Message: 'The Address Book is updating. Please wait until the update is finished'

You may not be able to access your AOL Address Book for any one of several reasons. After trying the first solution, check to see if you are still getting the message, 'The Address Book is updating. Please wait until the update is finished.'

If you are still unable to access the address continue using the suggested solutions until the problem is fixed.

You may wish to print or save a copy of these instructions as this page may not remain visible as you go through the suggested steps. Information you need

You will need to know what version of Microsoft Windows is installed on your computer. If you do not know how to find this information, follow the instructions in the online help article entitled How to determine which version of Windows I have.


Sign off and sign on as a guest

Your address book is stored on the AOL servers and not locally on your computer. Although the address book is stored on our servers, there are files stored on your computer that link the AOL software to that address book. Sometimes damage to these files will cause your address book not to load properly when you sign on with your screen name. Signing on as a guest should allow you to access your address book. To sign off and sign on as a guest:

1. Click the Sign Off menu, then click Sign Off. This will return you to the AOLSign On screen.

2. Click the Screen Name: drop-down menu, choose Guest, then click the Sign On button.

3. When prompted, type your screen name and password, then click the OK button.

4. Go to AOL Keyword: Address Book. Your address book should appear within 60 seconds.


Clear the AOL artwork database

The AOL software stores online graphics on your computer to speed the loading of AOL pages. Over time, unneeded graphics from pages you no longer visit or pages that have changed can fill up your artwork database, reducing efficiency. The files can even become damaged and cause more serious errors. By reducing and then resetting the size of the artwork database, new graphics can be stored to speed loading again.

To clear the AOL artwork database:

1. Sign on to AOL.

2. On the AOL toolbar, click the Settings icon.

3. Click the Offline Storage link.

4. Set the Maximum disk space to use for online art: setting to the lowest possible setting, then click the Save button.

5. Click the X on the upper-right corner of the Settings Main window to close it.

6. Click the File menu, then click Exit.

7. Sign on to AOL again and repeat steps 2 and 3, but change the Maximum disk space to use for online art setting to its original setting (no more than 60 megabytes), then click the Save button.

8. Click the X in the upper right to close the Settings Main window.

Delete the address book files for the affected screen name

Some address book files for this screen name may have been damaged. When these are deleted, the AOL software automatically creates new ones. This will not delete the addresses in your address book, just the files linking the address book on your computer to the address book stored on the AOL servers.

The following steps will delete the address book contents from your hard drive. However, when you sign on, they will automatically be replaced.

Note: Please close the AOL software before you perform these steps.

Windows 7 users

To delete the Address Book files using Windows 7, please follow the steps below:

1. Right-click the AOL icon on the desktop and select Properties.
2. Click the Open File Location button.
3. Double-click Shortcut to organize.
4. In the Search box in the top-right corner of the window, type [YourScreenName].ab*, where [YourScreenName] is the screen name that is having difficulty.
5. Right-click one of the files found and select Delete and then click Yes.
6. Repeat the previous step for each file.

Other Windows versions

To delete the Address Book files using other versions of Windows, please follow the steps below:

1. Click the Start button, then click Search.
2. Click the All files and folders link. Note: If using Windows 98/ME/2000, click the Start button, select Search or Find, click For Files and Folders..., then continue to step 3.
3. In the All or part of the file name:, Search for files or folders named:, or Named: box, type [YourScreenName].ab*, where [YourScreenName] is the screen name that is having difficulty, then click Search, Search Now, or Find Now button. Note: The Windows Search feature cannot search properly for files that contain spaces. If the screen name having difficulty contains spaces, remove them before searching.
4. In the Name column, right-click the first file for the screen name having difficulty, then click Delete.
5. Click the Yes button.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each of the screen names having difficulty.
7. Click the X in the upper-right corner to close the Search Results or Find window.



Compose email and access your address book offline

Sometimes the address book may be temporarily unavailable due to server maintenance. During these times you can compose your email and access your address book offline. Then you can send your email later when you sign on to the AOL software again.

To compose email offline:

1. Launch the AOL software, but do not sign on.

2. On the AOL toolbar, click the Write icon.

3. Compose your message as you normally would.

4. On the Write Email window, click the Address Book icon.

5. Right-click the contacts or group to whom you want to send your message, then select the Send To, Copy To, or Blind Copy option.

6. When you have finished, click the Send Later button.

To send an email from the email waiting to be sent folder:

1. Sign on to AOL.

2. Click the Email menu, then click Email Waiting To Be Sent.

3. Click the message you want to send, then click the Send button.