Outlook 2003 - CONTACTS - Unable to display folder folder is full

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pearson385
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Pearson385

I was adding and deleting User designed fields nd the above message now comes
up whenever I try to display any view. I can't even see the defined views.
Individual contacts are still there as I can search and bring up any record.
HELP
 
Based on experience of having run across this issue on more than one
occasion, only solution that resolves the issue in 98% of cases similar to
what you describe is to <copy> the affected contacts to a new folder
(preferably in a new PST created just for this purpose) - running ScanPST on
the original PST file rarely (if ever) resolved the problem. Whatever the
cause, it does <appear> to occur more often than not in a folder with
user-defined fields which is being worked on a lot especially when a custom
form is also in play. What you need to do next depends on the following:

#1 - If the source folder was <NOT> your <Default> contacts folder, just
delete the problematic folder, create a new one and copy the contacts back
from the folder you copied them to

#2 - If, on the other hand, the affected contact folder is your <default>
(ergo - member of your default PST) - the problem is a bit more tedious
since you cannot delete a default folder. Depending on your situation, the
simplest approach would be to create a new profile which in turn creates a
new default PST with the required folder structure. Once the new profile is
created, start Outlook and open the PST file you created to copy the
original contacts copying the contacts back to the new default contacts
folder (do not copy the folder back - you need to copy the contacts). To get
all your other info (inbox etc) - open the original PST and copy all the
required items from the equivalent folder in the new default PST. Close the
original and you're set to go other than having to re-publish any forms etc.

The above assumes you are referring to a PST based contact folder. If it's
Exchange (have never encountered the issue on an Exch folder) - it's a whole
different ballgame. You'll need to find your Exch Admin to get it ultimately
resolved but you should still be able to copy the contacts. Final note - you
do not need to open the folder to do the copying (you can't) - right click
on the folder name in question and use the <copy> option from there.

Karl

___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com
 
Thank you! It looks like I have my days work planned for me. I amn
unfamiliar ith ScanPST. Is it an MS procedure? I might need it in the
future. I'll check the rest of the community for a definition.
 
ScanPST is a Microsoft utility that gets installed with MS Office. The exact
location would depend on your version of MS Office. For Office '2007 - you'd
find it in the Office12 subfolder where O'2007 is installed.

Karl
___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com
 
Sir: I have this exact same problem, and by your post, #2 is my solution.
I'm slightly "software challenged" and am very worried about losing
information in my Outlook. I use it for EVERYTHING! So could you please
explain how to create a new profile, moving all my current data to my new
profile, without losing data but being able to use my contacts again? Using
Outlook 2003 in XP. Thanks so much.
 
Just to get some housekeeping things out of the way:

#1 - Unfortunately too involved to go into a step-by-step explanation of all
the steps. Will require some that you have at least some minimal knowledge
of the major topics involved (or have some one help you that does). However,
will point you to some topics in the <Help> file that you should review
a) "Overview of Outlook e-mail Profiles"
- description there of how to create a new one
b) Open, change, close Outlook data files (PST files)

#2 - Before anything else - make sure that you have a backup copy of your
existing PST file before <anything> is done so that you always have a copy
of the original data/file until no longer required.

#3 - There is no guarantee that the approach described will work in your
particular case - all depends what the actual issue is but in the cases
we've gone through - works roughly 98% of the time in terms of recovering
the actual items when Outlook displays a <Folder Full> message

#4 - You will need to be able to deal with <files> in general - how to
find/copy/move etc - not going to cover that here

ONCE you have a backup of your PST file (AND ONLY THEN!!!!) - a quick test
to see if your contacts are recoverable at all (this again is assuming that
the issue you have encountered is related to your current <default> contacts
folder)

- right click on your default contact folder
- select copy from the menu -
- the target location for the "copy" is the root of your current folder
(Personal folders)
- this will create a new contacts folder (under normal conditions - would be
called <Contacts1>
- open the <Contacts1> folder and see if your contact items are accessible
*** if not
- create a new PST file
- copy your default contacts folder to the new PST file as above
- open the contacts folder to see if contacts display

<IF> both of the above fail - then this solution is not for you. If the
contacts are available in the newly created folder - let me know and will
try and simplify the steps required to get back to an operational state with
a new default <PST> file.

Karl

___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com
 
Karl: Followed instructions. Created Contacts1 folder and information is
accessible. Views work perfectly in new fo,lder only. Now what?
 
The first thing is that you will need to make yourself familair with the
topics noted in item #1 in the previous response - re: creating profiles /
dealing with files etc

Again, assuming that your problem lies in your default mailbox (PST file) -
the following should get you back on track:

#1 - In your existing Outlook session - right click on the root of your
Default folders (typically called <Personal Folders> --> Properties -->
Advanced --> take note of the location and name of your current PST file
#2 - Close Outlook and from Start Menu --> Control Panel --> Users --> Mail
#2a - This can be skipped if you know all your email accounts else - open
the current profile and take notes of all your email account settings
#3 - Create a <new profile> --> Set is as the new default for Outlook
#4 - Open Outlook using the new profile
#5 - Open the <old> PST file - File Menu --> Open Outlook Data File -->
select file from step #1
#6 - Once you have opened your old PST file - you should have what will
appear as 2 duplicate sets of folders and if you never changed anything to
begin with - both PST files will have the same name - if this is true - all
is well - the second set of folders will be your <original>
#7 - You will need to <copy the contents> of each of the folders in the
original PST file to the corresponding one in the new default created in
Step #3/4. To <copy the contents> (as opposed to copying the folder> - open
each individual folder in the OLD pst - highlight the items in that folder -
(single click on the first item in the folder --> hold down Shift Key -->
click on last item in the list you want to copy) then --> right click -->
Move To Folder -- select corresponding folder in the NEW pst set. Repeat
this for every folder. In the case of Contacts, use the Contacts1 folder you
created since the original Contacts folder is not accessible for this
exercise
#8 - Well all completed - close the old PST file --> right click on its Root
directory --> Close <Name> (you can't close the default folder so if you
don't see <Close> in the right -click menu options, you've selected the
wrong PST file for this

You will need to create any custom fields <in folder> if any were in use or
publish any custom forms etc but other than that - your data is now
recovered and you shouldbe good to go.

1) A question for my own information since the <Folder Full> problem is
something that is being tracked - can you tell me if you were using any
user-defined fields (or a custom form) in your original contacts folder that
incurred the <Folder Full> problem?
2) Do you by any chance remotely remember what you did just prior to the
Contact Folder showing the Folder Full message? (probably don't - I wouldn't
under normal dayy to day circumstances but it is worth a shot to ask)

Karl
___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com
 
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