Lost Identity

[CALF]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel Email Client: pop I had been having issues with Entourage malfunctioning in terms of task reminders not popping up and an inability to print messages and have been unable to get feedback from the newsgroup. So I decided to restart the computer in case that would help resolve them. Upon restarting, the auto update offered an update to Office 2004. Since I still use Word and Excel 2004 versions, I went ahead and updated. Then I opened Entourage 2008--but what opened was a new identity looking a lot like Entourage 2004. I then tried to switch identities. Only one of the previous 2008 identities was in the list, but it didn't matter because choosing it and clicking OK did not work. Nothing happened, and Entourage remained a pristine version with none of my data. I tried to start my regular identity in a number of ways, but nothing would work to bring it back. Yesterday I had archived the identity on an external disk, but I changed the title slightly in order to add it to the disk rather than replace the identity already saved to that disk. Should I try to put it in the 2008 Identities folder on my main HD? A couple of weeks ago I also included Entourage in a Time Machine backup as well; obviously I would prefer a more up-to-date version. Would running Disk Warrior straighten any of these problems out. I run permissions every day, so I don't think that could be it.

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

I had been having issues with Entourage malfunctioning in terms of task
reminders not popping up and an inability to print messages and have
been unable to get feedback from the newsgroup. So I decided to restart
the computer in case that would help resolve them. Upon restarting, the
auto update offered an update to Office 2004. Since I still use Word
and Excel 2004 versions, I went ahead and updated.

THis should not affect Office 2008.

Then I opened Entourage 2008--but what opened was a new identity
looking a lot like Entourage 2004.

Did you move or rename your identitity? Is the Microsoft User Data
folder still at its default location?
That's, by far, the most common source of these problems.

Corentin

 

[CALF]

Just about 2 minutes ago in desperation, I tried something in my Sandbox that appears to have worked. I have not really figured out the problem though so as to avoid it in the future. So let me ask you about what I did.
There have been two identities in my 2008 Identities folder in the MUD folder, which continues to be in its default location. One of my backups is to almost everyday drag my whole 2008 Identities folder to an "archive" external drive. Until yesterday, I had been "replacing it" over and over again. But I had the idea that I ought to save several sequential copies in there if anything were to go wrong, so I made a copy of it and renamed it "2008 Identities 1." Then it was added to the archive drive instead of replacing the earlier one.
However, when I went searching for them, the 2008 Identities folder only had one identity in it (the later one) and 2008 Identities 1 had both identities in it. So I dragged the older 2008 Identities folder to the desktop and renamed the remaining folder without the added 1. That allowed me to switch to the correct identity (before only one identity appeared in the list, and when I clicked OK, nothing would happen). But this time when I switched to that identity in the renamed folder, it came up--updated until Saturday and then downloaded once again the remaining messages for the last two days. And all is relatively well. But I have 2 questions.
(1) Why did this happen? Is there any way I can accumulate copies on the archive drive without renaming the identities folder? I have tried and tried the Automator script, and I cannot get it to work. There must be another, simpler, way.
(2) What should I do now to this Identity? Does it need maintenance? Should I run the database utility? Might that re-enable task reminders and allow me to print messages again?

Thanks for your answer. I never changed the name of the 2008 Identities folder. I simply copied and changed the name of a copy. I don't see where I went wrong.

On 2010-02-15 00:01:32 -0500, (e-mail address removed) said:
>

> > I had been having issues with Entourage malfunctioning in terms of task
> > reminders not popping up and an inability to print messages and have
> > been unable to get feedback from the newsgroup. So I decided to restart
> > the computer in case that would help resolve them. Upon restarting, the
> > auto update offered an update to Office 2004. Since I still use Word
> > and Excel 2004 versions, I went ahead and updated.

>
> THis should not affect Office 2008.
>

> > Then I opened Entourage 2008--but what opened was a new identity
> > looking a lot like Entourage 2004.

>
> Did you move or rename your identitity? Is the Microsoft User Data
> folder still at its default location?
> That's, by far, the most common source of these problems.
>
> Corentin
>
>
> --
> --- Office:Mac MVP http://www.cortig.net/wordpress/ ---
> http://www.mvps.org - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
> MVPs are not MS employees - Les MVP ne travaillent pas pour MS
> Remove "NoSpam" to e-mail me - Retirez "NoSpam" pour m'�crire
>
>

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

And all is relatively well. But I have 2 questions.
(1) Why did this happen? Is there any way I can accumulate copies on
the archive drive without renaming the identities folder? I have tried
and tried the Automator script, and I cannot get it to work. There must
be another, simpler, way.

Well when you rename the identity, Entourage looses track of it. If it
can't find your main identity, it tries to create a fresh new one.
Never rename or move the identity.
If you want to duplicate the identity, make sure you keep the original
one intact.

(2) What should I do now to this Identity? Does it need maintenance?
Should I run the database utility? Might that re-enable task reminders
and allow me to print messages again?

You can run the database utility on it. On this topic: in the process,
it makes you quit all Office apps for safety, to make sure nothing is
accessing the database, then creates a fresh identity based on the
repaired data of the original identity, and finally renames the old
one, putting the date on it. Not a bad way to create a backup IMVHO...

Corentin

 

[tswc]

I restarted my macbook after running some non-office-related updates, and when I restarted Entourage all my stuff was gone and it wanted me to create a new account (as if I had never used it before).

My identity, with all my info, is still on my hard drive, but I can't get Entourage to find it.

I did not move my MS user data folder (until today, I didn't even know there was one). My guess is one of the updates messed things up.

My questions is, where should the user data folder be? Is there a way for me to find out where Entourage is looking for it?

 

[Michel Bintener]

The MUD folder is in ~/Documents ("~" stands for your user account). In
Entourage, click on Entourage> Switch Identity and see which identities
it finds. Perhaps your old identity is on that list; in that case,
simply select it and hit OK.

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

I restarted my macbook after running some non-office-related updates,
and when I restarted Entourage all my stuff was gone and it wanted me
to create a new account (as if I had never used it before).

My identity, with all my info, is still on my hard drive, but I can't
get Entourage to find it.

I did not move my MS user data folder (until today, I didn't even know
there was one). My guess is one of the updates messed things up.

Did you rename anything??
Did Entourage create a new identity and if yes, is the old one in the
same folder? (you can tell by the size of it too).

To be honest, I have never seen an update do this.
The only cases of missing identity I have ever seen were moved or
renamed identities in the Finder and disk corruption that made the
folder disappear.

My questions is, where should the user data folder be? Is there a way
for me to find out where Entourage is looking for it?

~/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Office 2008 Identities/
If the name of any of these folders is changed, it breaks the link.

Corentin