Unable to Rebuild Database

[Kristen]

My email suddenly froze the other day and ever since I have not been
able to open Entourage. I get a database error and it asks me if I
would like to rebuild my database. When I click okay it tells me
there is a read/write error (this is for both possible rebuilds.) I
have also attempted to reload the software, but that does not work
either.

Has anyone else experienced this problem or have any possible
solutions? I am not able to access anything in Entourage at all.

 

[Gnarlodious]

Entity Kristen spoke thus:

My email suddenly froze the other day and ever since I have not been
able to open Entourage. I get a database error and it asks me if I
would like to rebuild my database. When I click okay it tells me
there is a read/write error (this is for both possible rebuilds.)

Try an "Advanced Rebuild". To do this, doubleclick the Entourage icon while
hoding down the «option» key. Answer the questions.

--Gnarlie

 

[Kristen]

Entity Kristen spoke thus:

Try an "Advanced Rebuild". To do this, doubleclick the Entourage icon while
hoding down the «option» key. Answer the questions.

--Gnarlie

I actually tried both possible rebuilds with the same result. Any other ideas?

--Kristen

 

[Diane Ross]

My email suddenly froze the other day and ever since I have not been
able to open Entourage. I get a database error and it asks me if I
would like to rebuild my database. When I click okay it tells me
there is a read/write error (this is for both possible rebuilds.) I
have also attempted to reload the software, but that does not work
either.

It could be a permissions problem. Do a Get Info on the Microsoft User Data
folder (including sub folder) and see if they are read only. Ownership and
Permissions should be Read-Write. You can change in Get Info if they are
incorrect. I also suggest you run Repair Permissions.

To use Repair Permissions:

Open Disk Utility in your Applications/Utility folder.

Click on the First Aid tab and select Repair Permissions

Click on the icon for your boot volume.

Click the repair permissions button.


Don't run from CD as updates have a newer version of Repair Permissions.

Run Repair Permissions from the volume being repaired.

 

[Diane Ross]

Entourage apparently has a 2 GB drop dead limit on the
database file size. There is no rebuilding, just a
read/write error. Some guys at www.thepropellerheads.com
have addressed this problem with a recovery program for the
emails, but it does not fix the database file. I am
looking for help at MS for the file if there is any
knowledge about what to do.

Entourage 2001 has a limit of 2 GB on both the Database and Messages file.
It does not handle this limit very gracefully, so you may experience data
loss if you hit it.

The latest Entourage X has a 4 GB limit on the Database file (there is no
Messages file), and you will be warned as you near the limit. As you finally
get close enough, it will force you to compact your database. You'd have to
work really hard to lose data with Entourage X.

Note: You must use the 10.1.2 updater from MacTopia to get that 4 GB size
plus warnings. The earliest release version of Entourage X did not have
those features. Regardless, it is advised that you should update to the
latest version, 10.1.4.