Can't access old Identity data

[damico1]

Hello...

Last night I performed a clean install of my G5 system software
(updating it to OSX 10.4.9 after initial install), and am now having
no luck getting Entourage (v.X 10.1.0, updated to 10.1.6) to open my
old Identity folder. After running the Office X 10.1.9 update
(Entourage still shows as 10.1.6 for some reason), I restarted and
then repaired permissions as instructed on the Entourage help page. I
renamed my old indentity "Old Identity" and added it into my
(user)>Documents>Microsoft User Data>Office X Identities folder (the
same location as the newly installed "Main Identity" folder).

When I attempt to switch identities from within Entourage, the program
windows disappear and I receive a message: "This identity cannot be
opened with this version of Entourage". Upon closing the dialog box,
all that is left of Entourage are the menus (no windows). If I attempt
to switch back, Entourage disappears entirely and is replaced with the
standard Mac error message: "The application Entourage has quit
unexpectedly...". I can no longer open Entourage unless I physically
remove the "Old Identity" folder, which enables it to launch off the
apparently preferred "Main Identity" folder.

The file I'm mostly interested in retreiving is the Messages file,
which, judging from the file size (10MB), is where all of my old mail
resides. Sneaking this into the "Main Identity" folder doesn't work,
Entourage seems to just ignore it. I was successful importing my old
contacts via my exported Contacts Export.txt file. So at least
something's working.

Any and all suggestions as to how I might retrieve my old mail will be
much appreciated!

Thanks,

Stee

 

[Diane Ross]

Last night I performed a clean install of my G5 system software
(updating it to OSX 10.4.9 after initial install), and am now having
no luck getting Entourage (v.X 10.1.0, updated to 10.1.6) to open my
old Identity folder. After running the Office X 10.1.9 update
(Entourage still shows as 10.1.6 for some reason),

I just did a fresh install of the OS and installed Office from the CD and
ran into similar problems. Even though I had installed the OS from the CD
and run software updater, I had to run the combo updater from Apple and
re-apply all Office updates. The combo updaters will overwrite problem files
where the incremental updates (delta) do not.

You didn't mention if you used the CD installer or dragged from another
volume to install. If you did a drag over then use "Remove Office" and
install from the CD.

Check the component plugin to see if Office is updated. Not all applications
are updated with each update. Get the script that tells you what you have
installed. I don't have Office X running to check if Entourage X shows
11.3.3.

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/script/fav_scripts.html#favscript_findVersionMore on version info help:

When I attempt to switch identities from within Entourage, the program
windows disappear and I receive a message: "This identity cannot be
opened with this version of Entourage".

This usually means Entourage needs to be updated.

Upon closing the dialog box,
all that is left of Entourage are the menus (no windows). If I attempt
to switch back, Entourage disappears entirely and is replaced with the
standard Mac error message: "The application Entourage has quit
unexpectedly...". I can no longer open Entourage unless I physically
remove the "Old Identity" folder, which enables it to launch off the
apparently preferred "Main Identity" folder.

Don't move pieces of the Identity folder. Move over the entire Main Identity
folder (named Main by default) It contains these files. You can swap out
Rules and Sigs.

Database
Database Cache
Mailing Lists
Rules
Signatures

This could be a simple update problem. See this FAQ for unexpected quits:

The file I'm mostly interested in retreiving is the Messages file,
which, judging from the file size (10MB), is where all of my old mail
resides.

Hmmm, I'm not showing a messages file with my archived Office X Identity.
Can't remember now if that was changed with an update in X to database file.

10MB is awfully small.

Sneaking this into the "Main Identity" folder doesn't work,
Entourage seems to just ignore it. I was successful importing my old
contacts via my exported Contacts Export.txt file. So at least
something's working.

Any and all suggestions as to how I might retrieve my old mail will be
much appreciated!

I believe you'll be OK once you get a good install.

The combo update installer updates Mac OS X 10.4, 10.4.1, 10.4.2, 10.4.3,
10.4.4, 10.4.5, 10.4.6, 10.4.7, or 10.4.8 to 10.4.9.

Mac OS X 10.4.9 Combo Update (PPC)

<http://wsidecar.apple.com/cgi-bin/nph-reg3rdpty2.pl/product=13206&cat=60&pl
atform=osx&method=sa/MacOSXUpdCombo10.4.9PPC.dmg>

Mac OS X 10.4.9 Combo Update (Intel)

<http://wsidecar.apple.com/cgi-bin/nph-reg3rdpty2.pl/product=13207&cat=60&pl
atform=osx&method=sa/MacOSXUpdCombo10.4.9Intel.dmg>

--
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/>