Re: Address book problem

To reinstall Outlook Express (which rarely solves problems), see this KB article:

How to Reinstall or Repair Outlook Express in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q318378

Before doing a compact operation, try in Outlook Express, clicking on the Menu, File/Work Offline (so that the compacting is not interuppted by polling for messages) and then select File/Folders/Compact All Folders and wait for it to complete before doing anything else. Outlook Express' message stores are extremely fragile and prone to corruption, particularly if you are using email scanning for viruses or spam. For more info on that, see this article:

The Other E-Mail Threat: File Corruption in Outlook Express:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/filecorruption.mspx

And lastly, there is no ability to "uncompact" since compacting only reclaims the wasted space that has been taken up by messages you've deleted. All databases need to be compacted on a regular basis to ensure they function correctly and quickly. And I hope you read the info at the link I earlier posted:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917288/

--
Jim Pickering
MVP-Outlook Express/Windows Mail
Please reply to newsgroup only so that others may be helped with your feedback.


"BAZ" <bonnie.zimmer@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:1153435445.120972.300260@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dear Jim,

It is amazing. I recently compacted my Outlook Express folders for the
first time (I got a message and they said it would help to save space).
So... maybe Outlook is not able to read the stuff that it previously
compacted. Who knows?
Perhaps I should uncompact! Is there a way to do this?

I truly believe that something was corrupted on my computer - or else I
wouldn't have had to go through all I went through this morning during
reboot.

I just got out an old XP disc and reinstalled Outlook Express - which
did nothing.

BTW, I then tried to reinstall Microsoft WIndows and all kinds of weird
things happened - like I got Outlook 2000!?!?!?

I decided to remove those files by removing Office 2000 Premium via
Control Panel/ Add or Remove Programs (a big mistake I now realize) and
therefore lost Excel!

So I just now did another System Restore to about a week ago and all is
well except that I have just the one problem that I began with... the
inability to view my address book - even though it is there (i.e., I
can use it by identifying names of friends).

What a miserable day this has been!

Bonnie



Jim Pickering wrote:
Might want to look at this KB article and see if it's any help:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917288/

The not shut down correctly is usually the result of not compacting the
message store. When did you last compact all folders in Outlook Express?
--
Jim Pickering
MVP-Outlook Express/Windows Mail
Please reply to newsgroup only so that others may be helped with your
feedback.

"BAZ" <bonnie.zimmer@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1153433276.522782.15490@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Hi friends,
>
> I now notice that each time I shut down Outlook Express and then bring
> it back up I get that message that Outlook did not shut down correctly
> last time.
> I am not sure when this started... probably after I did the latest
> Microsoft update.
> My computer is screwed (excuse the French).
>
> But - you'd think there would be a way to repair Outlook Express
> without messing up anything else!
>
> Thanks so much for your suggestions.
>
> BAZ (Bonnie)
> BAZ wrote:
>> Ken... when I do what you suggest, a small window pops up with a red
>> circle and a white X within and an OK button.
>>
>> So - no, there is no way I can look at the address book.
>>
>> BAZ
>>
>>
>> Jim Pickering ... I get automatic updates. I just did the very latest
>> and even pulled the plug on my computer before re-booting.
>> No change!
>>
>> HEY - the thing I did notice this morning was that I was not able to
>> boot my computer without going through about a half hour of disk and
>> free space checking. There were some corrections made. This is rare >> for
>> me.
>> So - something must have gotten royally messed up!
>>
>> If I must re-install something, I would like it to be a minimal >> effort.
>> Currently, I think a re-install would be difficult because I have the
>> latest updates.
>>
>> BAZ
>>
>>
>> Jim Pickering wrote:
>> > When was the last time you visited the Windows Update site to >> > download
>> > all
>> > updates for your system that are marked as Critical? Since you post
>> > via
>> > Google, we have no way to determine the version number of Outlook
>> > Express
>> > you are using nor how badly outdated it may be. Care to help us >> > with
>> > that,
>> > along with the operating system you are using?
>> > --
>> > Jim Pickering
>> > MVP-Outlook Express/Windows Mail
>> > Please reply to newsgroup only so that others may be helped with >> > your
>> > feedback.
>> >
>> >
>> > "BAZ" <bonnie.zimmer@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> > news:1153420203.041440.84320@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > > Frank,
>> > >
>> > > As I said, when I click on Addresses (part of the tool bar) to >> > > open
>> > > the
>> > > address book, nothing is displayed.
>> > > Besides, I would guess that I have only about 20 contacts.
>> > >
>> > > If you read my mail carefully, the address book does exist because >> > > I
>> > > can use it; i.e., send someone an email using their nickname.
>> > >
>> > > BAZ
>> > >
>> > > Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE wrote:
>> > >> "BAZ" <bonnie.zimmer@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> > >> news:1153407849.090951.69880@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > >> > All of a sudden I see that my contact list has disappeared. The
>> > >> > message
>> > >> > displayed is: There are no contacts to display. Click on >> > >> > Contacts
>> > >> > to
>> > >> > create a new contact. There is no Contacts button - only >> > >> > Addresses
>> > >> > ...
>> > >> > and when I clicked on that, I get nothing. I.e., there seems to >> > >> > be
>> > >> > no
>> > >> > address list.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > I tried to re-import the address book and got an OK but nothing
>> > >> > had
>> > >> > changed.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > I decided to go to some old saved email and right-clicked and
>> > >> > selected
>> > >> > "Add sender to address book." The response I got was: The >> > >> > contact
>> > >> > is
>> > >> > already in your address book.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > What gives?
>> > >> >
>> > >> > I can send mail to anyone using their name (i.e., David) - but >> > >> > I
>> > >> > just
>> > >> > can't see the address list.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > I did a System Restore to yesterday (when all was well), but
>> > >> > nothing
>> > >> > changed.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > It's almost as though my address book is not readable by >> > >> > Outlook
>> > >> > Express. Believe me, it is THERE!
>> > >> >
>> > >> > Thanks for any help. I really hope it is not necessary to
>> > >> > reinstall
>> > >> > Internet Explorer!
>> > >> >
>> > >> > BAZ
>> > >> >
>> > >>
>> > >> If you open the Address Book are the contacts there?
>> > >> If the Address Book has more than 999 contacts the contact pane >> > >> will
>> > >> be
>> > >> blank.
>> > >>
>> > >> --
>> > >> Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
>> > >> Reply in newsgroup
>> > >> "They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary >> > >> security,
>> > >> deserve
>> > >> neither liberty or security"
>> > >
>


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