Address Book Problem in OL98 (Outlook 98)

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Just reinstalled OL98 on reformatted HD. Can’t seem to get AddressBook.WAB imported from backup. “New” address book shows only a few addresses. Tried to IMPORT using File drop-down menu, but Import and Export are greyed out.
Dragged and dropped correct .WAB file from backup into Outlook, but the file, for some reason, is not seen. I can open the correct address book from the backup, but not in OL98 itself.

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A WAB is an Outlook Express Address Book. For Outlook the Address Book is a PAB. Find your PAB and you should be able to reinstate it. (You can export the WAB to Outlook by firing up Outlook Express and exporting from it.)

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JOHN: There you again extending a helping hand. Thanx! Some confusion this time, though.
You say .WAB is OL Express address book — but I’ve never used Express. in my case, .WAB is Outlook 98 address book.. If i click on .WAB file in Address Book folder, it pops open to show everything I’m looking for. To be on safe side, I’ve copied it to both C:Windows Application DataMicrosoftAddress Book — and C:Windows Application DataMicrosoftOutlookAddress Book.
BUT, when I click on Address Book in OL98, I still keep getting just an old, old version of Personal Address Book. Which is really weird because a search of the C: drive finds NO .PAB files.
So my conundrum is how to get rid of that ghost file and make OL98 see the correct .WAB.
Wonder if this is tied to somethinbg in the Registry??

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Try the steps that don’t involve CSV export/reimport in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 180197 or Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 188506.

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JOHN: Checked out both references (and thank you!!). When I re-installed OL98, I chose “Internet Mail Only.” According to both references, that, unfortunately, only allows WAB to go into Contacts — which I, of course, don’t want. Need updated Address Book which, unfortunately, is in WAB format. Had I chosen “Corporate or Workgroup” option, WAB could then be converted into Personal Address Book (according to MS Knowledge Base). Would reinstall OL98 BUT fear all my files (mail, contacts, etc.) would be overwritten and lost, and I’d again be back to trying to get everything copied over from backup. As you might guess, this is really making me nuts. And I expect you’re getting there, too… 🙁

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JOHN: Checked out both references (and thank you!!). When I re-installed OL98, I chose “Internet Mail Only.” According to both references, that, unfortunately, only allows WAB to go into Contacts — which I, of course, don’t want. Need updated Address Book which, unfortunately, is in WAB format. Had I chosen “Corporate or Workgroup” option, WAB could then be converted into Personal Address Book (according to MS Knowledge Base). Would reinstall OL98 BUT fear all my files (mail, contacts, etc.) would be overwritten and lost, and I’d again be back to trying to get everything copied over from backup. As you might guess, this is really making me nuts. And I expect you’re getting there, too… 🙁

Reply | Quote

JOHN: There you again extending a helping hand. Thanx! Some confusion this time, though.
You say .WAB is OL Express address book — but I’ve never used Express. in my case, .WAB is Outlook 98 address book.. If i click on .WAB file in Address Book folder, it pops open to show everything I’m looking for. To be on safe side, I’ve copied it to both C:Windows Application DataMicrosoftAddress Book — and C:Windows Application DataMicrosoftOutlookAddress Book.
BUT, when I click on Address Book in OL98, I still keep getting just an old, old version of Personal Address Book. Which is really weird because a search of the C: drive finds NO .PAB files.
So my conundrum is how to get rid of that ghost file and make OL98 see the correct .WAB.
Wonder if this is tied to somethinbg in the Registry??

Reply | Quote

A WAB is an Outlook Express Address Book. For Outlook the Address Book is a PAB. Find your PAB and you should be able to reinstate it. (You can export the WAB to Outlook by firing up Outlook Express and exporting from it.)

Reply | Quote