Microsoft Entourage X Database Recovery

[James Hoehn, Jr.]

Help! My Microsoft Entourage X database is corrupted preventing transfer to
Entourage 2008.

Hardware and Software Configuration:
Apple PowerBook G4 867 MHz / 768 MB SDRAM / 220 GB hard drive
Apple Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.6
Microsoft Entourage 2008 for Mac 12.1.5
Microsoft Entourage X for Mac 10.1.9 / database 2.73 GB

Tried typical and advanced rebuild on two different machines with Mac OS X
booted from 220 GB hard drive with 214 GB available space and originally on
120 GB (20 GB available) hard drive. Rebuild does not display any progress
and Microsoft Database Daemon runs in the background for awhile and then
stops after about ten to fifteen minutes. Entourage process never completes
and has to be forced to quit. Type -40 and +2 error has appeared on initial
typical rebuild. Database that is created is 4 GB. Size warning displays if
one tries to open incomplete rebuild database. Retained a copy of original
corrupted database file.

Microsoft Technical Support did not offer any alternatives. Considering
large hard drive method as per
http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/2007/09/rebuilding_a_damaged_database_that_ex
ceeded_size_limit.html or or parsing database with BBedit/Grep or EntourAid.
If I purchase 500MB or larger hard drive for boot will I be able to recover
normally?

/ james

 

[Diane Ross]

Tried typical and advanced rebuild on two different machines with Mac OS X
booted from 220 GB hard drive with 214 GB available space and originally on
120 GB (20 GB available) hard drive. Rebuild does not display any progress and
Microsoft Database Daemon runs in the background for awhile and then stops
after about ten to fifteen minutes. Entourage process never completes and has
to be forced to quit.

It appears that when Entourage did the copy during the rebuild, it combined
the old with the new. Use the original 2.73 GB database. It's great you have
a copy or you would be SOL. Always work off a copy when rebuilding.

I have been very successful in rebuilding Entourage X databases on a 500 GB
drive. Using the original database you will probably be able to rebuild on
the larger drive you have. Do the advanced rebuild.

You can watch the Microsoft Database daemon in the Activity Monitor to see
when it goes to zero to know it's completed. The progress window doesn't
really let you know what's going on with the rebuild.

Type -40 and +2 error has appeared on initial typical
rebuild. Database that is created is 4 GB. Size warning displays if one tries
to open incomplete rebuild database. Retained a copy of original corrupted
database file.

Error -40 is a positioning error (tried to position before start of file).
This might indicate file system corruption. Try running Apple's Disk
Utility: First Aid and repairing the disk till it shows clean.

Error 2 is an address error

<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2088?viewlocale=en_US>

Clear up your disk problems before trying to rebuild. This could be an
indication of early drive failure.

Hope this helps!

 

[James Hoehn, Jr.]

Thank you for the prompt input. Unfortunately, my Microsoft Entourage X data
remains unusable for Entourage 2008.

As recommended, I verified and repaired both file permissions and the hard
drive using the Apple Disk Utility / First Aid. Performed clean install of
original Microsoft Entourage X software and updated to 10.1.9 just to be
sure application itself was not compromised. Executed advanced rebuild on
original corrupted file which creates a 4 GB database file with no errors.
Upon attempting to open advanced rebuilt 4 GB file in Entourage X, size
warning displays recommending Typical Rebuild for compaction and then leads
to rebuild dialog window. So, I typical rebuilt the advanced rebuilt
database which just created another 4 GB database.

On import into Entourage 2008, only the original corrupted file generates
the error codes -40 and +2. The rebuilt files continue through the process
all the way without any error codes but nothing is imported. I also tried
importing a former uncorrupted 2.32 GB backup database which does exactly
the same thing finishing the process with nothing imported.

Help? What am I doing wrong?

/ james

 

[Diane Ross]

On import into Entourage 2008, only the original corrupted file generates
the error codes -40 and +2. The rebuilt files continue through the process
all the way without any error codes but nothing is imported. I also tried
importing a former uncorrupted 2.32 GB backup database which does exactly
the same thing finishing the process with nothing imported.

Will the rebuilt Entourage X Identity open? If yes, then you need to
manually move your data out. How to manually move your data. (when import
fails and/or you need to move to a new Identity same version or revert to an
older version)

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

FWIW, no Entourage X Identities import into Entourage 2008.

Help? What am I doing wrong?

Database recovery does not always work. It could be your data or you might
not have enough drive space for a good rebuild.

Always work off a copy! Just one more crash could cause Entourage to go
belly up and never open again.

 

[James Hoehn, Jr.]

Typical and Advanced Rebuilt rebuilt database will not open in Entourage X.
The 4 GB size warning displays for both.

Please note per previous message that I tried importing to Entourage 2008 a
former six month old backup database, 2.32 GB in size, that is NOT corrupted
and opens in Entourage X. Exactly the same thing occurs on import to
Entourage 2008, it finishes the import process without error but nothing is
imported.

With both the uncorrupted backup database and the rebuilt database not
importing, it appears that there is something fundamental at issue.

Help / james

 

[Diane Ross]

Please note per previous message that I tried importing to Entourage 2008 a
former six month old backup database, 2.32 GB in size, that is NOT corrupted
and opens in Entourage X. Exactly the same thing occurs on import to
Entourage 2008, it finishes the import process without error but nothing is
imported.

As I mentioned Entourage 08 doesn't import Entourage X Identities. You can
open the older Identity that's 2.23GB and export manually. Follow the
directions on the link I gave to import into Entourage 2008.

When you first ran the rebuild, what size is showing for the copy Entourage
made? It's called Old database.

Did you make a copy of this Identity before running the rebuild?

 

[Diane Ross]

Just for clarity, Entourage 2008 has an Entourage X import selection in the
import window. See attached image. Are you telling me it's a placeholder and
does not work to import X identities? If so, I will break out files
manually.

Let me try to find my notes on whether this is official or unofficial and
I'll get back. However, if you read old messages you will find it littered
with people unable to import from Entourage X.

When I first ran the rebuild, the "old database" copy made from the original
corrupted database is 2.73 GB. Preciously, the same size as the original
down to the single byte.

Yes, I have always retained a copy of the original corrupted database before
attempting to rebuild.

If you have upgraded Entourage X to 10.1.9 and have the drive space you have
an excellent chance of rebuilding. Your database is small enough to burn to
a DVD. If you are unable you can mail it to me and I'll see if I can
recover. You can contact me off list for instructions.

dianeross at mvps dot org <-- fix before replying.

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