Lost all Entourage Data/Identity

G

gabrielmejias

Hello, I really aprecciate 2 mins you could spare to read my issue..it
might happen to you...

I have Mac OS X 10.4.9 running and 11.3.3 Entourage. I set it up to
handle company e-mails trough Entourage. But, all of a sudden, I start
entourage and everything is lost. All e-mails, contacts, everything is
gone. Tried to trobleshoot a bit, and found that under my identity,
there isnothing there (like if entourage is newly installed. I know
that entourage was running, then put computer to stand by a few times,
and then tried to run entourage again (without restarting) and
everything is lost.

What scares me the most, is that I can't find any reason for this to
happen, so it could happen again. And for sure, I won't be able to set
it up again until the issue is resolved.

Againa, I appreciatte your help. If you think you should have any
other relevant info to help retrieve my data/identity, can easily
provide it.

Thanks in advance,

gabriel_mejias@ hotmail .com
 
D

Diane Ross

I have Mac OS X 10.4.9 running and 11.3.3 Entourage. I set it up to
handle company e-mails trough Entourage. But, all of a sudden, I start
entourage and everything is lost. All e-mails, contacts, everything is
gone. Tried to trobleshoot a bit, and found that under my identity,
there isnothing there (like if entourage is newly installed. I know
that entourage was running, then put computer to stand by a few times,
and then tried to run entourage again (without restarting) and
everything is lost.

What scares me the most, is that I can't find any reason for this to
happen, so it could happen again. And for sure, I won't be able to set
it up again until the issue is resolved.

Againa, I appreciatte your help. If you think you should have any
other relevant info to help retrieve my data/identity, can easily
provide it.
Click to expand...

This is normally a user error (see below), but if the Identity has
disappeared, a possible culprit is your anti-virus application. Some
versions identify a virus within the database and puts your database into
quarantine. You will need to read the directions on how to release.

Check any AV products you are running and, if necessary, exclude the
Microsoft User Data folder from their scans. ClamXav has an option to move
infected files to trash . Be sure to uncheck this.

Also see this solution in User Experiences where the database is in an
invisible folder "lost & found".

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/troubleshoot/crashes.html#crash15>

Entourage opens with a new blank Identity. [USER ERROR]

Most likely you have accidentally moved your data. Hopefully, you have not
deleted the file. If you have deleted the trash, it's gone. Sorry!

Select Switch Identity and see if your old identity is still listed.

Entourage expects the folder to be in your Documents folder. For OS X users,
that's the Documents folder in your User's folder.

To find your old database, search for "Microsoft User Data" (without the
quotes).

If you have not used a new identity in Entourage, then copy the entire
Microsoft User Data folder to the correct location.

Fix if you have more than one Microsoft User Data Folder...

Move the entire identity folder you want to use to the Office Identities
folder that Entourage is recognizing. Your identity is named "Main" by
default. Be sure to rename one so you do not overwrite. Your identity folder
can contain more than one identity. Switch Identities to view your old mail.
If you have not used the new identity, delete it. If you have used it and
want to combine the new mail with your original database, drag each folder
to the desktop from one identity. This creates an MBOX file. Switch
identities. Drag the MBOX files into the folder window of Entourage.

You can delete the old folder after you are satisfied with the transfer.
--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
One of the top five MS Entourage resources listed on the Entourage Blog.
<http://blogs.msdn.com/entourage/>
 
T

TB

A similar thing has happened to me and I cannot explain it.

I don't think it is a user error as I have not deleted anything
recently except some photos from iPhoto and I do not have virus
protection. I can only imagine it is a bug in the programme that is
triggered by an action I am not aware of - perhaps too many saved
emails?

I can see a database that is 240Mb in my Microsoft user data folder,
under my Main Identity, but when I try to open Entourage with this
data it makes no difference - none of my account details, addresses or
saved emails show. If I try to import the database, the wizard will
not let me use the database file - it appears in grey, not black
typeface.

This is the second time it has happened now, the same thing occured
several months ago. It is hugely inconvenient and I have serious
concerns about about the stability of the software.

I would be very, very grateful if anyone could help.

Terry Bennett
 
D

Diane Ross

A similar thing has happened to me and I cannot explain it.

I don't think it is a user error as I have not deleted anything
recently except some photos from iPhoto and I do not have virus
protection. I can only imagine it is a bug in the programme that is
triggered by an action I am not aware of - perhaps too many saved
emails?
Click to expand...

Too many emails wouldn't be the problem.
I can see a database that is 240Mb in my Microsoft user data folder,
Click to expand...

Just to be sure you are looking in the correct folder,...

1. Create a new Identity (under Entourage in the menu bar select, Switch
Identity. When the window opens select "New")

2. Name this Identity "qquark" (without the quotes)

3. In the Finder do a search for "qquark". Because this is an unusual name
you should only find one occurrence of it.

4. Now check in the search to see where the database named "qquark" is
located. This is where Entourage is finding your data.

5. Is this the same folder you are finding the Main database that is 240MB.
BTW, that's a very small database.
under my Main Identity, but when I try to open Entourage with this
data it makes no difference - none of my account details, addresses or
saved emails show. If I try to import the database, the wizard will
not let me use the database file - it appears in grey, not black
typeface.
Click to expand...
You can't import from the same version. You can only import from an older
version. <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/import_export/index.html>

Basics for finding a lost database:

Select Switch Identity and see if your old identity is still listed.

To find your old database, search for "Microsoft User Data" (without the
quotes), or "Office 2004 Identities" or "Main".

If you have not used a new identity in Entourage, then copy the entire
Microsoft User Data folder to the correct location.

Fix if you have more than one Microsoft User Data Folder...

Move the entire identity folder you want to use to the Office Identities
folder that Entourage is recognizing. Your identity is named "Main" by
default. Be sure to rename one so you do not overwrite. Your identity folder
can contain more than one identity. Switch Identities to view your old mail.
If you have not used the new identity, delete it. If you have used it and
want to combine the new mail with your original database, drag each folder
to the desktop from one identity. This creates an MBOX file. Switch
identities. Drag the MBOX files into the folder window of Entourage.

You can delete the old folder after you are satisfied with the transfer.
This is the second time it has happened now, the same thing occured
several months ago. It is hugely inconvenient and I have serious
concerns about about the stability of the software.

I would be very, very grateful if anyone could help.
Click to expand...
Rarely, the Microsoft User Data folder can get "lost" during a crash. The
Finder puts it in an invisible folder called "lost + found".

Let me know if you find your data.

--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
One of the top five MS Entourage resources listed on the Entourage Blog.
<http://blogs.msdn.com/entourage/>
 
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