked and
grayed out, then you have successfully added the address book service to the
profile. Accordingly, your problem must be further down the line, which
would be one of 2 places:
1. You are not displaying the correct Contacts Folder
2. You do not have valid electronic addresses in the Contacts Folder you are
displaying. An import, for example might have corrupted your electronic
addresses. As a test, create a new Contact from scratch with a valid
electronic address and see if it displays in the address book view.

 

[GNP]

I also tried setting up a new Windows user profile in Vista SP1.

As before, I can enter addresses individually in both the 2007 Outlook
Address book and the Windows Contacts folder, but they do not "see" each
other.

My cellphone can add addresses from the Windows contacts folder just fine,
(but not the Outlook address book) and I have created a mobile address book
accessible in Outlook that contains all of my phonebook.

When setting up a new uniquely named Outlook profile in both the old Windows
profile and the new Windows profile, the Outlook Address Book Service was
already checked and running. I did not need to add it or go to the Folder
options.

I'm open to any suggestions. Thanks.

Thanks.

 

[GNP]

Thanks for the quick reply. I posted my second message before I read your
reply.

Do you mean to tell me that the "Contacts" folder that is located at
C:\Users\"Username"\Contacts has nothing to do with Outlook?

I sure have wasted a lot of time if it doesn't.

What is the purpose of it then?

In case I haven't been clear, there has always been hundreds of contacts in
my Outlook address book that I could use anytime. I just couldn't get it to
automatically sync with my Windows contacts folder. What is the purpose of
this Windows Contacts folder if it doesn't sync with Outlook's?

Thanks.

That should have corrected the problem. I'm not sure why you mention the
"Windows Address Book" because it has nothing to do with Outlook at all.
If "Show this folder as an electronic address book" is both checked and
grayed out, then you have successfully added the address book service to the
profile. Accordingly, your problem must be further down the line, which
would be one of 2 places:
1. You are not displaying the correct Contacts Folder
2. You do not have valid electronic addresses in the Contacts Folder you are
displaying. An import, for example might have corrupted your electronic
addresses. As a test, create a new Contact from scratch with a valid
electronic address and see if it displays in the address book view.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Hi,

I'm running Outlook 2007 in Vista SP1. I have all the current updates.
This is a brand new HP Pavillion that I would like to get to work
properly.

I have the common problem of Outllook not being able to see the Windows
Contacts folder after migrating the data incorrectly by importing. I
tried
all of the often repeated suggestions that I could find here, including
the
easiest one of setting up a new profile.

In the new profile, the Outlook address book/contacts is empty, even
though
my Windows address book/Contacts folder contains several hundred entries.

In the new Outlook profile, Tools > Account settings > Address books shows
the Outlook MAPI address book and in File > Folder > Properties for
"Contacts" > Outlook Address Book, the "Show this folder..." is checked
and
greyed out.

I'm not sure what my next step should be.

I apologize in advance is this has been answered before, but I have been
unable to find a solution after searching.

I would appreciate any help that anyone here can provide. Is there a
registry edit that will fix this?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

As I said, the Windows Address Book (aka "Windows Contacts" in Vista) is
completely separate and never has had anything to do with Outlook. Microsoft
expects and requires you to be able to be able to keep all the things it
calls "address book" separate and distinct in your mind at all times. Pay
attention now. There will be a quiz later:
http://home.indy.rr.com/russval/addressbook.htm
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Thanks for the quick reply. I posted my second message before I read your
reply.

Do you mean to tell me that the "Contacts" folder that is located at
C:\Users\"Username"\Contacts has nothing to do with Outlook?

I sure have wasted a lot of time if it doesn't.

What is the purpose of it then?

In case I haven't been clear, there has always been hundreds of contacts
in
my Outlook address book that I could use anytime. I just couldn't get it
to
automatically sync with my Windows contacts folder. What is the purpose
of
this Windows Contacts folder if it doesn't sync with Outlook's?

Thanks.

That should have corrected the problem. I'm not sure why you mention the
"Windows Address Book" because it has nothing to do with Outlook at all.
If "Show this folder as an electronic address book" is both checked and
grayed out, then you have successfully added the address book service to
the
profile. Accordingly, your problem must be further down the line, which
would be one of 2 places:
1. You are not displaying the correct Contacts Folder
2. You do not have valid electronic addresses in the Contacts Folder you
are
displaying. An import, for example might have corrupted your electronic
addresses. As a test, create a new Contact from scratch with a valid
electronic address and see if it displays in the address book view.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Hi,

I'm running Outlook 2007 in Vista SP1. I have all the current updates.
This is a brand new HP Pavillion that I would like to get to work
properly.

I have the common problem of Outllook not being able to see the Windows
Contacts folder after migrating the data incorrectly by importing. I
tried
all of the often repeated suggestions that I could find here, including
the
easiest one of setting up a new profile.

In the new profile, the Outlook address book/contacts is empty, even
though
my Windows address book/Contacts folder contains several hundred
entries.

In the new Outlook profile, Tools > Account settings > Address books
shows
the Outlook MAPI address book and in File > Folder > Properties for
"Contacts" > Outlook Address Book, the "Show this folder..." is checked
and
greyed out.

I'm not sure what my next step should be.

I apologize in advance is this has been answered before, but I have
been
unable to find a solution after searching.

I would appreciate any help that anyone here can provide. Is there a
registry edit that will fix this?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Gordon]

Thanks for the quick reply. I posted my second message before I read your
reply.

Do you mean to tell me that the "Contacts" folder that is located at
C:\Users\"Username"\Contacts has nothing to do with Outlook?
Correct


I sure have wasted a lot of time if it doesn't.

What is the purpose of it then?

It comes as a part of Vista. The idea ( I presume) was to boost the sales of
Office Home and Student, which doesn't contain Outlook, because Vista
includes Windows Mail, Windows Contacts and Windows Calendar. Unfortunately
this seems to have backfired as Windows Mail doesn't use Simple MAPI which
is a prerequisite for emailing documents from within Office
modules....nicely thought out MS!

In case I haven't been clear, there has always been hundreds of contacts
in
my Outlook address book that I could use anytime. I just couldn't get it
to
automatically sync with my Windows contacts folder. What is the purpose
of
this Windows Contacts folder if it doesn't sync with Outlook's?

Thanks.

That should have corrected the problem. I'm not sure why you mention the
"Windows Address Book" because it has nothing to do with Outlook at all.
If "Show this folder as an electronic address book" is both checked and
grayed out, then you have successfully added the address book service to
the
profile. Accordingly, your problem must be further down the line, which
would be one of 2 places:
1. You are not displaying the correct Contacts Folder
2. You do not have valid electronic addresses in the Contacts Folder you
are
displaying. An import, for example might have corrupted your electronic
addresses. As a test, create a new Contact from scratch with a valid
electronic address and see if it displays in the address book view.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Hi,

I'm running Outlook 2007 in Vista SP1. I have all the current updates.
This is a brand new HP Pavillion that I would like to get to work
properly.

I have the common problem of Outllook not being able to see the Windows
Contacts folder after migrating the data incorrectly by importing. I
tried
all of the often repeated suggestions that I could find here, including
the
easiest one of setting up a new profile.

In the new profile, the Outlook address book/contacts is empty, even
though
my Windows address book/Contacts folder contains several hundred
entries.

In the new Outlook profile, Tools > Account settings > Address books
shows
the Outlook MAPI address book and in File > Folder > Properties for
"Contacts" > Outlook Address Book, the "Show this folder..." is checked
and
greyed out.

I'm not sure what my next step should be.

I apologize in advance is this has been answered before, but I have
been
unable to find a solution after searching.

I would appreciate any help that anyone here can provide. Is there a
registry edit that will fix this?

Thanks in advance!

 

[GNP]

Thanks for the link Russ. I was familiar with most of the other address
books, EXCEPT for this one, obviously. I appreciate the sarcasm.

I was using Motorola Phone Tools, and until I upgraded to the most recent
version, 5.13b, it would only see the Windows Contacts folder for some
reason. However, after 3 upgrades, it now sees "Micosoft Outlook" too, so I
can Sync to either "address book" now. I guess the Windows contacts folder
will work to store just my Motorola Phonebook for quick access.

Thanks to Gordon for the further explanation of Windows Mail. Another MS
gotcha!

As I said, the Windows Address Book (aka "Windows Contacts" in Vista) is
completely separate and never has had anything to do with Outlook. Microsoft
expects and requires you to be able to be able to keep all the things it
calls "address book" separate and distinct in your mind at all times. Pay
attention now. There will be a quiz later:
http://home.indy.rr.com/russval/addressbook.htm
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Thanks for the quick reply. I posted my second message before I read your
reply.

Do you mean to tell me that the "Contacts" folder that is located at
C:\Users\"Username"\Contacts has nothing to do with Outlook?

I sure have wasted a lot of time if it doesn't.

What is the purpose of it then?

In case I haven't been clear, there has always been hundreds of contacts
in
my Outlook address book that I could use anytime. I just couldn't get it
to
automatically sync with my Windows contacts folder. What is the purpose
of
this Windows Contacts folder if it doesn't sync with Outlook's?

Thanks.

That should have corrected the problem. I'm not sure why you mention the
"Windows Address Book" because it has nothing to do with Outlook at all.
If "Show this folder as an electronic address book" is both checked and
grayed out, then you have successfully added the address book service to
the
profile. Accordingly, your problem must be further down the line, which
would be one of 2 places:
1. You are not displaying the correct Contacts Folder
2. You do not have valid electronic addresses in the Contacts Folder you
are
displaying. An import, for example might have corrupted your electronic
addresses. As a test, create a new Contact from scratch with a valid
electronic address and see if it displays in the address book view.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Hi,

I'm running Outlook 2007 in Vista SP1. I have all the current updates.
This is a brand new HP Pavillion that I would like to get to work
properly.

I have the common problem of Outllook not being able to see the Windows
Contacts folder after migrating the data incorrectly by importing. I
tried
all of the often repeated suggestions that I could find here, including
the
easiest one of setting up a new profile.

In the new profile, the Outlook address book/contacts is empty, even
though
my Windows address book/Contacts folder contains several hundred
entries.

In the new Outlook profile, Tools > Account settings > Address books
shows
the Outlook MAPI address book and in File > Folder > Properties for
"Contacts" > Outlook Address Book, the "Show this folder..." is checked
and
greyed out.

I'm not sure what my next step should be.

I apologize in advance is this has been answered before, but I have
been
unable to find a solution after searching.

I would appreciate any help that anyone here can provide. Is there a
registry edit that will fix this?

Thanks in advance!