FWD: Entourage crash every 10 minutes

[CyberTaz]

Thought this would be handled better here


------ Forwarded Message

From: Judy Chucker <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.mac.office.word
Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2007 20:41:23 -0500
Subject: Entourage crash every 10 minutes

My Entourage mail program crashes approximately every 10 minutes, preceded
by the "Mail sent" sound. Upon automatically relaunching (Microsoft follows
the crash with a request to report the problem, followed by optional
restart), there are about four of the same "mail sent" sounds.

This problem started soon after I had reinstalled 2004 Office for Mac (bad
advice), student edition. I have an iBook G4, OS 10.4.10.

Without knowing what I'm doing, I tried trashing the preference list for
Entourage. It didn't help.

Your advice will be most appreciated!

Judy


------ End of Forwarded Message

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Diane]

My Entourage mail program crashes approximately every 10 minutes, preceded
by the "Mail sent" sound. Upon automatically relaunching (Microsoft follows
the crash with a request to report the problem, followed by optional
restart), there are about four of the same "mail sent" sounds.

This problem started soon after I had reinstalled 2004 Office for Mac (bad
advice), student edition. I have an iBook G4, OS 10.4.10.

Without knowing what I'm doing, I tried trashing the preference list for
Entourage. It didn't help.

Sounds like crash is tied to a schedule to send & receive. I would check our
Outbox to see if there is a mail there that is not sending. Delete it and
you should be OK. You can open and copy the contents into a new email.

You might need to download the combo updater from Apple and run it again
rather than using Software Update. Doing so overwrites potentially
problem-causing files. Several users have reported this fixed some odd
problems they were having with Entourage. Combo updaters will install on the
same version as they¹re applying‹no need to roll back or do a clean install.

Mac OS X 10.4.10 Combo Update (PPC)
<http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/macosx10410combo
updateppc.html>

Mac OS X 10.4.10 Combo Update (Intel)

<http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/macosx10410combo
updatev11intel.html>

More info on why applying the combo updater helps:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/troubleshoot/combo.html>

 

[Judy Chucker]

Sounds like crash is tied to a schedule to send & receive. I would check our
Outbox to see if there is a mail there that is not sending. Delete it and
you should be OK. You can open and copy the contents into a new email.

You might need to download the combo updater from Apple and run it again
rather than using Software Update. Doing so overwrites potentially
problem-causing files. Several users have reported this fixed some odd
problems they were having with Entourage. Combo updaters will install on the
same version as they¹re applying‹no need to roll back or do a clean install.

Mac OS X 10.4.10 Combo Update (PPC)
<http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/macosx10410combo
updateppc.html>

Mac OS X 10.4.10 Combo Update (Intel)

<http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/macosx10410combo
updatev11intel.html>

More info on why applying the combo updater helps:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/troubleshoot/combo.html>

Hi, Diane.

Thank you for your suggestions. It's definately not a problem with the
schedule. Even if I'd never heard of a schedule before, I would have guessed
it wasn't that: It's crashing even more frequently, now, and not on any kind
of a cycle/time frame.

I also tried the "combo," and I'm afraid that didn't help either. Sigh. Any
other suggestions??? It's annoying, as it crashes as often as a couple
minutes apart.

Thank you!


Judy

 

[Diane]

Thank you for your suggestions. It's definately not a problem with the
schedule. Even if I'd never heard of a schedule before, I would have guessed
it wasn't that: It's crashing even more frequently, now, and not on any kind
of a cycle/time frame.

I also tried the "combo," and I'm afraid that didn't help either. Sigh. Any
other suggestions??? It's annoying, as it crashes as often as a couple
minutes apart.

Look under Tools in the menu bar --> Schedules. Do you have any schedules?

Is there any mail in your outbox? If yes, move it all to drafts.

Since your problem seems to be mysterious, you need to determine where the
problem is located. Follow the steps here to determine where the problem is
located. Testing in a new User will quickly tell you if the problem is
system wide or if it's your User's folder that contains the problem.

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/troubleshoot/basics.html>

 

[Judy Chucker]

Look under Tools in the menu bar --> Schedules. Do you have any schedules?

Is there any mail in your outbox? If yes, move it all to drafts.

Since your problem seems to be mysterious, you need to determine where the
problem is located. Follow the steps here to determine where the problem is
located. Testing in a new User will quickly tell you if the problem is
system wide or if it's your User's folder that contains the problem.

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/troubleshoot/basics.html>

I've tried quite a few things--or so it seems--since receiving your
suggestions.

--I removed the preferences file as directed at the web site you provided
(or a link from it), and logged on with a different user name. (It didn't
crash while under the different user...but maybe I didn't wait long enough.
I'll try it again, later.)

--I logged on holding down the shift key until I saw the grey apple.[safe
mode?]

--I downloaded and used "Preferential Treatment" and fixed (I think) the
problems it identified (changing "no read and write permission" by making
myself the admin/user)

--There was some other application that was way beyond my understanding:
After getting a little computer icon, called "my mail" on my list of email
folders, I was supposed to delete them. I didn't quite understand where they
came from.
--I think there was something related that I was supposed to do that
would have shown all the routing information (gobbledygook) for me to
review in order to find a "bad" email. This is the one, in particular, that
I would have had no idea what I was looking for.

Anyway, since doing all of that, the Preferential Treatment utility seemed
to have helped. It doesn't crash quite as often since then. But it still
crashes.

Another very strange thing occurred: I clicked on the reply button, and on
the redirected letter in the "To:" box, was an entirely different name, BUT!
When I put the arrow over the name, it revealed the CORRECT address.

One other symptom: On occasion, even though the program isn't frozen, the
red, yellow, and green lights aren't available to use.

Hope you can unravel all of this!! Thank you.

 

[Diane]

Another very strange thing occurred: I clicked on the reply button, and on
the redirected letter in the "To:" box, was an entirely different name, BUT!
When I put the arrow over the name, it revealed the CORRECT address.

One other symptom: On occasion, even though the program isn't frozen, the
red, yellow, and green lights aren't available to use.

Hope you can unravel all of this!! Thank you.

I'm afraid you have multiple problems. Your database is probably corrupted
and other signs point to your system as also having problems.

I would do an "Archive & Install" to get your system back to good running
order.

Archive and Install

General advice on performing an Archive and Install

<http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/archiveinstall.html>

Make sure to choose the options to maintain your user settings. Once the
install has finished, your system will be at whatever level the disk you
have is. So if your Install DVD/CD disk is 10.3.3, that's what version of OS
will be on your Mac. You will need to download the appropriate Combo Updater
from Apple's site to restore the system to a higher version. After you run
the combo, allow Software Update to download and install any additional
updates.

Combo updaters will install on the same version as they¹re applying‹no need
to roll back or do a clean install.

Mac OS X 10.4.10 Combo Update (PPC)
<http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/macosx10410combo
updateppc.html>

Mac OS X 10.4.10 Combo Update (Intel)

<http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/macosx10410combo
updatev11intel.html>

I would also use "Remove Office" found in Additional Tools and on the
install CD for Office to remove Office then update.

Mactopia Downloads
<http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx>

You need to get these updaters:

11.3.5 combo
11.3.6 requires 11.3.5 to be installed
11.3.7 requires 11.3.6 to be installed
11.3.8 requires 11.3.7 to be installed

After you get your system updated, you need to rebuild your database.

Quit any applications that are running, including virus-protection
applications, all Office applications, Microsoft Messenger for Mac, and
Office Notifications, because they might interfere with rebuilding.

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/database/rebuild.html>

 

[Judy Chucker]

I'm afraid you have multiple problems. Your database is probably corrupted
and other signs point to your system as also having problems.

I would do an "Archive & Install" to get your system back to good running
order.

Archive and Install

General advice on performing an Archive and Install

<http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/archiveinstall.html>

Make sure to choose the options to maintain your user settings. Once the
install has finished, your system will be at whatever level the disk you
have is. So if your Install DVD/CD disk is 10.3.3, that's what version of OS
will be on your Mac. You will need to download the appropriate Combo Updater
from Apple's site to restore the system to a higher version. After you run
the combo, allow Software Update to download and install any additional
updates.

Combo updaters will install on the same version as they¹re applying‹no need
to roll back or do a clean install.

Mac OS X 10.4.10 Combo Update (PPC)
<http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/macosx10410combo
updateppc.html>

Mac OS X 10.4.10 Combo Update (Intel)

<http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/macosx10410combo
updatev11intel.html>

I would also use "Remove Office" found in Additional Tools and on the
install CD for Office to remove Office then update.

Mactopia Downloads
<http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx>

You need to get these updaters:

11.3.5 combo
11.3.6 requires 11.3.5 to be installed
11.3.7 requires 11.3.6 to be installed
11.3.8 requires 11.3.7 to be installed

After you get your system updated, you need to rebuild your database.

Quit any applications that are running, including virus-protection
applications, all Office applications, Microsoft Messenger for Mac, and
Office Notifications, because they might interfere with rebuilding.

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/database/rebuild.html>

Diane, thank you for the thorough instructions. I will report back after
I've completed the protocol.

In the meantime, I have just one question. If I've never purchased or
installed virus protection myself, would I have gotten it pre-installed from
Apple when I got the computer? Otherwise, I've had trouble in the past
trying to locate any such application; your answer will help in that regard.

Thanks, again.

Judy

 

[Diane]

In the meantime, I have just one question. If I've never purchased or
installed virus protection myself, would I have gotten it pre-installed from
Apple when I got the computer? Otherwise, I've had trouble in the past
trying to locate any such application; your answer will help in that regard.

It's not pre-installed. I don't run any virus software and would only
consider it if I forwarded on mail to pc users that contained attachments.

Since you are a new Mac user, see these tips to help get you started on the
Mac. Feel free to ask questions we'll do our best to help.

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/new2mac/index.html>

 

[Barry Wainwright [MVP]]

In the meantime, I have just one question. If I've never purchased or
installed virus protection myself, would I have gotten it pre-installed from
Apple when I got the computer? Otherwise, I've had trouble in the past
trying to locate any such application; your answer will help in that regard.

No, no anti-virus programme is installed by apple.

There are very few AV programmes for macs (because there are no currently
active viruses that affect macs). The only anti-virus apps you could install
are useful mainly for cleaning macro-viruses out of office docs before you
pass hem to a windows user.

See here for a list of anti-virus apps:

<http://www.versiontracker.com/macosx/security/antivirus>

 

[Barry Wainwright [MVP]]

I agree 100%

--
BarryW
Microsoft MVP (see http://www.microsoft.com/mvp for details)
Visit the Entourage User's Weblog for hints tips & troubleshooting for
Microsoft entourage: http://www.barryw.net/weblog

From: Jolly Roger <[email protected]>
Organization: People for the Ethical Treatment of Pirates
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.mac.office.entourage
Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2007 08:25:56 -0500
Subject: Re: Entourage crash every 10 minutes

The overwhelming opinion of knowledgeable Mac users is that while Macs
are not invulnerable to viruses, they are much less prone and open to
them than Windows. There are ZERO Mac OS X viruses in the wild, and it's
been that way for the past six years since the initial release of Mac OS
X.

All of the Mac viruses (there's only one that fits that description for
Mac OS X - and even then, very loosely) and worms in existence are
proof-of-concept code that were written by folks to prove that it can be
done yet were never able to spread in the wild.

Because the Mac security landscape is much different than the Windows
landscape, lots of "security" companies, antivirus software companies,
and so on would *love* for every Mac user to think they need antivirus
software, because they have a real, vested interest in selling such
things to Mac users. Informed Mac users know there's little need for
such software, because Macs, out of the box, are more securely
configured and are less prone to a lot of mainstream attack vectors.
That isn't to say Macs are in any way invulnerable, but the critical
mass of vulnerabilities that Windows has simply isn't there due to
Unix/Apple design decisions and partially due to the smaller user base.

If you are truly concerned with security on Mac OS X, take a look at the
Mac OS X security guides released by the NSA, Apple, and Corsaire:

NSA: <http://www.nsa.gov/snac/downloads_macX.cfm>
Apple: <http://tinyurl.com/2az3go>
Corsaire: <http://research.corsaire.com/whitepapers/technical.html>

--
Note: Please send all responses to the relevant news group. If you
must contact me through e-mail, let me know when you send email to
this address so that your email doesn't get eaten by my SPAM filter.

JR

 

[Judy Chucker]

I agree 100%

Hello, all helpful MVP's. I have finally resolved all my many Entourage
problems (even the multiple sounds upon mail arrival). After an archive and
install, and rebuilding my database, all is well.

The problem may have been caused by my Palm software, which I will be
replacing as soon as I can!

I cannot thank you enough for your help.

By the way, my pride insists on telling you all that I wasn't concerned that
I HAD a virus--I know that Macs are highly impervious to them--I just didn't
know if the Mac came pre-installed with anti-virus software that I would
have needed to disable.

--Judy