I copied my .pst folder from one computer to another. Folder contains 4
different contacts list with the primary one called 'Contacts'. I have
activated each to be accessable for email. All show up in the LH pane. And
clicking on each individual folder works. But when I click on the address
book Icon, it tells me that 'the address list could not be displayed. The
Contacts folder associated with this address list could not be opented; it
may have been moved............etc. Closing that dialog box brings up
another window called 'Address Book' with 'Show Names from the:' and has a
drop down list that shows all my contact folders. However, it seems to be
listing 'Contacts' twice, with the 1st one being empty. If I select the 2nd,
that is where the addresses are. I can't seem...

Renaming a PST file is a decidedly bad idea. Where did you come up with that
one? It is a good way to corrupt a profile. It is never the right way to use
an alternate PST File. You failed to post your Outlook version. I'd suggest
reading any of the number of posts here that tell you how to change your
data file and configure your Outlook Address Book. Pick one that matches
your Outlook version.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Gary" discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:DB149B0D-7597-4133-AEB6-8EAEDD36C2BE@microsoft.com...

Outlook 2003. New install. Renaming brings up a request to locate the .pst
file. So I direct it to the location of the transfered .pst file. Has
worked since '97 was the latest.

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Was able to delete the empty 'contacts' folder through 'view or change
existing directory' in the tools menu. Had tried that before, but for some
reason it didn't get removed.

"Gary" wrote:

That method has never been supported. Now you see why. It fails to reconnect
the profile to the proper data file and retains connections to a file
Outlook can no longer find. How much trouble you encounter depends on how
many of those connection you use. The Outlook Address Book will be the first
you notice. It can be repaired manually by removing the outdated references
to Contacts Folders and replacing them with the proper ones. Other problems
will require you to create a new profile from scratch, then connect your
data file correctly: Open it in Outlook, select it as the delivery location,
restart Outlook.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Gary" discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:398F0AAD-6709-4EDC-B2AB-116FEA70C88B@microsoft.com...

As I mentioned, I have been using this method since Outlook 97 first came out
and the subsequent 2000, and have moved 2003 to several different computers
as I upgraded laptops. Have 4 different contact lists, more than 50 sub
folders for rules and email sorting, and have never experienced the range of
problems that you are alluding to. In this case the 1st time that I deleted
the extra 'contacts' empty folder didn't complete. I place my .pst on a
partition other than the default 'c' to preserve the information in the event
of operating systems problem.

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Not sure I follow your logic. Just because you did something wrong and got
away with it, does that mean you should still keep doing it wrong?
Trust me. Keep doing it that way and you will regret it more with each
successive version of Outlook. In Outlook 2007 your profile will be corrupt
beyond repair and you will need to create a new one.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Gary" discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:2D9F7B30-3F2B-475D-B9E0-F318EB415C5B@microsoft.com...

Just out of curiosity - what operating system is this problem occuring on
since you mention it's a "new install" which makes me wonder if this now
involves Vista?

There is a saying that goes something like this: "just because you can
doesn't mean you should". There are a wide variety of things that Outlook
"allows" (for lack of a better word) that directly or...