mac address book does not launch (open)

[chuchichan2524]

My Macintosh address book does not open. After I click it on the task bar it bounces once and that's it. I've also deleted the icon from the task bar and tried launching it from the applications folder, but I get the same response.

When I open up Mail and click on the address book while composing a message, I can see the entries.

Any ideas on what I can do?

Thanks in advance...

 

[mad jew]

In your Preferences folder, look for a file named com.apple.AddressBook.plist and drag it to the Desktop. Does it open now?

 

[chuchichan2524]

it didn't work. I dragged that file to the desktop and the same thing happens.

 

[mad jew]

Interesting, maybe I guessed the wrong file. Create a new user account in System Preferences. Does Address Book open from that account?

 

[chuchichan2524]

Even after creating a new user and switching to that account the address book does not start up. Does OS X need to be reinstalled? Or is it possible to install just the address book somehow?

 

[mad jew]

Interesting. You can either grab the app from another equivalent Mac (same OS and architecture), or you can try an OS combo update from the Apple downloads page. I can give you a link if you tell me which computer and OS version you're currently running. A third option is to reinstall it from the restore/OSX discs using Pacifist.

 

[chuchichan2524]

hi...that would be great if you can give me the link. Here's the info:

PowerPC G4, 512mb SDRAM. It's a grey, g4 desktop.

It's running 10.3.9

thank you in advance!

 

[mad jew]

Okay, sorry for the delay, I've been out of town. Here's the 10.3.9 combo update. Download and install, hopefully it'll set things right.

Your next option should be to get the app from another Mac running 10.3.9. Unfortunately all my Macs are running Tiger so I can't really help you there, sorry.

 

[chuchichan2524]

Thank you for this. I will give it a try soon.

 

[AJtheMAC]

Fix by reinstalling the Address Book

1. Go into the application folder and delete the Address book icon. This uninstalls the program.

2. Insert your MAC OS x system disk

3. Double click the "Optional Installs.mpkg" icon

4 Chose Address Book and Install it

This worked for me and I did NOT lose any of my contact info

Good Luck

 

[staninfrance]

AJtheMAC

Thank you so much for the information. I, too, was having the "lost-address-book" problem.

I haven't been able to use my iMac OS Tiger address book for a year. Today I came across your advice on how to restore it and -- Voila! -- it worked right away and it even had all my old contacts in it.

Hooray for people like you.

Stan, a Californian living in Europe

 

[slonge]

mac address bookdoes not launch

I just encountered the same problem and used your advice to reload software.Worked great.Thanks for the info.
Im wondering what caused it to go in the first place?
I had just downloaded Safari 4.0.4 and the latest security update 2009 005
and thats when the trouble began.
Thanks again

 

[VolleyballMom]

This happens to me from time to time, and I have figured out a (for me) easy way to solve it. I "share" a contact from my iPhone and send it via e-mail to myself. Then I drag it down to the address book, and it asks me if I want to import it since it is a duplicate. I click on "yes" import anyway, and "Voila" my address book comes back to life. Then I delete the duplicate and go from there.