Database rebuild - will not boot

[Lhammer610]

Version: v.X Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel Email Client: pop I am using Entourage X on a iMac (10.6). I have been unable to rebuild the database - it freezes on start to rebuild. I did copy the database to another Mac running Entourage X (10.4.11) and was able to rebuild it.

I duplicated the database on the iMac for backup, then copied the rebuilt database (and other other files) from the other Mac to the iMac. It would not boot and suggested a rebuild. I tried to rebuild, on the iMac and it froze. I forced quit and restarted Entourage on the iMac, without luck - freeze on startup.

I gave up so I trashed the user with the database I copied from the other Mac, and retitled my backup copy of my user to the original user name. Now Entourage will not reboot.

Any help?

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

I duplicated the database on the iMac for backup, then copied the
rebuilt database (and other other files) from the other Mac to the
iMac. It would not boot and suggested a rebuild. I tried to rebuild, on
the iMac and it froze. I forced quit and restarted Entourage on the
iMac, without luck - freeze on startup.

Did you make sure no Office program (including the Microsoft Daemon)
was running when you performed the backup??

I gave up so I trashed the user with the database I copied from the
other Mac, and retitled my backup copy of my user to the original user
name. Now Entourage will not reboot.

I'm not following, which database doesn't launch?? DO you still have
the database up and running on the Mac you copied from?

Corentin

 

[Diane Ross]

I duplicated the database on the iMac for backup, then copied the
rebuilt database (and other other files) from the other Mac to the iMac.
It would not boot and suggested a rebuild. I tried to rebuild, on the
iMac and it froze. I forced quit and restarted Entourage on the iMac,
without luck - freeze on startup.

Create a new User in System Preferences. Open Entourage and let it
create a new Microsoft User Data folder. Quit Entourage. Now drag over
the rebuilt Identity and open Entourage.

If it works in the new Identity, then you know it's a problem in your
User's folder, but if it fails, then it's a system wide issue with the
OS or the Office install.

You don;t mention if the computer that did a rebuild was running Snow
Leopard. Have you run font verification?

Microsoft fonts to delete after installing Snow Leopard (includes help
deleting font caches)

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/troubleshoot/remove_fonts_snowleopard.html>

 

[Lhammer610]

>
>
> Did you make sure no Office program (including the Microsoft Daemon)
> was running when you performed the backup??

Great question. I know that no Microsoft applications were running in the foreground. But Microsoft AU Daemon runs in the background and is automatically loaded on startup. When I go to the Activity Monitor, I do not see it there (which is strange if it is loaded on startup). Maybe I should start with the shift key down as I think that starts me in the safe mode?

>
> I'm not following, which database doesn't launch?? DO you still have
> the database up and running on the Mac you copied from?
>
> Corentin
>

Sorry I was not clear. On the iMac, I trashed the copy that I got from other Mac. I then renamed my iMac backup to the original user name and Entourage (at the time) would not boot from that either - which may have meant that I lost my email. However, later, for what ever reason, Entourage now boots and I have all my original email back. That database still will not rebuild.

And yes, the other Mac does run Entourage. But that is not my primary Mac and that does me little good.

 

[Lhammer610]

>
> Create a new User in System Preferences. Open Entourage and let it
> create a new Microsoft User Data folder. Quit Entourage. Now drag over
> the rebuilt Identity and open Entourage.
>
> If it works in the new Identity, then you know it's a problem in your
> User's folder, but if it fails, then it's a system wide issue with the
> OS or the Office install.

Great suggestion and an easy test since I have two users. And as you may have suspected, the rebuild in Entourage X also fails - freezes on the other user on the iMac.

What do I do now? Trash Office X and reinstall? I suspect that Microsoft does not support Office X anymore so I will not be able to install updates?

> You don;t mention if the computer that did a rebuild was running Snow
> Leopard.

I should have mentioned that the other computer, the one that did the rebuild is running 10.4.11.

I had recently transferred this user via Firewire from my older G5 also running 10.4.11. So my current iMac was a fresh install with Snow Leopard (10.6.2) that had this user transferred from the G5 running 10.4.11.

Have you run font verification?

Uh, no. What is that. I run OnyX.

> Microsoft fonts to delete after installing Snow Leopard (includes help
> deleting font caches)

Not certain what you mean here.

BTW, I have Office X and Office 2004 on this iMac. That does not cause any problems on my other two Macs. I prefer Entourage X vs. Entourage 2004 for lots of reasons that I won't go into here.

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Entourage now boots and I have all my original email back. That
database still will not rebuild.

You could consider exporting everything you can to an archive, creating
a new identity and reimporting. You'll have to recreate accounts and
rules, but it still might be worth it.


Corentin

 

[Diane Ross]

What do I do now? Trash Office X and reinstall? I suspect that Microsoft
does not support Office X anymore so I will not be able to install updates?

Correct, Office X is end of life software.

Uh, no. What is that. I run OnyX.


Not certain what you mean here.

Follow the directions on the link. Office X's fonts are in the User's
Library/Fonts.

Microsoft fonts to delete after installing Snow Leopard (includes help
deleting font caches)

BTW, I have Office X and Office 2004 on this iMac. That does not cause any
problems on my other two Macs. I prefer Entourage X vs. Entourage 2004 for
lots of reasons that I won't go into here.

You can have them both installed, but you can't use both at the same time.

--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
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