Database recognition

[neila452]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel
Email Client: pop

I am running both Entourage 2008 and 2004. I was using Entourage 2008 successfully until my college-owned computer crashed. Fortunately, I had everything backed up at home to a desktop hard drive. After years of fighting with the stubborn and inflexible pinheads in the I.S. Department over a myriad of issues, I ordered a new MacBook Pro 2.6 Ghz, 4Gb memory, 200 Gb hard drive. However, I could not get Apple's Migration Assistant to recognize that drive. So, I took a chance and just moved my backed up user folder to my new MacBook Pro's drive, which was probably a big mistake.

Anyway, since it arrived yesterday morning, I have been unable to get my Entourage e-mail to work. I was using Entourage 2008 on the old crashed computer for my home and work identities. I installed Office 2008 on my new computer, but Enourage would not open either of my backed up identities.

So, I installed Office 2004. However, Entourage 2004 would not open either database as well. All I have been able to do with Entourage 2004 is created a new account for my home ISP; but all that mail that was saved in my home identity database is inaccessible.

Here is what I have tried:

1. Rebuild backed up databases with Database (2008) utility. The application doesn't even recognize that there are databases to verify and/or rebuild.

2. Rebuild backed up databases with Database (2004) utility. Databases rebuild, but can't be opened either with Entourage 2004 or Entourage 2008.

3. Verify and repair all disk permissions with Apple Disk Utility. Repairs are successful. Permissions repaired.

4. Mourn the fact that this is probably the fourth or fifth time that I have tried migrating to a new computer and have lost all my e-mail using Microsoft Entourage. This does no good either.

I will be grateful for any help anyone gives. If a solution is found, I will report here on the forum.

Sincerely,
Neil Anderson

 

[Mickey Stevens]

You will not be able to use an Office 2008 identity with Office 2004
applications. It uses a different database format.

If you have your Office 2008 identities backed up, first quit the Office
applications. Then, navigate to your backed-up user folder, and go to
Documents/Microsoft User Data/. Drag the "Office 2008 Identities" folder
from there to your active user's ~/Documents/Microsoft User Data/ folder.
You might be prompted to replace a new identity folder you've created since
then. Then, when you launch Entourage 2008, your identity should appear; if
it does not, go to Entourage > Switch Identity and re-select it.

 

[Diane Ross]

Anyway, since it arrived yesterday morning, I have been unable to get my
Entourage e-mail to work. I was using Entourage 2008 on the old crashed
computer for my home and work identities. I installed Office 2008 on my new
computer, but Enourage would not open either of my backed up identities.

If you did not update Office it will not be able to open the file. See this
error:

This Identity Cannot Be Opened With This Version of Entourage
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/error/identity_not_open.html>

Most likely simply updating to 12.1.1 will solve your problem.

So, I installed Office 2004. However, Entourage 2004 would not open either
database as well. All I have been able to do with Entourage 2004 is created a
new account for my home ISP; but all that mail that was saved in my home
identity database is inaccessible.

As Mickey explained databases are not compatible with older versions. Often
there is an upgrade to a database after the RTM version is released
requiring Office to be upgraded in order to use the newly upgraded Identity.

You can import from an older version to a newer version. eg. OE to Entourage
2001, Entourage X, 2004 tor 2008.

You cannot import from a newer version to an older version. e.g. Entourage X
to Entourage 2001, or Entourage 2008 to Entourage 2004 using Entourage.

You cannot import from the same version of Entourage. e.g. Entourage 2004 to
Entourage 2004 or Entourage 2008 to Entourage 2008. You can use the MBOX
method or the Export-Import Scripts to transfer mail from one identity to
another.

 

[neila452]

Thank you both, Mickey and Diane, for your help. In essence, I did what Mickey suggested. However, I had to go one step further. After making sure all my applications and data, including my 2008 identities, were backed up, I reinstalled the system software, Leopard OSX 10.5.1, which meant erasing all data data present. By simply moving all the applications and data files from the backup drive to the computer, I had screwed up all the permissions, plus probably, a whole lot more.

The reason Migration Assistant wouldn't work is because in Leopard, it would not recognize my backups. This was because I had used LaCie's bundled software, Silver Keeper 1.4, to do backups. Silver Keeper, I found out, is old and unsupported.

By re-installing OSX 10.5 (and doing all the upgrades) my permissions were reset. So, I began re-installing applications. Those that had I had installed by originally dragging to the applications folder, could be installed by dragging from the backup disk. Those that had been installed by an installation routine, had to be re-installed in the same way.

After re-installing Office 2008 and before opening any applications, including Entourage, for the first time, I went to Home/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Office 2008 Identies. I removed Office 2008 Identities, placed it on the desktop, and renamed it (just to be certain). Then, I moved my backed up Office 2008 Identities, the one that had my backed up databases, and moved it to the just installed Microsoft User Data folder. When I started Entourage, "Voila!" -- problem solved.

I owe the participants at Apple.com > Support > Discussions > Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard > Installation and Setup thanks for suggesting how to solve this problem. There is more detailed information there on what to do and what can be moved from backup to the reinstalled OSX system there at <http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1639518&tstart=0>

All my Microsoft applications work perfectly now. Hopefully, this discussion will help someone else with database troubles. By the way, Apple's Disk Utility, though it apparently worked partially, was not able to fix all the permissions and issues. That is why a re-install was necessary.

Thanks again.

Neil

 

[Diane Ross]

Hopefully, this discussion will help someone else with database troubles.

Thanks for your feedback. I'm sure it will help another user. When we have
to advise a complex redo like this it's good to have a referral on why it
works.