Outlook help
 

This is bugging the bejebus out of me...

I use Outlook 2003 as my work email (standalone - we don't have Exchange). I have a regular contact who has changed companies and has changed emails. However, the protocol is the same as the last email address (First Initial Last Name @...).

When I start typing her address, the OLD address pops up as one of the suggested addresses. But I cannot figure out how to get rid of that address. Her old record was deleted when she changed companies, but it keeps popping up.

I know that on that pop-up list I can hit delete and she will disappear from the suggestions, but that only works once: the next time I go to address an email, she is there again.

Any suggestions?

That has always worked for me and it has always been a permanent deletion (unless I again send an email to that address). A quick search online suggests it should be permanent for you as well.

So I've no idea.

I believe Outlook is reading the mail you've recieved and suggesting that address, seeing as there exists an email from her with the old address.

If you remove the old addressed mail (archive, perhaps?) then it may stop suggesting it. I know that mine suggests contacts that aren't even IN my contacts, just cos they've sent me mail.

Just an amateur's guess... no guarantee implied :D

Oh yay! I actually know this one.

When you start typing in the address and it pops up, just hit your delete key. That will get it out of memory.

Then type in the new email address once and it should pop up from then on.

Well apparently I should read the entire post... that *should* work though. walks way with head hung in shame.

I have a solution, but it's draconian. Delete the file that stores all that auto-complete information. I would say edit it, but it's not a text file, so unless you're really good at editing hex, you're SOL as far as that angle goes. The file is called "%USERNAME%.NK2" (those aren't wildcards, that is literally the name of the file) and you'll find it in:
C:\Documents and Settings\YOURUSERNAME\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Close Outlook, delete (or better still, copy it somewhere else, just to be safe) the file, then re-open Outlook.

Is that the auto complete for JUST Outlook?

yes

But as long as you just move it to a different location, even if something goes wrong, you can restore it.

BTW: I suspect the above path is for XP: I am running Vista. I plan on doing a search to find the auto-fill file, but haven't done so yet.

However, a new problem has popped up on my boss's machine (same setup : Outlook 2003 on Vista) that I cannot resolve. Basically, ALMOST all of his email is opening as Plain Text. The option to do so is off. I even went in, turned it on, closed the dialog box, then went back in to turn it off - that didn't resolve things.

I further tested by sending a brand new message to him in HTML and it opens as HTML. However, messages that both he and I have received will open as HTML on my machine and as Plain Text on his. FWIW: if it opens as HTML, it stays as HTML if replied to; if it opens as Plain Text, it stays Plain Text on a response.

I am certainly confused on this one.

Do you use AVG? If so, does this help?

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/...-9604171067cf/

See post by Rickg13 in that thread.

Thank you Alex. I found another, similar solution (see the post from Consultlkr at Thu, 13 November 2008 09:37) that worked, but I like this yours a little better.

Okay, minor problem I can't seem to get around: I use Vista and the path isn't the same.

More specifically, I use Vista and we are set up with a server. Still not using Exchange, but I tried searching by file name (as given above) and struck out. If you know the path (in Vista) where I can find the file, it would be appreciated. If not, I will find another avenue (I don't want to take up any more of your time).

Well, the obvious answer is you get what you deserve for using Vista.



;)

I don't have an example on hand, but some likely places to check:

c:\users\[username]\appdata\.......
c:\users\[username]\appdata\virtualstore\.......

Poke around there under anything labeled Microsoft. Make sure you have hidden files visible. When I get home I'll see if I can find more detail.

It wasn't my choice.

DOH! Moment: unhiding hidden files helped me find the "AppData" folder, but I am still not finding the target file. I can find TWO instances of the Outlook folder (the second one appears to be the active one):
C:\Users\kevybaby\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
C:\Users\kevybaby.COMPANY\AppData\Local\Microsoft\ Outlook

The .pst files are in there, but nothing much else (besides extend.dat).

A Google search turned up a couple references that say the location is c:\users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook.

By gum, there it is! I thought I had looked in the Roaming folder, but apparently, I missed it. Thank you. Although the file name in there is "Outlook.NK2" (at least I assume it is the same file since it has the NK2 suffix).

Now to see if this works.

Okay, I was able to remove the NK2 file. Will Outlook create another one?

Yes, just start sending e-mails.

Have sent seven since that post (which is REALLY low for me) and no new NK2 file yet. Maybe after I reboot and start sending more.

And I REALLY miss my autofills

with something like this, double check you don't have a contact with that address. even though you may delete the auto complete, if it's listed in the person's contact, it will keep popping up there as well.

I had done that before I made the OP, but thanks for mentioning it.

After the short term pain of having to repopulate my autofills, all it good.