importing old entourage data into new computer

[mbhiebert]

Please help!

My computer crashed recently. A technician was able to salvage my hard
drive, and it looks like all my data is intact. I want to import all
of my old messages and contacts into entourage on my new computer, but
the program can't find/won't recognize my user identity on my old hard
drive. This is the case even if I point the program to the folder that
appears to house everything:

users/username/caches/metadata/microsoft/entourage/2004/mainidentity

That folder has an index of messages etc... but when I double click on
one of the messages I get an entourage message saying that "entourage
cannot find this item. it may have been deleted or renamed"

I have urgent need to gain access to my old email records. Please help
if you can.

Kind regards,
Matt Hiebert

 

[Diane Ross]

My computer crashed recently. A technician was able to salvage my hard
drive, and it looks like all my data is intact. I want to import all
of my old messages and contacts into entourage on my new computer, but
the program can't find/won't recognize my user identity on my old hard
drive. This is the case even if I point the program to the folder that
appears to house everything:

users/username/caches/metadata/microsoft/entourage/2004/mainidentity

That folder has an index of messages etc... but when I double click on
one of the messages I get an entourage message saying that "entourage
cannot find this item. it may have been deleted or renamed"

This is NOT your Entourage Identity.These files are for Spotlight searching.
Your Identity is located in the Microsoft User Data folder in Documents.

I have urgent need to gain access to my old email records. Please help
if you can.

It sounds like you might want to use your original Identity and combine your
new emails using the MBOX method. Your new Identity will have less data to
move over.

See the instructions for Move/Transfer from Another Computer for directions:

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

In addition, see Backup for more details:
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/backup.html>

--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
The Entourage Blog lists the EHP as one of the top five Microsoft Entourage
resources.
<http://blogs.msdn.com/entourage/>

 

[Barry Wainwright [MVP]]

This is NOT your Entourage Identity.These files are for Spotlight searching.
Your Identity is located in the Microsoft User Data folder in Documents.



It sounds like you might want to use your original Identity and combine your
new emails using the MBOX method. Your new Identity will have less data to
move over.

See the instructions for Move/Transfer from Another Computer for directions:

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

In addition, see Backup for more details:
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/backup.html>

However, if you can't find your old identity files, I have a script that
will recreate the email messages from the Spotlight cache (with some
limitations).

Write back if you need a copy...

 

[mbhiebert]

Dear Barry,

Thank you VERY much. This is terrific. I followed the instructions
for copying the user identity and it worked beautifully. Entourage is
now fully functional on my old computer, with all my old messages and
attachments intact.

Thanks again, this is really a relief.
Kind regards,
Matt