OL98: (IMO) Option to Share Contacts with Outlook Not Available in Windows Address Book (238872)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook 98
This article was previously published under Q238872
NOTE: These procedures only apply if you have installed Outlook with the Internet Mail Only option. To determine your installation type, click About Microsoft Outlook on the Help menu. If you have the Internet Mail Only option installed, you see "Internet Mail Only".

For information about the differences between Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Outlook Express e-mail clients, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

257824 OL2000: Differences Between Outlook and Outlook Express


IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

In Outlook Internet Mail Only (IMO), your Address Book may appear empty, even though you have e-mail addresses in the Contacts folder. In the Windows Address Book (WAB), the option to share contacts with Outlook is not available.

NOTE: This issue has been noted to occur in rare cases after installing Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.

CAUSE

This issue may be caused by one or more of the following:
  • An invalid version of Outlwab.dll file
  • A missing Outlwab.dll file
  • Incorrect information in the Windows registry

MORE INFORMATION

To correct this issue, do one of the following:
  • Rename and reinstall the Outlwab.dll file.
-or-
  • Modify the registry.

Rename and Reinstall the Outlwab.dll File

If Outlwab.dll is not on your computer, start with step 6.
  1. Click Start, point to Find, and click Files or Folders.
  2. In the Named box, type Outlwab.dll.
  3. In the Look in box, click to select My Computer. Click Find Now.
  4. Right click Outlwab.dll, and click Rename.
  5. Rename the file to Outlwab.old, and press ENTER.
  6. If you are running Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.x , reinstall Outlook.

    -or-

    If you are running Internet Explorer 5.x and Outlook Express, reinstall Outlook Express 5.0.
The SETUP program will replace the missing Outlwab.dll file.

Verify the Registry Entry

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
  1. Click Start, and then click Run.
  2. Type regedit, and click OK.
  3. Navigate to the following key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\8.0

  4. Click the 8.0 folder. In the right hand window, you should see a string value called BinDirPath. If not, on the Edit menu, click New String Value. For the name of the String Value, type BinDirPath.
  5. Verify that the data contained in the BinDirPath value is the path to Outlwab.dll. Correct the path if it is incorrect. Click OK.

    The default path for this file is: 

    C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office

  6. Close the Registry Editor and then restart Outlook.
NOTE: If you have installed Microsoft Office to a folder other than the default, make sure the path is to that folder.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/11/2002
Keywords:kbprb KB238872
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.