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

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Error Opening Address Book, iChat, iCal and Big Bang Board Games

Hello,
I mistakenly trashed the applications list. In order to restore the applications list, I pulled the list out of trash to the desktop and then back to the sidebar. At this point, the applications were not available to the other users of the computer. I then copied the list to the universal applications folder. Now, all but the Address Book, iCal, iChat and Big Bang Board Games work. These applications close "unexpectedly" when I try and open them. The following is the header of the report for the Address Book:
Date/Time: 2007-07-06 10:46:34.136 -0400
OS Version: 10.4.10 (Build 8R2232)
Report Version: 4
Command: Address Book
Path: /Applications/Address Book.app/Contents/MacOS/Address Book
Parent: WindowServer [61]
Version: 4.0.5 (487)
Build Version: 12
Project Name: AddressBook
Source Version: 4870000
PID: 272
Thread: 0
Exception: EXCBADACCESS (0x0001)
Codes: KERNPROTECTIONFAILURE (0x0002) at 0x00000004
I am hoping to get an answer as to how to rectify this situation. If it is not already obvious, I am new to Macs.
Mike D

Hello Mike:
Welcome to Apple discussions (from where you were on the dark side):
Try a couple of things.
Run repair disk from your software install DVD (until it reports no errors).
If that does not work, I would opt for an archive and install:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120
A&I installs a pristine version of OS X (which would have to be updated, of course) while preserving your files, programs, and settings.
Barry

Is it ok to have two address book, dashboard, chess and other apps icons when I launch the launchpad?

Im having a probles that when i use the launchpad there are two icons of some apps is that normal? and is it normal to have two folders of applications?

cs6 is an older version of photoshop. cc is the latest version.

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.

Drag and drop from mail to address book not happening

Hi guys, I can no longer drag email addresses from Mail into Address Book. The address just bounces back. I've repaired permissions, installed the latest security update, repaired permissions again, rebooted twice. Any ideas?
Mail 4.5. Address Book 5.0.3 (883). Mac OS 10.6.8. MacBook Pro 2.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB Ram, 666MHz DDR2 SDRAM.

Hi mbriscoe, I've since upgraded to Lion and the same downgrade of functionality exists. I can no longer drag and drop an address from Mail into Address Book. I now have to click name, wait for menu, select Add to Address Book, go into Address Book and find the name I just added, then drag the name into the specific group I want it to be in. It used to be very useful, the drag and drop, in an "it just works" kind of way. Now it's not.

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.

Mail with Address Book & iCal, compared to Outlook 2011. What to do?

Suffice it say, if other conditions permitted, I might do away with both Apple & Microsoft's toolsets and go with a complete, cloud based business management app-Google or otherwise. I graduated from Entourage in Office 2004 to Mail, iCal, Address Book. And I've both adapted to, and adapted them to suit me. I use 4 IMAP servers for most all mail needs (1 mobileme, 3 gmail).
Recently, I have overstuffed my local Mail folders with about 25GB of total mail. Truth is, I don't need all of it, maybe half. Mail has become unresponsive frequently so I have taken to rebuilding the mailboxes and leaving 2 of active mail accounts offline much of the time.
Someone suggested Office 2011 because it does not have a 4GB limit on storage per account. I am reluctant because of the lack of sync services with iCal, or Gcal. I can click on mail in Mail and create a calendar appointment or a contact for iCal or Address Book. I am not ready to standardize every mac I have to MS Office 2011-yet. Vague, past memories of MS Office peculiarities also cause me to pause before jumping in, as well articles like this: http://www.tidbits.com/article/11696 (Escape from Outlook 2011!)
Do any of the professionals here have an opinion on how to solve this problem which has already eaten into so much time?

Hi ,
seet the KB article : KB04199 also click on the below link for perfect solutions.
http://www.blackberry.com/btsc/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=KB04199&sliceId=SAL_Pub...
regards
Dhaval.

Cannot save FROM names in Mail to Address Book

I'm trying to add Address Book entries by opening a mail item, putting my mouse cursor over the FROM address and selecting "Add to Address Book" from the pop-up menu.
This seems to work since I do not see an error message yet when I look into my address book that name does not appear.
If I attempt the same operation, on the same FROM address, I see an option in the menu to Open In Address Book instead of the Add. If I select this option it opens the last address that was highlighted in the address book, which is not the one that I wanted to add.
Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong?
Thank you, Herb

works here.
quit mail and address book and delete the file homedirectory/library/application support/address book/AddressBook-v22.abcddb. then start Address Book and Mail and see if using "open in address book" works now.

Using a "local" Mail's Address Book?

I wish I could use a specific MAIL's Address Book that don't merge with my main Address Book, not merging all my "pure internet contacts" with more important and fully documented ones that iSync with my phone…
Who knows how to make this dream true? I've been searching... the only one BAD solution would be to create in the main addresse book a group that iSync with my phones and .mac account. Not nice, not efficient, not what we need!
Thanks in advance for your help - Xavier
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Just set up a different group in Address Book for each type of addresses and set up your synching software to sync only the group you want to sync.

Does SL Mail/iCal/Address Book work with Exchange 2010?

Is anyone using Exchange 2010 with Mail/iCal/Address Book (via the Snow Leopard web services interface and not the IMAP interface)?
My company is about to upgrade Exchange from 2003 to either 2007 or 2010 and since the boss and I both use Macs we want to make sure that SL's apps will work no matter what choice of Exchange server is made.

SL has not been tested with Exchange 2010 as far as I am aware. 10.6.2 was only tested against the 2007 variant.

File Server, Mail Server & Address Book

Here's the structure in my company:
One OSX Server is running AFP & Windows services. This server has about 25 users. Another OSX Server is running Mail services and has about 31 users.
I am going to setup a shared Address Book to store and share our clients contact info, so I want to put them into one of the two OSX servers using LDAP. I am not sure if I should use the AFP server as the Directory Master.
The ultimate goal is to have one single Directory master for two OSX machines, 25 user account and a LDAP for about 300 clients info.
What's the best way to configure this? Thanks.

Welcome in the shared AB via Ldap world!
I made it, no-hassle, setting up the OD Master on our 'inner' OSX4.8 server, providing AFP & Windows services. The shared LDAP Address Book is activated on it, via the very nice piece of software 'ABXLdap' from j2anywhere.
The other 'outer' server is providing FTP and Mail services, and is bound via Directory Access to the 'inner' server to auth users from inside (192.168.X.X) and from outside (Internet). It's role is 'OD replica'.
You may found excellent ideas here: http://www.afp548.com/article.php?story=2006041917593768
best regards

Address book is glitchy and unresponsive

Address book Version 6.1.3 (1091) not working right OSX 10.7.5
I'm having a problem I can't figure out -
When I click on an entry (list display/book open) it does not display the contact's information - instead it is frozen on one name no matter what I do.
I can scroll through and click on the names - I can edit the one unchangable name that is showing on the RH side.
The program opens and closes like it is fine - no freezes there.
It's like the whole program is just barely functional. For a while out of the blue it started working correctly again yesterday, and popped up a whole bunch of cards that I had clicked on earlier - but it's back to the same thing again today. Useless.
I've tried quitting it and restarting noth just the program, and the Mac - same thing. No problems with memory or HDD space or CPU - I can run Photoshop or anything else no problems.
It's working fine on my iPad 2 and I can see the data in there if I'm in Mail's address book to edit something.
And Ideas?
Should I try trashing some or all of these?
com.apple.AddressBook.plist
com.apple.AddressBook.abd.plist
com.apple.AddressBook.plist.lockfile
com.apple.AddressBook.sync.plist.lockfile
Even after restart repair premissions - It's still really messed up with no resolution -
Can someone at least tell me if I'm OK with trashing all of the following preferences files?
(should be all OK - but just in case)

Back up all data.
Quit Contacts or Address Book if it’s running. If you use iCloud, disable contact synchronization in the iCloud preference pane.
Triple-click the text on the line below to select it, then copy it to the Clipboard:
~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook/Metadata
In the Finder, select Go ▹ Go to Folder from the menu bar, paste into the box that opens, and press return.
A Finder window will open with a folder selected. Move the selected folder to the Desktop, leaving the window open for now.
Relaunch the application and test. If there’s no improvement, quit and put back the item you moved, overwriting the newer one that may have been created in its place. Otherwise, delete the item.

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 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.

HT2486 this address books keeps freezing and closing unexpectedly. why?

My address book keeps freezing and closing. Just upgraded my operating system and then this started.

Apply the two fixes below in order as needed:
Fix #1
1 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
iPhoto 8 (09) and earlier- run the options indicated
iPhoto 9 (11) and later- run Option #4 to rebuild the database
Fix #2
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
1 - download iPhoto Library Manager (iPhoto 8 or earlier or IPhoto 11 and later) and launch.
2 - click on the Add Library button and select the library you want to add in the selection window..
3 - Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the
File ➙ Rebuild Library (iPhoto 8 or earlier)
or
Library ➙ Rebuild Library (iPhoto 9 or later)
menu option to rebuild the library.
4 - In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
5 - Click on the Create button.
Note: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments. However, books, calendars, cards and slideshows will be lost. The original library will be left untouched for further attempts at fixing the problem or in case the rebuilt library is not satisfactory.
OT

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

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