Can't get Entourage 2004 to import from X

[old_salt]

Got the dreaded "Corrupt database" message on Entourage X. The same
thing happened to my computer last Feb. so I thought I would do the
same thing to this computer that I did to mine. Here is what I did
step by step--

1) Apple software update.
2) Backed up data to disks and an external hard drive per these
instructions
http://www.entourage.mvps.org/database/backup.html
3) Removed office per-
http://www.entourage.mvps.org/install/remove_office.html
4) Installed Office 2004

Upon opening Entourage I can go through the steps to import the "X"
info but when finished the information (addresses, old emails, etc)
was not there.
I then removed "2004" and upgraded this computer to "Tiger" and then
installed "2004" again. Same result.

Note- Entourage X would not let me fix corrupt database.

There must be some way to fix this. This is my mom's computer so of
course she called me to fix it and just my luck this happens. If I
can't retreive the old info I'm sure she'll write me out of the will.
Seriously though, there are a lot of important business emails on this
computer.

Help.

Thanks.

 

[Barry Wainwright [MVP]]

Got the dreaded "Corrupt database" message on Entourage X. The same
thing happened to my computer last Feb. so I thought I would do the
same thing to this computer that I did to mine. Here is what I did
step by step--

1) Apple software update.
2) Backed up data to disks and an external hard drive per these
instructions
http://www.entourage.mvps.org/database/backup.html
3) Removed office per-
http://www.entourage.mvps.org/install/remove_office.html
4) Installed Office 2004

Upon opening Entourage I can go through the steps to import the "X"
info but when finished the information (addresses, old emails, etc)
was not there.
I then removed "2004" and upgraded this computer to "Tiger" and then
installed "2004" again. Same result.

Note- Entourage X would not let me fix corrupt database.

There must be some way to fix this. This is my mom's computer so of
course she called me to fix it and just my luck this happens. If I
can't retreive the old info I'm sure she'll write me out of the will.
Seriously though, there are a lot of important business emails on this
computer.

Help.

Thanks.

I'm sorry, but it seems like you are out of luck (and the will!).

If the database is damaged to the point where entourage can't rebuild it,
then it is unlikely that the import routine will be able to access it
either.

The best thing to try, now you have upgraded the OS, is to ensure that all
the updates to office vX have been applied (see this link for details
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/version/index.html>) and try and rebuild
again. Various updates to office improved the rebuild process, so you may
get lucky, however, don't expect too much

 

[old_salt]

I'm sorry, but it seems like you are out of luck (and the will!).

If the database is damaged to the point where entourage can't rebuild it,
then it is unlikely that the import routine will be able to access it
either.

The best thing to try, now you have upgraded the OS, is to ensure that all
the updates to office vX have been applied (see this link for details
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/version/index.html>) and try and rebuild
again. Various updates to office improved the rebuild process, so you may
get lucky, however, don't expect too much

--
Barry
--
BarryW
Microsoft MVP (seehttp://www.microsoft.com/mvpfor details)
Visit the Entourage User's Weblog for hints tips & troubleshooting for
Microsoft entourage:http://www.barryw.net/weblog

Oh man. There must be some way to get that info.

By the way, I couldn't rebuild because entourage wouldn't open. Just
the bouncing icon. I was told though that they did click rebuild when
the warning came up yesterday. After clicking nothing happened.

 

[Darlene]

Oh man. There must be some way to get that info.

By the way, I couldn't rebuild because entourage wouldn't open. Just
the bouncing icon. I was told though that they did click rebuild when
the warning came up yesterday. After clicking nothing happened.

The only way you can import your Entourage X data into Entourage 2004
if the Entourage X files are corrupt is to perform a rebuild of the
database
Hold down your option key on your keyboard and single click on the
Entourage X icon on the dock and when the database utility screen
comes up select typical rebuild - if the typical rebuild failed then
try an advanced rebuild once you do the advanced rebuild then you do
the typical rebuild afterwards to compact the database.

Launch Entourage 2004 and click on file and import and select import
from a program and select Office V.x and it will locate the idenity
and select import.

 

[old_salt]

The only way you can import your Entourage X data into Entourage 2004
if the Entourage X files are corrupt is to perform a rebuild of the
database
Hold down your option key on your keyboard and single click on the
Entourage X icon on the dock and when the database utility screen
comes up select typical rebuild - if the typical rebuild failed then
try an advanced rebuild once you do the advanced rebuild then you do
the typical rebuild afterwards to compact the database.

Launch Entourage 2004 and click on file and import and select import
from a program and select Office V.x and it will locate the idenity
and select import.

Darlene I have already removed Entourage X from the computer. Should I
reinstall it and do the rebuild the way you have stated? Thanks.

 

[Diane Ross]

By the way, I couldn't rebuild because entourage wouldn't open. Just
the bouncing icon. I was told though that they did click rebuild when
the warning came up yesterday. After clicking nothing happened

Have you tried to import from Entourage 2004? I would try that first to see
if the problem was the corrupt plist and not the database. If that fails,
then follow these steps:

1. Try deleting this file:
~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.Entourage.plist

2. Install Entourage X

3. Now try launching Entourage X with option key held down and run the
Advanced Rebuild.

 

[old_salt]

Have you tried to import from Entourage 2004? I would try that first to see
if the problem was the corrupt plist and not the database. If that fails,
then follow these steps:

1. Try deleting this file:
~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.Entourage.plist

2. Install Entourage X

3. Now try launching Entourage X with option key held down and run the
Advanced Rebuild.

"...import from Entourage 2004?" --
I don't understand. I removed "X" and installed "2004". "2004"
would not import the info from "X" so "2004" has no info to import.
And there is no place to import it to. In fact, it just occurred to
me, when I tried to import into "2004" using File > Import, all the
files were faded so I was not able to choose anything.

So Diane are you saying do the following steps?-

1. Remove "2004"

2.Delete this file:
~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.Entourage.plist

3. Install Entourage X

4. Launch Entourage X with option key held down and run the Advanced
Rebuild.

Thank you Diane, and everyone else, for the help. I really appreciate
it.
Sorry if I'm being a pain but I don't want to do anything to further
screw things up.

 

[Diane Ross]

"...import from Entourage 2004?" --
I don't understand. I removed "X" and installed "2004". "2004"
would not import the info from "X" so "2004" has no info to import.
And there is no place to import it to. In fact, it just occurred to
me, when I tried to import into "2004" using File > Import, all the
files were faded so I was not able to choose anything.

So Diane are you saying do the following steps?-

1. Remove "2004"

No. I'm saying there might be a way to get your Entourage X data over by
removing the .plist and running the Entourage X database rebuild. This of
course, require you to reinstall Office X to do this one action.

In the normal course of action, when you upgrade to a new version of Office,
when you launch Entourage it asks you if you want to import from a previous
version. You say yes and navigate to the Identity folder you used in the old
version.

Entourage creates a new folder for each version of Office you have
installed. So you can have a folder named:

Office X Identities
Office 2004 Identities

The Identities folder can have multiple Identities. For example, Main,
Archive, Test etc.

You say options are grayed out. When you select Import --> from another
version. You then navigate to your Main Identity folder in the Entourage X
Identities folder. Is this grayed out? Even if it's corrupt, it should be
available for import. Until the import fails does this indicate it's too
corrupted to import.

Your situation is a bit different so keep asking questions until you are
clear about what to do.