Can't configure contacts to be an email address book

Here is my problem. I can't make my contacts my address book.

Here are the symptons.

1 - The contacts folder seems to work OK. I can send email from it, add
names, etc.

2 - When I try to access the contct info from "new" to make a new email
message or from "reply" or "forward" an existing email message, no names or
lists appear.

3 - When I right click on "contacts", choose "properties", choose the
"outlook address book" tab, it show that "contacts" is the address book, but
the check box for "show this folder as an email address book" is grayed out.

4 - In Outlook, if I go to "tools", "options", "mail setup", " email
accounts", "View or change exisitng directories or address book", I see
"Outlook address book MAPI" highlighted. I say "change" and get this
message: "This email account cannot be configured. Please run outloook and
choose this profile before attempting to make changes to it."

5 - In Outlook, if I go to "tools", "options", "mail setup", "email
accounts", "Add new directory or address book", "Addtional Addresss Books", I
get 2 choices "Outlook Address Book" and "Personal Address Book".
Choosing either of these gives me the same message: "The account you have
added is not fully configured. It might not work properly until re-configured
correctly."

6 - In Outlook, if I go to "tools", "options", "mail setup", " email
accounts", "View or change exisitng directories or address book", I see
"Outlook address book MAPI" highlighted, I say "finish". I get no message,
but it doesn't fix the problem.

7 - I right click on "Outlook Today folder", choose "properties for outlook
today" and get "personal folders properties". I choose "general", "advanced"
and get this error message: "The information services cannot be configured.
Either the information service does not possess properties required for
configutation, or the MAPI configuration file entry point could not be
determined."

8 - If I try to add a new contact folder, it also has the check box for
"show this folder as an email address book" grayed out.

9 - I "repaired" XP office and this did not solve the problem.

HELP!!!!

Thank you.