A common problem many Outlook users face when they reformat or move to a new computer is that the contacts folder appears empty when they click the To button on a message form.

A reader writes:

"I wonder if you can help me with a small technical problem. I recently had to wipe my hard drive clean and re-install my Windows ME operating system. I saved the Outlook folder lying under 'Microsoft-Application Data-Windows' and after re-installing Office XP, I replaced the new Outlook folder with the old one I had saved so that all my mail, contacts, calendar, etc. would work with the new set up. Unfortunately, this was only partly successful. I managed to get my mail, contacts, and calendar folders up OK from the folders tree, but when I compose a new message I am unable to access my Contacts address book data by clicking 'To' as I used to be able to do. I have not found any assistance on this issue in the Office XP and Outlook manuals. It would also apply when one upgrades the operating system.

Please could you guide me on how to re-establish my old Contacts folder as the source for addresses in the Message Editor window."

First make sure the Contact folder is enabled as an email address book. Right click the Contacts folder, choose Properties and then Outlook Address Book. The box to enable as an email address book should be checked. For most people, this simple step fixes the problem.

However, if the box is dimmed and unavailable, you'll need to go to Tools->Email Accounts and choose View or change existing directories or address book. If the Outlook Address Book is not listed, add it and then close and restart Outlook. If it is listed, then remove it, close, and then restart Outlook and repeat these steps to add it.

Another frequent problem faced when users attach an old message store to a profile is ghost contact lists in the Address Book list. To remove these, open the address book, then go to Tools->Options and remove the ghosts from the Addressing list. If you aren't sure which folder is the ghost, you can always remove all of the folders listed and add them back.

Diane Poremsky is the president of CDOLive LLC and a Microsoft Outlook MVP. She's coauthor of Word 2002: The Complete Reference (Osborne, 2001) and Beginning Visual Basic 6 Application Development (for Wrox Press). For questions or suggestions for future columns, write her at outlook@cdolive.com.