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kennet · May 12, 2006, 05:24 AM

Please help.
I am new to Mac Operating systems and find it difficult to get support. I have OS10. I open entorage and all my emails and address book are missing. I have followed mac support suggesstion of rebuilding the database but it tells me my database is fine.
Any suggesstions where my files could be or how to save what I have lost.
Thanks

Andy8 · May 12, 2006, 05:40 AM

Has Entourage ever worked before, or did you just import your email messages and contacts from a Windows machine?

Also what version of OS X are you using? Tiger or Panther? 10.3.x or 10.4.x

kennet · May 12, 2006, 05:59 AM

Thanks Andy,

sorry for limited information it is OSX 10.3.3 and the entorage is 2004 version 11.

The machine originally had entorage 2001 and that stopped working seemed to freeze up so somebody installed entorage 2004 and everything was fine. Emails were all created on the mac.

Now when you open entorage all menus seem operational but the data has dissappeared. All emails etc

Andy8 · May 12, 2006, 06:17 AM

Navigate via the Finder in your home folder:

Documents > Microsoft User Data > Office 2004 Identies > Main Identity

You may have a few identies listed, look for the most recent one (if there is one). Inside that folder will be a file: Database (check the file size so you have some idea which is most relevant one)

Click on this database file and it should open up Entourage with all you mail and contacts intact.

kennet · May 12, 2006, 06:54 AM

Hi Andy,
I have done that and it launches entorage with nothing inside. This database is dated the day I lost everything. When I get the properties of the folder it says that the folder size is 18.5mb but when opened there is nothing there.

I also did a search for all main identity folders and opened every database and they are all the same.

Does the size of the folder mean that the data is there but corrupt ?

Andy8 · May 12, 2006, 07:59 AM

OK, another thing to try:

From the Entourage menu > Switch Identity >

You can choose any of the database listed from the popup box, try them all and see if you mail comes back - once you find your lost files, there are a few steps to get the "right" identity back.

jbleisure · May 17, 2006, 12:58 PM

The good news is you can improve your spelling Entourage not entorage.

The bad news is your data has gone forever. I had the same issue last year when the application (Entourage) just quit and then on re-opening all and I mean ALL of my data was gone. It was difficult to find out what had occured but eventually I discovered that there is a 2 or 4 GB limit( I can't remember which now) to the Entourage database and when it reaches that amount of data pooof!! it just dletes it all.

Bad news eh? Well the silver lining to that one for me was I put a secure backup plan in place and switched to using the Apple Mail, Calander and Address book applications. 6 months on I can say that although they are less integrated they are good solid applications and MUCH more stable.

Andy8 · May 17, 2006, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by jbleisure

The good news is you can improve your spelling Entourage not entorage.

The bad news is your data has gone forever. I had the same issue last year when the application (Entourage) just quit and then on re-opening all and I mean ALL of my data was gone. It was difficult to find out what had occured but eventually I discovered that there is a 2 or 4 GB limit( I can't remember which now) to the Entourage database and when it reaches that amount of data pooof!! it just dletes it all.

Bad news eh? Well the silver lining to that one for me was I put a secure backup plan in place and switched to using the Apple Mail, Calander and Address book applications. 6 months on I can say that although they are less integrated they are good solid applications and MUCH more stable.

MY Entourage database is over 6GB and I do not have any issues, so the size limit you refer is not the problem.

I have fixed a friend's Entourage data lose with the same symtoms as MissPiggy. It was just a matter to find the correct "database" to switch to. I remember getting the answers for that problem on this forum last year.

jbleisure · May 18, 2006, 03:41 AM

MY Entourage database is over 6GB and I do not have any issues, so the size limit you refer is not the problem.

That's interesting. I gathered answer to the problem being a size limit from the apple discussions last autumn when I had the problem

I have fixed a friend's Entourage data lose with the same symtoms as MissPiggy. It was just a matter to find the correct "database" to switch to

OK - but where is the crrect database and WHY is the application doing this nonsense anyway?

tooki · May 18, 2006, 01:47 PM

Entourage 2004 has, for all intents and purposes, no limit on database size.

All earlier versions, including v.X and 2001, have a limit of 2GB.

tooki

kennet · May 22, 2006, 04:43 AM

Thank you all for your help with my "Entourage" problem I havn't had any luck with finding the database but will let you know if I do. thanks Andy