Entourage Identity Crisis?

[Chuck]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC
Email Client: pop

I cannot open Entourage and I receive the following warning upon trying:

"This identity cannot be opened with this version of Entourage."

I have rebuilt the database, as other Office app's have suggested, and the database now verifies as "OK" in the Microsoft Database Utility.

I have deleted 2 key preference files in order to trigger the Automated Setup Assistant. That has recreated backed-up identities. In fact, I now have 8 Office Identities of various kinds on my Mac.

Can anyone suggest a solution to problem of getting Entourage to function normally, i.e., open without problems? Thanks.

 

[Diane Ross]

"This identity cannot be opened with this version of Entourage."

"This Identity Cannot Be Opened With This Version of Entourage"
This message usually means, for example, that Entourage is at 12.0, but the
saved database was saved in a more updated version. Since there was a
database format change in there, Entourage 12.0 cannot open a database
saved in later version. (SP1 introduced an upgrade)

Microsoft does not update each application every time an update is released.
See ³Confused over Microsoft Update Version numbers?³ for a handy script
that gives you the Office application¹s version info.

<http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/2007/05/confused_over_microsoft_update.html>

 

[Chuck]

Thanks Diane...

....for your quick response. I ran the script, but it failed to execute completely. It generates the error message:

"Microsoft Component Pluggin not found."

Then, a further error is listed:

"The variable mcpDate is not defined."

What's the next step?

 

[Diane Ross]

...for your quick response. I ran the script, but it failed to execute
completely. It generates the error message:


"Microsoft Component Pluggin not found."

Sounds like you downloaded the 2004 script instead of the one for 2008.
Looks like I need to add an update to that blog entry. Here is the direct
download for the script.

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/downloads/scripts/version_08_app.zip>

Script application and French version here:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/script/fav_scripts.html#favscript_findVersion

 

[Barry Wainwright]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC
Email Client: pop

I cannot open Entourage and I receive the following warning upon trying:

"This identity cannot be opened with this version of Entourage."

I have rebuilt the database, as other Office app's have suggested, and the
database now verifies as "OK" in the Microsoft Database Utility.

I have deleted 2 key preference files in order to trigger the Automated Setup
Assistant. That has recreated backed-up identities. In fact, I now have 8
Office Identities of various kinds on my Mac.

Can anyone suggest a solution to problem of getting Entourage to function
normally, i.e., open without problems? Thanks.

run the 'Check for updates' command in the Help menu of any office
application.

you have obviously re-installed office since updating it and the version
installed is now older than that which was last used to update the
database.

 

[Chuck]

The Mac Office SP1 Updater will not function on my computer. I have no way of posting the graphic that illustrates the error, since it is not a text error message.

 

[Barry Wainwright]

The Mac Office SP1 Updater will not function on my computer. I have no way of
posting the graphic that illustrates the error, since it is not a text error
message.

can you at least describe the error message? Has it any words at all?

 

[Diane Ross]

The Mac Office SP1 Updater will not function on my computer. I have no way of
posting the graphic that illustrates the error, since it is not a text error
message.

Use something like Image Shack:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/support_options/report.html#imageshack>

 

[Chuck]

I partly restored Entourage. It opens now, at least. I don't think the Image Shack graphic is pertinent now, but I will post it, if you think it's helpful.

I carefully built a holding folder for all 10 of my Office Identities and recorded their numerous locations. In other words, I moved all identities out of Office folders.

The Entourage Setup Assistant appeared when I started Entourage, and I worked my way through that from a basic starting point (I selected "Don't Import Mail").

So now, I am not quite sure how to import mail from Entourage 2008 or 2004. I don't know where the archive is located, or what it's named. I will research that question, but any help is also welcome.

 

[Diane Ross]

I carefully built a holding folder for all 10 of my Office Identities and
recorded their numerous locations. In other words, I moved all identities out
of Office folders.

That's a lot of Identities. Can you explain what they are? Is it possible
you are using them for different accounts? You can have multiple accounts in
one Identity.

So now, I am not quite sure how to import mail from Entourage 2008 or 2004. I
don't know where the archive is located, or what it's named. I will research
that question, but any help is also welcome.

See these basics for importing.

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/import_export/index.html#import_basics>

You should be able to put the Entourage 2008 Identities back in the Office
2008 Identities folder and Entourage should be able to open them. If they
were created in the original Entourage version they will upgrade when
opened.

Let me know if you have more questions.

 

[Chuck]

I have 12 identities as of yesterday!

4 are Office 2008 Identity backups - one's that Office created from the corrupted system when I deleted Office 2008 preferences trying to rebuild the database in various ways.
2 are Office 2008 Identities created after Office became functional again - one's a Main Identity, the other is an Entourage Identity.
2 are Office X Identities - Main and Entourage
2 are Office 2004 Identities - Main and Entourage
2 are Office 2008 Identities - Main and Entourage - from the corrupted system prior to restored functionality

I guess I'm a pack rat. I don't throw anything away until I know it's no longer useful.

So, what I need most of all is some method of restoring the corrupted database from Office 2008. My DVD backups of the functional database are a few months old. My bootable HD backup has the corrupted Office 2008 database, which is what I really want. It is 484MB is size. Hopefully I didn't exceed some kind of size limit on file size for Microsoft stuff.

I would prefer not to install Office SP1 until I resolve the corrupted database issue with Office 12.0.0.

 

[Diane Ross]

I have 12 identities as of yesterday!

4 are Office 2008 Identity backups - one's that Office created from the
corrupted system when I deleted Office 2008 preferences trying to rebuild the
database in various ways.
2 are Office 2008 Identities created after Office became functional again -
one's a Main Identity, the other is an Entourage Identity.
2 are Office X Identities - Main and Entourage

Probably too old to have any significance.

2 are Office 2004 Identities - Main and Entourage

Depending on how old they are they might only contain archive mail and
contacts.

2 are Office 2008 Identities - Main and Entourage - from the corrupted system
prior to restored functionality

Some basics.

Each version of Office must have the Identity in the correct folder:

Office X Identities folder
Office 2007 Identities folder
Office 2008 Identities folder

Each Identity folder can have multiple Identities for that version.

You cannot open an older version with a newer version without importing the
database. The database must be upgraded for the new version.

You cannot import a newer database into an older version. You must manually
move back to an older version.

You can rename a rebuilt Identity so Entourage will open it. Often if the
rebuild version is more problematic than the original, your best bet is to
open the original and manually move the data out. Tip: once you have a
database that will open, copy it so you will have something to revert to in
case of more problems that result in the database going belly up.

So, what I need most of all is some method of restoring the corrupted database
from Office 2008. My DVD backups of the functional database are a few months
old. My bootable HD backup has the corrupted Office 2008 database, which is
what I really want.

Can you open this database? If yes, you can manually get your data out.

It is 484MB is size. Hopefully I didn't exceed some kind
of size limit on file size for Microsoft stuff.

Until you get in the GB range our database is considered small.

I would prefer not to install Office SP1 until I resolve the corrupted
database issue with Office 12.0.0.

There were some database rebuild fixes added so I advice you upgrade.

 

[Chuck]

Each version of Office must have the Identity in the correct folder:

All identities are in their correct folders. I was very careful about this.

Each Identity folder can have multiple Identities for that version.

I only had Office 2008 identities in Office 2008 folders at the time of the original problem. 2008's are the only remaining identities and they're in their proper folders.
The X and 2004 identities were in older folders at the time of the problem - i.e., in their original folders. I had never "tinkered" with the identities before the problem occurred. There was no reason to tinker.

You cannot open an older version with a newer version without importing the
database. The database must be upgraded for the new version.

Office 2008 ver. 12.0.0 is the only Office version installed on my computer. Office 2008 imported the Office 2004 database without any problems for 5 months.

Can you open this database? If yes, you can manually get your data out.

Office 2008 version 12.0.0 became corrupted, and I have not been able to open it (Entourage) - even once. Multiple Office 2008 databases resulted from multiple rebuildings, but none of them is capable of opening.

There were some database rebuild fixes added so I advice you upgrade.

That's worth a try. I really don't want to take a $49 chance that Microsoft can resolve my problem with phone tech support. Perhaps some suggestion will correct the corrupted database?

 

[Diane Ross]

Office 2008 ver. 12.0.0 is the only Office version installed on my computer.
Office 2008 imported the Office 2004 database without any problems for 5
months.


Office 2008 version 12.0.0 became corrupted, and I have not been able to open
it (Entourage) - even once. Multiple Office 2008 databases resulted from
multiple rebuildings, but none of them is capable of opening.

I'm confused. You say the imported 2004 Identity opened and worked for 5
months, but in the following paragraph you say you have not been able to
open it.

If you have a 2004 Identity that will open, I would manually move over your
data into Entourage 2008. For mail that has taken place since the move to
2008, I would need more details, but unless you can open or rebuild there is
no way to salvage that data.

How to manually move your data. (when import fails and/or you need to move
to a new Identity same version)

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/install/manual_install.html>

 

[Chuck]

I'm confused. You say the imported 2004 Identity opened and worked for 5

months, but in the following paragraph you say you have not been able to
open it.

The Office 2004 identity opened flawlessly in Office 2004 for 5 months. The Office 2008 identity worked in Office 2008 12.0.0 for 1 month before failing to open.

If you have a 2004 Identity that will open, I would manually move over your
data into Entourage 2008.

I have tried to open my Office 2004 identities in Office 2008, but it did not work. I moved the identities manually.

For mail that has taken place since the move to

2008, I would need more details, but unless you can open or rebuild there is
no way to salvage that data.

How to manually move your data. (when import fails and/or you need to move
to a new Identity same version)

My email is on a POP3 account, so as you say, that mail is lost unless I can recover the Office 2008 identities. That is what I prefer to do - recover 100% of the Office 2008 mail from the corrupted identities.

Any FREE suggestions on recovering all my email are welcome!

 

[Diane Ross]

The Office 2004 identity opened flawlessly in Office 2004 for 5 months. The
Office 2008 identity worked in Office 2008 12.0.0 for 1 month before failing
to open.

The import process has been troublesome for some users. The data would
transfer but then soon fail. Once you manually get the data into a new
Identity it is rock solid.

I have tried to open my Office 2004 identities in Office 2008, but it did not
work. I moved the identities manually.

When you manually moved the 2004 Identity to the Office 2008 Identities
folder it did a force upgrade. You need to open the working 2004 Identity in
Entourage 2004. (you do have a copy of this Identity that you moved?)
Manually move that data into Entourage 2008.

For mail that has taken place since the move to

My email is on a POP3 account, so as you say, that mail is lost unless I can
recover the Office 2008 identities. That is what I prefer to do - recover 100%
of the Office 2008 mail from the corrupted identities.

Any FREE suggestions on recovering all my email are welcome!

Unless you can open the 2008 Identity and it will not rebuild, the data is
lost. I have seen Identities that are corrupted rebuild if you use a very
large drive....like 500 GB free space.

 

[Chuck]

Entourage has been restored.

This suggestion didn't work. Office 2008 12.0.0 would not permit the upgrade to Office 2008 SP1.

Multiple attempts at restoring the Office 12.0.0 database would not open under 12.0.0. Installing 12.0.0 over top of itself didn't cure any problems either. I couldn't go backward or forward.

It seemed logical to uninstall Office 2008 using the Microsoft Remove Office tool. [ Judging by the subsequent results, it really doesn't uninstall everything. This is similar to a Windows uninstallation - lots of remnants are still hanging around. For instance, the Office Product ID # didn't change after reinstallation, which always occurred when I deleted Office preferences. ]

I strongly suspect that the Office database was NOT damaged. The Office 2008 application was probably damaged, and couldn't properly read the database.

Upon re-installation, after "uninstallation," Office 2008 worked. I was then able to merge the old identity with the new identity - with some minor naming problems. All the old folders are subfolders under an Entourage folder named Main Identity 1.rge.

Lessons Learned:
1. Office 2008 is probably somewhat unstable under Tiger, relative to previous Office versions. I suspect that is one reason for the LARGE SP1 upgrade. It might be unstable under Leopard too, but I have no way of knowing that from first hand experience.
2. Microsoft seems to be retrogressing Mac Office in many ways. Office is becoming bloatware, without meaningful improvements, particularly in stability and the user interface ergonomics found in Office for Windows. It probably needs to be rewritten from the ground up - I strongly suspect a LARGE case of "spaghetti code." It is slower than Office 2004.
3. One "simple" bootable backup is probably not adequate to prevent problems like this from reoccurring. It's probably a good idea to export the entire database frequently if you don't want to loose valuable data. A secondary backup is required.

Thanks for all the help everyone provided. I hope this experience can help other people.

 

[Diane Ross]

Upon re-installation, after "uninstallation," Office 2008 worked. I was then
able to merge the old identity with the new identity - with some minor naming
problems. All the old folders are subfolders under an Entourage folder named
Main Identity 1.rge.

You can drag those folder from the .rge folder if you like.

3. One "simple" bootable backup is probably not adequate to prevent problems
like this from reoccurring. It's probably a good idea to export the entire
database frequently if you don't want to loose valuable data. A secondary
backup is required.

See this tutorial: Entourage and Time-Machine-like backup(creates
chronological backup of Identity can be used by both Tiger and Leopard
allowing you to roll back to previous dated backups.

<http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/2008/01/entourage_and_time_machine.html>

We do appreciate you taking the time to outline your troubleshooting. Hope
it will help some other users and help us help them too. We learn what to
suggest from the feedback we give. Troubleshooting is not an exact science.


Glad things are working for you now.