Synching Outlook Contacts and Address Book

[burgerbyte]

I have copied a PST file from one PC (Windows XP / Office XP) to a second laptop (Windows XP / Office 2003)

I keep this file on a second (non-OS) hard-drive partition so I can periodically restore my OS to a known clean state.

On both computers, I have 'added' the second partition file, pointed the mail delivery to this, then removed the original Outlook.pst file which normally resides in "C:\Documents and Settings\..user..\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook"

Problem:
The second Outlook sees all mail folders and messages, and all 'Contacts'.  But the Outlook Address Book is EMPTY!  How do I populate the address book with the current contacts?

Possible related problem??:  If I 'add' a NEW contact, then copy the updated PST file back to the original machine, the 'new' contact is not listed, but updated mail messages are present!?

Is copying the PST from machine to machine not permitted for synching Outlook?

[quaxo]

You should import the file (through the File menu) instead of copying it. Have you tried that?

[burgerbyte]

1) Create new empty pst file
2) Import everything from default pst file into new file
3) Change mail delivery to new pst file
4) Close Outlook and reopen
5) Close 'old default' pst file

Result:
All message and contacts remain as expected.

Open 'new message' and select the 'To...' button which displays the 'Select Names' dialog box

'No entries in this Address Book' still appears, however now there is a sub listing 'Contacts' in the 'Show Names from the' list box.  The complete contact list is now available, but as a sub level list.  Sure it's there, but I dont want to have to make this sub-address list selection, I want the top level Outlook Address Book to be populated.

[quaxo]

You should import the file (through the File menu) instead of copying it. Have you tried that?