[Preciousss]

I had to reinstall my OS and am wondering if I've screwed myself and lost all of my Entourage data.

I saved my Microsoft User Data folder onto my work server before wiping--not all of it would copy over, but I made sure the identities folder(s) made it. This was all I needed in order to retain all my mail, contacts, calendar, etc. right?

Following the ReadMe instructions, I copied the Main Identities folder from the server onto my new HD. In doing so, I overwrote the corresponding folder on my new HD (which was blank anyway).

But every time I try to launch Entourage, I get this message: "This identity cannot be opened with this version of Entourage. And then it quits. :-(

I tried deleting the Preferences file in this imported Main Identities folder as a KB article suggested, but no go. If I delete the entire folder, Entourage starts up OK with the standard user configuration wizard-->a new identity is created.

I also tried the File > Import feature, but importing from Entourage X to Entourage X is not an option. Did I lose all of my data?!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[zorn]

I copy my Microsoft User Folder (everything in it) and bring computer to computer (work, school, home) and everything works for me.

I wonder why it wouldn't let you copy everything in there? Was any MS programs open?? -- well since that's past ..

Perhaps you should try moving you Microsoft User Folder out onto the desktop , then start up e'rage (it will create a new folder set) then try to move you stuff one by one in.

The big file should be the database file (mine is like 250 MB)

Maybe set up an account on e'rage then quit it, and swap in your db file?

Try these things out, make sure to keep your orig somewhere safe.

Good Luck!!

[car1son]

One problem that comes up replacing the Entourage identity Database in Office v.X is the Microsoft Database Daemon process. This is the process that pops up your calendar appointment reminders, and it usually sets itself up to start at login. Since it has already opened the Database, even after the Database is in the Trash it's still reading it (and making it impossible to empty the trash.) You can stop it by logging out or quitting it from the Process Viewer utility, or using Entourage to "Turn Off Office Notifications". (Running Word will launch the Database Daemon, too. Word uses it to fetch auto-completions of contact names and addresses from the Entourage Address Book.)

Try this:
Keep your backup copy of your old Main Identity folder in a safe location, of course.

Quit Entourage (and all other Office applications.)
Launch the Process Viewer utilty. Locate the "Database Daemon" process. Quit it.
Trash whatever identity folder is in the Office X Identities folder.

Launch Entourage so it creates a new (empty) Main Identity. Quit Entourage.

Copy your backed-up Main Identity folder to some out of the way place such as the Desktop. Rename it "Old Identity". Then drag the "Old Identity" folder into the "Office X Identities" folder. (I.e., don't try to replace the Main Identity folder.)

Launch Entourage.
Select "Switch Identity..." from the Entourage menu.
Select "Old Identity" from the identity list.

See if that lets you use your old mail.

[Preciousss]

WoW!!!! Thank you, thank you so much! I tried quite a few things and this is the only one that worked.

I wasn't too bummed at the prospect of losing my Entourage data since I've only had it for just about a month now--there wasn't that much to lose.

But my messages have been piling up on my mail server since this happened and I was holding off on just creating a new identity until I was absolutely sure I could not retrieve the older one.

You've made me very happy. Especially because I know what to do know in the future the next time I want to backup my data. Whoo-hoo! Thanks again!

Originally posted by car1son:
Try this:
Keep your backup copy of your old Main Identity folder in a safe location, of course.

Quit Entourage (and all other Office applications.)
Launch the Process Viewer utilty. Locate the "Database Daemon" process. Quit it.
Trash whatever identity folder is in the Office X Identities folder.

Launch Entourage so it creates a new (empty) Main Identity. Quit Entourage.

Copy your backed-up Main Identity folder to some out of the way place such as the Desktop. Rename it "Old Identity". Then drag the "Old Identity" folder into the "Office X Identities" folder. (I.e., don't try to replace the Main Identity folder.)

Launch Entourage.
Select "Switch Identity..." from the Entourage menu.
Select "Old Identity" from the identity list.

See if that lets you use your old mail.

[j45degrees]

Hi there,

Would you happen to know if this same kind of problem with Mac OS9 Entourage 2001 can be resolved in a similar way?

We had to reinstall Entourage on someone's Mac and I can't get the previous User Data information to work. Entourage just wants to keep making a new Main Identity. All the address book and emails are in the large (163 MB) backed up User Identity folder

[car1son]

Office:2001 doesn't have a separate "Database Daemon" process - you only get Office appointment notifications when Entourage is running. So if you Quit Entourage:2001, you should be able to replace its mail database.

The Entourage 2001 database is in a folder in the "Office 2001 Identities" folder in the "Microsoft User Data" folder in "Documents". It's probably named "Main Identity", but it can have a different name if the user has customized it (or there can be multiple identities, each with its own folder in the "Office 2001 Identities" folder.)

When first installed, Entourage will create a new, empty identity with the default name "Main Identity" (unless a "Main Identity" already exists,) If the old backed-up identity (or identities) has a different name, then after launching Entourage you will want to use the "Switch Identity..." function (from Entourage's File menu) to change to the restored identity.

Does that help?

[j45degrees]

Originally posted by car1son:
Does that help?

Yes it does help. I suspected that was the case and I have tried to add a new identity using the old folder and it didn't work for me. I renamed the previous "Main Identity" to "Old Identity" and put that folder in the folder along with the newly created "Main Identity". So when I went to switch identities "Old Identity" wasn't listed there.

Should I have just let Entourage create a new identity and move the old mail data and other files into its folder instead?

[car1son]

Originally posted by j45degrees:
So when I went to switch identities "Old Identity" wasn't listed there.

That is very odd.

With Entourage:2001, if I just create an empty folder in the "Office 2001 Identities" folder, without even putting any Database or Messages files into it, Entourage:2001 will still list it in the "Select Identity" dialog (if the folder doesn't have a Database, it will then create a new Database, etc.)

So, are you sure you've restored the old identity to the right "Office 2001 Identities" folder? You didn't say anything about changing the installation on the system, but normally the identity folder is in Macintosh HD:Documents:Microsoft User Data:
However, if OS 9 is used in Multiuser mode, it will be in Macintosh HD:Users:username:Documents:Microsoft User Data. And if Entourage:2001 is run from Classic under OS X 10.2+, it will be in /Users/username/Documents/Microsoft User Data/

Maybe a Sherlock search is in order to see if there's more than one Microsoft User Data folder in play.

(Edited to disable those dumb smilies)