Lost My Contacts When Repairing My Internet Access with Provider

[MargaretA]

PMy Internet provider changed some of my Outlook settings because Outlook
suddenly stopped sending my messages. Now, I can send and receive messages,
but all of my Outlooks contacts are gone.

I know NOTHING about contacts, except how to enter them. Now, when I click
on "Address Book" there are no contacts when I select "Personal Address Book"
or "Office Address Book" from the dropdown menu.

How can I restore my contacts and prevent this from happening again. I have
no skill in this at all, so please don't presume that I know anything...

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You'll need to tell us what you did to disconnect your Outlook profile from
your Outlook data file. You did this. Not Outlook. We have no idea what you
did wrong until you tell us what you did. Outlook has not used a Personal
Address Book for over a decade. Neither should you.

 

[MargaretA]

Russ, in working with my Internet Provider to enable my messages to be sent,
I changed some settings at their direction, but I was following their
instructions without personal network know-how. I don't know what an
"Outlook profile" or "Outlook data file" is...so I don't think that I can
give a 100% correct account of my actions. I believe that, in the end, I'd
only changed my e-mail account name and POP3 mail server info.

Also, I don't know the difference between a "Personal Address Book" and an
"Office Address Book"---but those are both options in my dropdown menu.

--

You'll need to tell us what you did to disconnect your Outlook profile from
your Outlook data file. You did this. Not Outlook. We have no idea what you
did wrong until you tell us what you did. Outlook has not used a Personal
Address Book for over a decade. Neither should you.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

PMy Internet provider changed some of my Outlook settings because Outlook
suddenly stopped sending my messages. Now, I can send and receive
messages,
but all of my Outlooks contacts are gone.

I know NOTHING about contacts, except how to enter them. Now, when I
click
on "Address Book" there are no contacts when I select "Personal Address
Book"
or "Office Address Book" from the dropdown menu.

How can I restore my contacts and prevent this from happening again. I
have
no skill in this at all, so please don't presume that I know anything...

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

One of the things you must have done is to disconnect Outlook from its data
file. You should be able to find this file and start using it again. Look at
the information on how to do so here:
http://www.slipstick.com/config/backup.htm
http://www.howto-outlook.com/Howto/backupandrestore.htm
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010771141033.aspx

You appear also to have disconnected your Outlook Address Book Service.
Remove the Personal Address Book from your installation and use the Outlook
Address Book instead:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;287563&Product=ol2002

Your Internet Provider needs to do a better job of providing support. None
of this should have happened by simply resetting your email account
settings.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Russ, in working with my Internet Provider to enable my messages to be
sent,
I changed some settings at their direction, but I was following their
instructions without personal network know-how. I don't know what an
"Outlook profile" or "Outlook data file" is...so I don't think that I can
give a 100% correct account of my actions. I believe that, in the end,
I'd
only changed my e-mail account name and POP3 mail server info.

Also, I don't know the difference between a "Personal Address Book" and an
"Office Address Book"---but those are both options in my dropdown menu.

--

You'll need to tell us what you did to disconnect your Outlook profile
from
your Outlook data file. You did this. Not Outlook. We have no idea what
you
did wrong until you tell us what you did. Outlook has not used a Personal
Address Book for over a decade. Neither should you.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

PMy Internet provider changed some of my Outlook settings because
Outlook
suddenly stopped sending my messages. Now, I can send and receive
messages,
but all of my Outlooks contacts are gone.

I know NOTHING about contacts, except how to enter them. Now, when I
click
on "Address Book" there are no contacts when I select "Personal Address
Book"
or "Office Address Book" from the dropdown menu.

How can I restore my contacts and prevent this from happening again. I
have
no skill in this at all, so please don't presume that I know
anything...