Lion address book import

I used Outlook to Mac successfully for a previous Windows Outlook to Mac Address Book contacts migration.  O2M makes one vcf file with all contacts in it, and you just import that vcf file, and presto all works.  That was with Snow Leopard.
Now I have a new MBP with a factory lion install.  All upgrades downloaded. I open Address Book, and import my vcf file.  Just over 1,500 contacts are happily imported by Lion. This is where things go strange.
If I go to Mail and type a name in the "to" field, mail doesn't try to suggest people (even though that option is turned on).
If I click the red button to close Address Book, the whole app quits (as if I had selected Address Book|Quit Address Book), rather than just putting it down on the dock. And when I re-open Address Book, all contacts are gone.
I've also tried bringing in a few vcfs at a time by getting O2M to export them all individually, and then either dragging or double-clicking from Finder.  I seem to be able to get Address book to "remember" them if I bring them in slowly - 5 at a time...but when I get greedy and try to bring in say 25 or some other larger number, I get the same thing - they won't "stick" in Address Book.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Do you have any addresses in the Lion version?
If not, copy the AddressBook folder from your username/Library/Application Support/ folder on the old mac (or backup).
Copy it to the same location on your new Mac, replacing the one that is there. Start Address Book in Mountain Lion and it should convert the files to the correct format.
If you do have addresses, it is a little more complicated.
First, create a Contacts Archive (from File>Export menu). This will be your backup.
Next, export the current contacts as vCards.
Then, follow the steps above.
Then, import all the cards you exported. If you select all and double-click, it will ask if you want to add them. You'll then have to add them to whatever groups you had set up.

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