Duplicate Contacts

[Mario9999]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
Processor: Intel
Email Client: pop

I restored my iPhone today. I also synched my address book with Mobile Me. I ended up with a massive amount of duplicates in address book folder in Entourage. How do I get rid of the duplicates? Can I use Time Machine to replace the current database with an older database of contacts that does contain the duplicates.

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

I restored my iPhone today. I also synched my address book with Mobile
Me. I ended up with a massive amount of duplicates in address book
folder in Entourage. How do I get rid of the duplicates? Can I use Time
Machine to replace the current database with an older database of
contacts that does contain the duplicates.

In the System address book there is a function that allows you to
identify and merge duplicates.
You can also use the Spanning Tools for Mac (shareware) to assist you
with matters like this one,


Corentin

 

[Kerry]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
Processor: Intel
Email Client: pop

I restored my iPhone today. I also synched my address book with Mobile Me.. I ended up with a massive amount of duplicates in address book folder in Entourage. How do I get rid of the duplicates? Can I use Time Machine to replace the current database with an older database of contacts that does contain the duplicates.

If your dups are only in Entourage and not Addressbook did you
categorize all your contacts. If so, turn off sync in Entourage and
then search for all that have category none. Delete these and re-
enable sync with combine.

If this method isn't viable as you didn't categorize try a restore
from Time Machine. I've done that tons and its always been fine but
there's always a possibility that a Time Machine backup may be
corrupted due to the nature of a backup when Entourage is open when a
backup occurs. Anyway, before a restore turn off sync in Entourage,
restore and turn on sync using the combine method. Check your
Entourage DB by holding the option key down when you click on
Entourage in the dock. it will bring up a utility so that you can
verify that the DB is alright.

Dups are a big problem in Entourage and if you scan this forum its
full of posts on the various bizarre sync behaviors. There's a problem
with sync services and it affects all third party vendors. Sync with
iCal and Addressbook though not as powerful as Entourage is more
reliable.