Automatic address in email is wrong

R

Robert McN

When writing email, after writing a few letters in the "To:" field, Outlook "offers" to fill in the address automatically. The problem is, what it offers automaticlly, is mistaken. I have removed the mistaken email address from my address book, but Outlook persists in offering to insert the mistaken email address. I can't figure out where this wrong address is stored and how to delete it. Any suggestions?
(BTW, what is this "automatic address" called? It is similar to an autocorrect entry.)
 
R

Randy

The autocomplete information is stored in a system file known as and NK2
file. It stores up to 1000 names and e-mail addresses. Once full, it will
begin to overwrite the file with the newer information. To find this file,
make certain that you turn on Advanced Search Functions and check Hidden and
System files.

Next, search for the file name *.nk2.

The NK2 file is named as follows: <MS Outlook User Profile Name>.NK2.
Further, it is found in your Documents and Setting Folder.
(Make certain that in your Folder settings, you can view hidden and system
folders.)

If you'd like the ability to edit this file other than a one by one
deletion, you can find a utility at www.dcs-imaging.com/products.htm, it's
called Owtlook.

Robert McN said:
When writing email, after writing a few letters in the "To:" field,
Click to expand...
Outlook "offers" to fill in the address automatically. The problem is, what
it offers automaticlly, is mistaken. I have removed the mistaken email
address from my address book, but Outlook persists in offering to insert the
mistaken email address. I can't figure out where this wrong address is
stored and how to delete it. Any suggestions?
(BTW, what is this "automatic address" called? It is similar to an
Click to expand...
autocorrect entry.)
 
S

Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]

It's an autofill entry in your .nk2 file. When you see it pop up as a
suggestion, use the arrow keys to highlight it, then press Delete.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers



Robert McN said:
When writing email, after writing a few letters in the "To:" field,
Click to expand...
Outlook "offers" to fill in the address automatically. The problem is, what
it offers automaticlly, is mistaken. I have removed the mistaken email
address from my address book, but Outlook persists in offering to insert the
mistaken email address. I can't figure out where this wrong address is
stored and how to delete it. Any suggestions?
(BTW, what is this "automatic address" called? It is similar to an
Click to expand...
autocorrect entry.)
 
R

Robert McN

Dear Randy, thanks so much for your well-informed response. Thanks to you and Sue Moser, the problem is solved and I understand better how this important program is working.
 
R

Robert McN

Dear Sue,
Thanks very much for your simple but right on-target response. Using my intuition only, I had tried to do what you suggested before posting my question, but it didn't work. I'm not sure what I was doing wrong. In any case it seemed to work this time. My wife has a new address, and I've sent her several misdirected emails. The problem seems to be solved thanks to the helpful posts of you and Randy. Thanks again.
 
B

Brian Tillman

Dylan said:
There is just one problem, how do you extract this information ? I am
trying to revert to Office 2000 (For my laptop) and it is going to be
timely for me to add these emails to my pab.
Click to expand...

Outlook 2000 doesn't use the PAB. It uses the Contacts folder, just like
all recent versions of Outlook. Outlook 97 and 98 used the PAB and OL 2000
has than service for backward compatibility.
Is there a way to export the information out of the nk2 file into a
csv or something along thosee lines.
Click to expand...

With a commercial tool, yes. That tool's been mentioned several times in
this group or in microsoft.public.outlook. Google will find it for you.
Just search for "NK2" and "edit".
 
W

wk

If there is only one autofill entry proposed, Outlook automatically enters it
in the To: field and does not give me an opportunity to delete it if the
address is invalid. Do you know of a way to easily delete a single proposed
address from the cache?

WK
 
W

wk

I subsequently found article KB289975 which addresses removal of a single
auto-complete entry. However, the recommended workaround did not work in
Outlook 2002 (and probably 2003). The auto-correct name list in Step 2 will
not appear unless the correct name and address is both entered "and sent" in
Step 1. This allows the correct entry to be cached. Then all 3 steps can be
performed as written to delete the incorrect entry.

WK
 
B

Brian Tillman

wk said:
I subsequently found article KB289975 which addresses removal of a
single auto-complete entry. However, the recommended workaround did
not work in Outlook 2002 (and probably 2003). The auto-correct name
list in Step 2 will not appear unless the correct name and address is
both entered "and sent" in Step 1.
Click to expand...

Actually, the name just has to be resolved. It is the resolution of the
name that causes it to be entered into the name cache. CTRL-K or tabbing
out of the address field should accomplish that.
 
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