Lost 80% of address book

I recently upgraded from Mac 10.4.11 to Snow Leopard 10.6.8 and in the process I lost over half of my contact in my addressbook...
Can any one make a suggestion on how to retrieve the last addresses

Did you have a backup of your 10.4.1 system, if so just restore.

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My original computer hard drive crashed. I have a new laptop, but I lost all my address book entries. Is there a way I can transfer my contacts on my ipad to my non-apple laptop? Tom B

My original computer hard drive crashed. I have a new laptop, but I lost all my address book entries. Is there a way I can transfer my contacts on my ipad to my non-apple laptop? Tom B

If you have a Mac, it's pretty easy. But you don't (should I make a pitch for you to get a MacBook Pro in the future)?
This should help you out to sync it back to several non-Apple software:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1296

I have lost all my address book and iCal content on my MacBook Pro. How do I restore from my iPhone?

I have lost all my address book and iCal content on my MacBook Pro. How do I restore from my iPhone? I tried synchronising my iPhone to the MacPro but then lost all the content on the iPhone. I managed to get it back using the restore. This means the only content I have for Address Book and iCal sits on my iPhone!

Put one unique entry in both iCal & Address Book on your Mac. These entries can be fake, that doesn't matter, just make sure Address Book & iCal are not empty. Then when you select to sync contacts & calendars on the Info pane in iTunes, you'll get a merge or replace prompt. Select merge.

I just upgraded to Lion and lost my entire address book. Ack. Fix?

I just upgraded to Lion and so far so good, EXCEPT I lost my entire address book. EVERY contact missing. I didn't back up my address book before the upgrade (see me slap head) altho did have my contacts on my iPhone, slightly out of date, but more current than my last Mac backup. So I followed the iPhone to iCloud to Mac contact synch steps and the contacts repopulated on my Mac but WITHOUT the mailing ADDRESSES. Now addresses are also gone from my iPhone.
Is it possible to revert to the Snow Leopard address data file? And if so, how do I do this? Or is there a better fix?

I had the same problem and also didn't have a back-up of my SL Address Book archive. But a minute or so's mucking about I came up with this workaround:
1) Quit Address Book and in the Finder, hold down Option, click on Go in the menubar and choose Library.
2) Go to Application Support/Address Book.
3) In that folder you should see a file called Migration XXXXX-XXX.abbu.tbz (that's a compressed TAR file).The "XXXs" will be a jumble of numbers which from what I can gather relate to the date when you upgraded to Lion. Open it using the free Unarchiver program available for download from the App Store.
4) This will open up a folder also called Migration XXXX-XXX. Click the flippy triangle to the left and you'll see it contains the Contact Book archives that existed before you upgraded to Lion, including any images and most importantly the Metadata (the names, addresses etc).
5) Move the Metadata folder from the Migration folder up into the main Library/Application Support/Address Book folder. You will get an alert saying the folder already exists: click Replace. I also replaced the existing AddressBook-v22.abcddb file from the Migration folder as well. I don't use images in Address Book so I didn't replace that: if you do, you probably do want to replace that folder too.
6) Open Address Book and gasp in wonder to find all your contacts resurrected.
Since it's an Apple app that you've been playing around with, run Repair permissions to tidy things up.
Hope this helps.

Lost contacts from address book with update

lost contacts from address book with update to OSX 9.3 How do I get them out of cloud back into address book?

When you log into iCloud with your browser, do you see your contacts online?
If yes, go to System Preferences > iCloud > toggle sync contacts on/off.
You might need to run the combo installer.
OS X Mavericks 10.9.3 (Update (Combo)
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1746
MORE INFO ON WHY RUNNING COMBO FIXES ISSUES
Apple updates available from the Software Update application are incremental updates. Delta updates are also incremental updates and are available from Apple Downloads (software updates are generally smaller than delta updates). The Combo updates contain all incremental updates and will update files that could have become corrupted.
Combo updaters will install on the same version as they're applying--no need to roll back or do a clean install. So if you think you've got a borked 10.8.4 install from a regular update, just run the 10.8.4 Combo Updater on that system.
"Delta" updaters can only take you from one version to the next. For example: 10.9.1 to 10.9.2. If somehow the 10.9.2 is missing something it should have, and that something isn't changed between 10.9.1 and 10.9.2 it will still be stale after the delta update.

Lost mail settings, address book, ichat settings and other prsnl settings!!

Quick question for you. Have you heard of anything in 10.4+ that causes the machine to revert back to startup condition loosing address book content, mail settings, ichat setttings, along with other personal settings??
All of iphoto still has its content. You have any idea? This happened to my parents machine on the eastcoast and I am trying to figure out what happened. Supposedly my father was "doing something" and then they noticed this happened. Is there something he could have done to reset the settings like that? Thanks for any input.
I have read a lot of posts that people are having the same kind of issue, at least with address book.
Jeremy
g4 867 tower Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Hey Jeremy, my iBook is all messed up, too. Somehow it set back to the default settings. Mail, Address Book, iTunes and iPhoto lost their data. However, all music and photo files are still in folders, only all of my emails are gone, which is more or less a catastrophe! Having read your discussion, I somehow have the impression that it has something to do with the user name, I wanted to change the name and then all of a sudden there was a big mess which resulted in having two users now, but all of the folders are mixed up. Can you be a little more precise about the repairing that worked for you, I would appreciate it very much, since I'm not very familiar with Apple products yet.
Thanks, Daniel

Lost contacts in address book on iMac

Hi.
I have iMac w/OS X 10.7.5. When we upgraded to this version, it seems like I lost all of our contacts in the ADDRESS BOOK APPLICATION on our desktop. I do have an external hd that I use for time machine. I went back to January 2011 to restore the ADDRESS BOOK and I got this error message:
“Address Book” can’t be modified or deleted because it’s required by Mac OS X.
I need some help in restoring ALL the contacts I had. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

Could you please help me clarify which sequence I should be using to retrieve my backup Address Book data from? I, too, lost my contacts during a sync and am trying to retrieve them.
Is the recovery sequence in Time Machine Backups this:
1. Date-> Mac HD->Library-> Application Support->Address Book
or is it this?
2. Date-> Mac HD->Users->my name->Library->Application Support->Address Book
After copying the backup Address Book folder to the Desktop and opening the Mac HD icon, do I go to the folder Library->Application Suppport or the folder Users->my name->Library->Application Support to trash the Address Book and reinstall the backup copy? I have been trying both w/o any luck recovering my contacts thus far.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I have lost the email Address Book from the menu bar. How do I get it back?

I have lost the address book from the menu bar. How do I get it back?

Which menu bar? Finder or your email client? Which email client are you using btw? If your email client you can customize your menu through the view>toolbars menu.
If Mail it's view>Customize Toolbar
Finder menu it's System Preferences>Users & Groups>your account>unlock the padlock>Login Items - add the address book by clicking the "+" sign. When done lock the padlock.

I lost my entire Address Book with no backup!!!

It's all gone. I do not have a .mac account. I do not have a PDA. I do not have a backup. Is there any hope of finding them somewhere else?
PowerBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.8)

If your address book is gone you can try this for a tiny bit of consolation.
Look for this preference: ~library>Preferences>com.apple.mail.plist
That is your Previous Recipients List. If it's there, open your mail app and go to: Window>previous recipients
Then select all and click "copy to address book."
That is probably not all of your contacts, and it is only e-mail addresses, but it's a start. You could then send out a request to everyone for their current info. Sorry to hear that you lost everyone.
Let me know how it works out.
Good Luck
Bruce
Mac Pro Mac OS X (10.4.8) 2x Caviar SATA 3GB/s: 2x Sony Superdrive; 2x 1GB OWC ram (3GB total)
G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Recovering lost contacts from Address Book

Can anyone help me with recovering my contacts.
I have just completed the iphone 3.0 update and for some reason deleted most of my contacts.
I recently did a time machine update... is there any way of getting them back through that?
I know i can get to a file through Library/Application Support/Address Book. But not sure how to get them imported back into the address book.
Can anyone please help as i have lost nearly 200 contacts and e-mail addresses. what a nightmare! Any help would be fantastic.

When you log into iCloud with your browser, do you see your contacts online?
If yes, go to System Preferences > iCloud > toggle sync contacts on/off.
You might need to run the combo installer.
OS X Mavericks 10.9.3 (Update (Combo)
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1746
MORE INFO ON WHY RUNNING COMBO FIXES ISSUES
Apple updates available from the Software Update application are incremental updates. Delta updates are also incremental updates and are available from Apple Downloads (software updates are generally smaller than delta updates). The Combo updates contain all incremental updates and will update files that could have become corrupted.
Combo updaters will install on the same version as they're applying--no need to roll back or do a clean install. So if you think you've got a borked 10.8.4 install from a regular update, just run the 10.8.4 Combo Updater on that system.
"Delta" updaters can only take you from one version to the next. For example: 10.9.1 to 10.9.2. If somehow the 10.9.2 is missing something it should have, and that something isn't changed between 10.9.1 and 10.9.2 it will still be stale after the delta update.

How to recover lost contacts from address book with isync.

Hi everyone,
I've just lost all my contacts even in my Nokia N95 when I use iSync. I've deleted my contacts manually in my address book to make a refresh sync with my Nokia. After I conected again and start sync, it deleted all my contacts on my Nokia... I am very dissapointed and angry with Apple.
Can you guys help me bring back my 500 contacts in my address book so I can put back in my Nokia as well?
Thank you in advance.
Matt

Not to my knowledge. As I see it you now are in a position of manually recreating you contact list or as I previously suggested engage a professional in data recovery with no guarantee of 100% or any recovery.
I wish it were otherwise.
Ciao.

Lost MAIL and address book!

I couldn't open the program I use to make greeting cards. Read my OSX manual and read that I should reinstall OSX. I backed up everything (I thought!) When I opened up MAIL after the reinstallation, everything was gone...address book, saved e-mail, and current e-mail messages. My backed up MAIL will not open, so I can't use my backup.
I am 75 miles from any Apple store or help. I have been told that if something is put into my computer it is always there. How do I recapture my MAIL data? Many thanks. Agana

Hello Agana, you fail to mention what type of "simple re-installation" you used. Archive and Install or Erase and Install. You "backed up the folder" in which way, to an external, or Archive and Install? You can search through Spotlight, but I'll guess, thou art loss thy data. (sorry couldn't resist) I am sorry if this be the case, but a reinstall was not really necessary, I imagine. Regardless, you want to know where it is. You must search your folders, Hard Drive>System>Library...etc. Or Users, hard to say. There are applications used to extract such data, if found. Re-installs are a last resort, it's likely the application could have been repaired. Nevertheless, more information is required for a complete answer. Specifically, how did you "back up the folder?" If you did an Erase and Install, it is "erased."
Sorry for your loss,
Ray

Lost Mail and Address Book ikons from HD

Preparing to upgrade to Tiger OX 10 from Panther. Recommended backup all vital info. In transfer process, both Mail and Address Book ikons from HD to backup Superdisk repeatedly came up Error 50. Only success was to lose both ikons from HD and Question Mark on Address Book in dock rendering it useless. Now have Mail and a Mail copy ikon on Desktop that will not open. Likewise an Address Book ikon and four copies on Desktop that will not open. Fortunate that Mail ikon in Dock still operates allowing acess to Mail and Address Book on Mail site.
Would like to move forward. Help for an average computer user would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for the delayed response to your e-mail. Thank you very much for taking the time to addressing my problem.
After posting the question the hard drive further deteriorated to the point where the computer became inoperative. Ended up with a new computer and a major challenge in transferring info from old to new computer. After a long day with two friends and computer programmers by day, we succeeded in retrieving and transferring the info. Whee!
Thanks again for taking the time to address my question.

IPhone has lost it's address book

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After instaling Microsoft Messanger 5.1.1, all my contacts in address book were gone. Is there a way to recover then?
Dual 1 GHz PowerPC G4 Mac OS X (10.4.5)

I have not tried it, but this is available:
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/export-address-book/id402323447?mt=12

Lost contacts in address book

I just added a rule to mail to mark all the contacts in my address book the same and then all my contacts in address book went missing. Is there anyway to fix this? I just got my macbook the other day and I didn't even know/think about manually backing up my address book. And does anyone know why this happened?
Thanks,
Lauren

I figured out what I did wrong and the updating the rule actually seemed to be a coincidence (although I acidentally set a rule to mark everything as a color and even after deleting it it the color won't go away). I guess I renamed my home folder earlier, and didn't know that it would create a problem. I found this website:
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/renamehomerecovery.html
and after the first step of following apple's instructions I have everything back (including my desktop, mail, and adium contact list which went away after I restarted). I hope this solves your problem too!

Lost 80% of address book

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