Outlook XP (/ 2002) contacts not looked up

I recently realised my Outlook contacts address book is not used in lookups, just the cached email names.

If I use "New Mail Message" and click on "To..." or try to look up "Contacts" in any way, it shows me none (not just no matches, none to search/find to locate the one/s I want). I have the option to select "Outlook Address Book" or "Contacts" but neither contain any. The only one that does is the folder in my Outlook Today file under "Contacts ". They are all displayed here, and I can create an email to go to one address by going thru this (right click on any contact entry, then select "new message to contact ".

Trouble is I can't create an Distribution List either because I have no addresses to select from . If I select "Contacts" in the pull-down list none show, but if I pick "Outlook Address Book" it reports "No entries in this address book ". This indicates to me as if it knows I have (48) entries in my Contacts but refuses to ever show them to me

Can someone tell me how I can get Outlook to start using the Contacts again? All help appreciated as this is getting frustrating.

 

Does This help?

 

Brilliant .. just what I needed!!

All sorted .. thanks for the pointer. In short I right-clicked on Contacts, chose Properties then "Outlook Address Book" and ticked "Show this folder as an e-mail Address Book ". After a reboot, it's working.

I have no idea where the tick went to but it's back now & working. Many many thanks.