If you replace your default outlook data file (ie, you move your old file to a new computer or restore a backup) you may not get a list of your contacts when you click the “To” button.
When you click the “To” button in Outlook 2003, it actually displays the Address Book. Back in the day, the Address Book used to be Windows main app for storing contact information and it is shared by various Windows applications. Your Outlook Contacts folder needs to be linked to the Address Book in order for those name to show up when you’re composing messages. You can actually have as many Contacts folders as you like and link them all to the address book.
To link a Contacts folder to the Address Book, click on the “Contacts” navigation item in Outlook. You should see your Contacts folder in the upper-left pane and all of your actual contact records in the right pane.
Right-click on the contacts folder (not the outlook navigation item, but the actual contacts folder) and select “Properties”
On the contacts properties dialog, there is a tab labeled “Outlook Address Book” Click this tab. Here you’ll see a checkbox that is labeled “Show this folder as an e-mail Address Book.” Check this box to link this contacts folder with your Address Book. You can repeat the process for as many Contacts folders as you like.
All of the contact within this folder should now show up when you click the “To” button in an email message.
Here is how you get your contacts back. Tools>Email accounts>View change>remove > ok
Now add the contact list back that is attached to your pst file.
Tools>Email accounts>Add a new…>Additional Address book. Select outlok address book.