Problems with windows contacts
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I use Outlook 2010 for emails, contacts, calendars and tasks. I had several email groups that I used on a frequent basis without difficulty. When Windows 10 became available, I downloaded and installed it. In my opinion, it was a total disaster. I learned how to revert back to Windows 7 and did so. Among other things that still do not work correctly after W10, the group contact function of Outlook does not work. On the address line of an email, I can enter the group name, but Outlook does not seem to be able to find the group address file, even though I can go to it manually. I have tried moving the file, renaming it and building a new group contact list and transferring all the individual contacts into it. All to no avail.
I am at the point of completely removing Outlook 2010 from my computer and executing a new install. If no one responds with a better idea, that will be my next step.
Dell 1727 laptop — Windows 7 Home Premium — Office 2010 Pro — All service packs and updates installed except K***4409 that caused Outlook to open in Safe Mode.
Answers
#3 — As I mentioned in my original post, I can manually find the group contact file. I have two different contacts files that Outlook accesses. Local computer and Icloud. I tried moving the group file from local to icloud, no help. I used the Outlook function to create a new group and moved all the addresses into it. Outlook still does not recognize group file.
Not an iCloud user so not familiar with how it deals with contact groups. One thing that is important is terminology since am not entirely clear on what exactly it is that you’re referring to when using the words «group file».
#1 — You mention that you have two contact «files» that Outlook accesses — (1) iCloud & (2) Local computer. First question is — what type (POP or IMAP) of email account do these «local computer» contacts belong to?
#2 — In terms of «contact files» or «group files» — there are no such things. There are contact folders contained in a data store (i.e. .pst file) and within a contact folder there are contact group «items» — essentially a contact item with a MessageClass of IPM.DistList.
#3 — In short, don’t understand the reference to «create a new group and moved all the addresses into it» — unless you are referring to «creating a group and adding members to it». Then it depends where this Contact Group (formerly known as a Personal Distribution List is being saved. If you have opened a specific contact folder and THEN created a new contact group — it will be saved to that folder. If on the other hand, you are creating a new Contact Group when no specific contact folder has focus — it will be saved to the «default» contact folder which is contained in the default data file for the profile —> go to —> File —> Account Settings —> Data files tab. If that happens to be your iCloud data store — then not familiar with how it’s handled as initially stated.
#4 — The next question is — is the contact folder presented by the AddressBook by default — the same as where the Contact Group has been created? Again to stress, a Contact Group is not a file — it is a different type of contact item within a contact folder.
Get help with Windows activation errors
Activation helps verify that your copy of Windows is genuine and hasn’t been used on more devices than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow. This article will help you troubleshoot and fix common activation errors in Windows.
For help finding your product key, see Find your Windows product key. For troubleshooting and other info about updating Windows 10, see Windows 10 Update: FAQ or Troubleshoot problems updating Windows 10. For info on upgrading to Windows 10, see Upgrade to Windows 10: FAQ.
See Activate Windows 10 for general info about activation, including how to choose your activation method.
See Reactivating Windows 10 after a hardware change for more info about reactivating Windows 10 after making a significant change to your device’s hardware.
See Activate Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 for info about activation of earlier versions of Windows.
If you’re having trouble activating Windows 10, follow these steps to fix activation errors:
Confirm that your device is up to date and running Windows 10, version 1607 or later. In the search box on the taskbar, type winver, and then select Winver from the list of results. You’ll see the version and build of Windows.
Not running Windows 10, version 1607 or later? Learn how to update your device at update Windows 10.
Use the Activation troubleshooter to resolve simple errors. For more info, see Try the Activation troubleshooter below.
If you’re still getting an error, check the list of error codes below and follow the suggested steps to resolve it.
Make sure the error hasn’t changed. Sometimes when you run the Activation troubleshooter or try to activate, the error code and message will change. If the error code has changed, look up the new code below and follow the recommended steps. (If you’re getting an error code that isn’t listed on this page, contact customer support.)
Try the Activation troubleshooter
If you’re running Windows 10, version 1607 or later, the Activation troubleshooter might help reactivate Windows if you recently made a significant hardware change (such as replacing the motherboard) or reinstalled Windows.
You must be an administrator to use this option. For more info, see Using the Activation troubleshooter.
Fix common errors
The following are some of the most common activation errors with possible solutions for Windows 10. If you’re getting an error code that isn’t listed on this page, contact customer support.
If you upgraded to Windows 10 for free and your device isn’t activated, make sure you’re running the latest version of Windows 10. This version includes improvements to activation and troubleshooting activation errors. For more info about how to keep Windows up to date, see Windows Update: FAQ.
For more info about how activation works in Windows 10, see Activate Windows 10.
For more info about how to activate Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, including how to activate either by phone, see Activate Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.
What it means and how to fix it
Windows reported that the hardware of your device has changed.
A Windows license is associated with your device hardware. If you make significant hardware changes, such as replacing your motherboard, Windows won’t be able to find a matching license the next time you start your device. If Windows was preinstalled on the device and you have made a change such as replacing the motherboard, you’ll need a new license.
To purchase a new Windows license, Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation , and then select Go to Microsoft Store.
Open Activation settings
If you have a Windows product key you used on your device before the hardware change, enter it by selecting Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation , and then selecting Change product key.
Additionally, Microsoft provides an exception path for transferring a Windows License after a hardware change. You’ll need to be signed in to the same Microsoft account before making the hardware change and to use the exception path.
To access this exception path, select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation , and then select Troubleshoot. If the troubleshooter can’t resolve the issue, you’ll see a link to reactivate after a hardware change. Select it to follow this path. For more info, see Reactivating Windows 10 after a hardware change.
The product key used on this device didn’t work with this edition of Windows. You might need to get in touch with the store or company you bought Windows from, enter a different product key, or go to the Store to buy genuine Windows.
When you reinstall Windows 10 using a digital license, you’re asked to choose which edition to install. If you choose an edition other than the one you’re licensed to use, you may receive this error.
If you think you installed the wrong edition, select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation , and then select Troubleshoot. If the troubleshooter detects a valid Windows 10 digital license for an edition not currently installed, it will let you know and show you how to install the correct edition.
Open Activation settings
Windows reported that no product key was found on your device.
A Windows license is associated with your device hardware. If you make significant hardware changes, such as replacing your motherboard, Windows won’t be able to find a matching license the next time you start your device. If Windows was preinstalled on the device and you have made a change such as replacing the motherboard, you’ll need a new license.
To purchase a new Windows license, select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation , and then select Go to Microsoft Store.
Open Activation settings
If you have a Windows product key you used on your device before the hardware change, enter it by selecting Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation , and then selecting Change product key.
In addition, Microsoft provides an exception path for transferring a Windows License after a hardware change. You’ll need to be signed in to the same Microsoft account before making the hardware change and to use the exception path.
To access this exception path, select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation , and then select Troubleshoot. If the troubleshooter can’t resolve the issue, you’ll see a link to reactivate after a hardware change. Select it to follow this path. For more info, see Reactivating Windows 10 after a hardware change.
«Your Windows License Will Expire Soon» warning
This may occur if you have a volume license client installed. Windows 10 Pro volume license clients are used by large organizations that deploy Windows 10 to hundreds or thousands of computers.
In this situation, activation is typically managed by your organization, and you’ll need to contact your system administrator for assistance. For more info, see Troubleshooting Windows license expiration issues.
If you see error code 0x803F7001, it means that a valid Windows 10 license couldn’t be found to activate Windows on your device. Here’s how to activate Windows:
Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation .
If you have a valid product key, select Change product key, and then enter the 25-character product key. If you don’t have a valid product key, select Go to Microsoft Store, and follow the instructions to buy a digital license for Windows.
Open Activation settings
Note: Your product key should be in the confirmation email you received after buying Windows, included with the packaging that came with your device, or on the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) attached to the back or bottom of your device.
For help finding your product key, see Find your Windows product key.
For more info on how to troubleshoot error code 0x803F7001, see Fix Windows 10 activation error 0x803F7001.
This error means we didn’t find a valid Windows license for your device.
You must use a valid product key to activate Windows. Your product key should be in the confirmation email you received after buying Windows, included with the packaging that came with your device, or on the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) attached to the back or bottom of your device.
For help finding your product key, see Find your Windows product key.
If you have a valid product key, use it to activate Windows:
Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation .
Select Change product key, and then enter the 25-character product key.
Open Activation settings
If you’ve made a major change to your device’s hardware, such as a motherboard replacement, run the Windows Activation troubleshooter located on the activation settings page. Note that you might be asked to go through the reactivation process. For more info, see Using the Activation troubleshooter.
Note: If you’re looking for info about how to activate Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, see Activate Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.
0xC004C060, 0xC004C4A2, 0xC004C4A2, 0x803FA067L, 0xC004C001, 0xC004C004, 0xC004F004, 0xC004C007, 0xC004F005, 0xC004C00F, 0xC004C010, 0xC004C00E, 0xC004C4A4, 0xC004C4A5, 0xC004B001, 0xC004F010, 0xC004F050
Reasons why you might see these errors:
You entered a product key that can’t be used to activate Windows. Enter a different product key or buy a new product key.
You upgraded to Windows 10, but the activation servers were busy. If you upgraded from an activated copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, your copy of Windows 10 will be automatically activated, or you can wait a while and then select Activate. If you continue to have problems with activation, contact customer support.
You upgraded to Windows 10 using the free upgrade offer, but Windows 10 isn’t activated after a reinstall. Your copy of Windows 10 should automatically be activated as long as you didn’t make any significant hardware changes to your device (such as replacing the motherboard). If you continue to have problems with activation, contact customer support.
You may see this error because the Windows 10 product key you entered isn’t valid. Product keys are unique—assigned to a specific user to install on a single device. If a key was used (or attempted to be used) on multiple devices, it’s marked as not valid. To activate Windows, you’ll need to provide a different Windows key unique to your device.
If you bought a device from a reseller of Windows 10 and expected the key to be valid, contact the reseller. If your device was purchased with Windows 10 preinstalled and you received this activation error upon turning it on for the first time, contact your device manufacturer.
If your experience with your device is different from those listed above, try the following:
Run the Windows 10 Activation Troubleshooter: Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation and then select Troubleshoot.
Open Activation settings
Check to see if you have a paper copy of your Windows 25-character product key you can enter to activate Windows 10.
If your device was recently repaired at an independent repair facility, contact them to see if the repairs require a new Windows 10 license.
If the device is new and has never been activated, contact your device manufacturer.
You might see this error if you entered an invalid product key or a product key for a different version of Windows.
Enter a valid product key that matches the version and edition of Windows 10 installed on your device.
If Windows is installed on a device that connects to a Key Management Service (KMS) server, contact your organization’s support person for more info about how to activate Windows.
You might see this error if you entered a product key for a different edition of Windows than the edition installed on your device. You might also see this error if you previously upgraded to Windows 10, but the current edition of Windows installed on your device doesn’t match the edition of your digital license.
You can either enter a valid product key that matches the edition of Windows installed on your device or reinstall the edition of Windows 10 that matches your digital license.
If your device is running Windows 10 (Version 1607 or later), the Activation troubleshooter can help you install the correct edition of Windows on your device. For more info, see Using the Activation troubleshooter.
You might see this error if you entered a product key for a different version or edition of Windows. For example, a product key for the Enterprise edition of Windows 10 can’t be used to activate Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Core editions.
Enter a product key that matches the version and edition of Windows installed on your device or buy a new copy of Windows from the Microsoft Store.
You might see this error if you’re not connected to the internet or your firewall settings are preventing Windows from completing the activation process online.
Make sure that you’re connected to the internet and your firewall isn’t blocking Windows from activating. If you’re still having problems, try to activate Windows by phone. In the search box on the taskbar, type SLUI 04, select SLUI 04 from the list of results, and then follow the instructions on the screen to activate Windows.
Note: If you’re running Windows 10 Pro EDU or Windows 10 Pro for Workstations, you must activate Windows over the internet—phone activation and SLUI 04 can’t be used. See How to activate Windows 10 Pro for Workstations and Windows 10 Pro EDU.
You might see this error if you try to activate a device that is already in the process of activation. Your device should be activated after the first request is completed.
You might see this error if you’re not connected to the internet or the activation server is temporarily unavailable. Make sure that you’re connected to the internet and your firewall isn’t blocking Windows from activating.
0xD0000272, 0xC0000272, 0xc004C012, 0xC004C013, 0xC004C014
If the activation server is temporarily unavailable, your copy of Windows will automatically be activated when the service comes back online.
0xC004C008, 0xC004C770, 0x803FA071
You might see this error if the product key has already been used on another device, or it’s being used on more devices than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow. To fix the problem, buy a product key for each one of your devices to activate Windows on them.
If you’re using Windows 10, you can buy Windows from the Microsoft Store:
Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation .
Select Go to Microsoft Store, then follow the instructions to buy Windows 10.
Open Activation settings
If you don’t see Go to Microsoft Store on the Activation page, contact your organization’s support person.
If you made a substantial hardware changes to your device (such as replacing the motherboard) and you have a valid product key, try to activate Windows by phone. In the search box on the taskbar, type SLUI 04, select SLUI 04 from the list of results, and then follow the instructions on the screen to activate Windows. For more info about reactivating Windows 10 (Version 1607 or later) after a hardware change, see Reactivating Windows 10 after a hardware change.
If you’re running Windows 10 Pro EDU or Windows 10 Pro for Workstations, you must activate Windows over the internet—phone activation and SLUI 04 can’t be used. Learn more about Windows 10 Pro EDU or Windows 10 Pro for Workstations.
You might see this error if you entered a product key for the Enterprise edition of Windows to activate Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro. Enter a product key that matches the edition of Windows on your device.
This error occurs when a Volume License (a license that was bought from Microsoft by an organization to install Windows on multiple devices) was used on more devices than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow. To fix the problem, you might need to use a different product key to activate Windows on your device. Contact your organization’s support person for more info.
0x8007232B, 0xC004F074, 0xC004F038, 0x8007007B
You might see this error if you entered a product key for the Enterprise edition of Windows to activate Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro. Try entering a product key that matches the edition of Windows on your device.
Or, you might see this error if you’re trying to activate your work device but aren’t connected to your workplace’s network. If you’re connected to your work network and still see this error, you might need to change the network settings. Contact your organization’s support person for more info.
If your organization doesn’t have a support person, you might need to enter your product key again:
Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation .
Select Change product key, and then type your 25-character product key.
Open Activation settings
You might be asked for an admin password or to confirm your choice.
You might see this error if the date and time for the device is incorrect, or Windows has trouble connecting to the online activation service and can’t verify your product key.
To verify the date and time, select Start > Settings > Time & language > Date & time.
Verify date and time in Settings
To check your internet connection:
In the search box on the taskbar, type network troubleshooter, then select Identify and repair network problems from the list of results.
Follow the instructions to fix any problems with the network.
If the network troubleshooter didn’t find any problems with your network connection, try restarting your device to see if that fixes the problem.
You might see this error after installing third-party software that changed system files. Windows activation needs certain system files to complete activation. You can try to restore the system files back to an earlier point in time. This removes any software you installed after that point in time without affecting your personal files.
For more info, see the section about how to restore from a system restore point in Recovery options in Windows 10.
Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation , and then select Troubleshoot to run the Activation troubleshooter. For more info about the troubleshooter, see Using the Activation troubleshooter.
If this doesn’t work, you might need to reset your device. For more info, see the section in Recovery options in Windows10.
An error occurred with our activation server or licensing service. Please wait a few minutes and then try the following Windows 10 Pro License Recovery steps: Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation , and then select Troubleshoot to run the Activation troubleshooter.
Open Activation settings
When the troubleshooter is complete, select Go to Microsoft Store to launch the Microsoft Store app. If the Microsoft Store app shows there was a problem, select Try again. After a few minutes, you should see a message that thanking you for activating genuine Windows, followed by another message showing that Windows was activated.
For more info about the troubleshooter, see Using the Activation troubleshooter.
This error can occur if the update components are missing or corrupted on the computer. This error might also occur due to poor network connectivity received by the system.
Use the Windows update troubleshooter to check for the corrupted or missing updates or components. Running the troubleshooter will help find and in some cases fix the issue.
Also, check the strength of your internet connection.
All other error codes
Go to Windows Help, enter the error code in the Search for Help box at the top-right, and run the search. Browse through the search results carefully to make sure you try only those that apply to your situation.
