Emails gone

[Ella1234]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)

Hi,
I have shifted some folders today and also had to do a force quit and now all my emails are gone from Entourage. I have got several files in my trash (entourage temp, recover #1 and stuff like that). I think I may have to put them back into a folder, but which one. Which files should I have in my documents folder (Microsoft User data), I've got two folders there??? I am not very computer literate, if you know what I mean, so can you please give me answers that are easy to understand...
Thanks heaps,
Ella

 

[Ed Kimball]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)

Hi,
I have shifted some folders today and also had to do a force quit and now all
my emails are gone from Entourage. I have got several files in my trash
(entourage temp, recover #1 and stuff like that). I think I may have to put
them back into a folder, but which one. Which files should I have in my
documents folder (Microsoft User data), I've got two folders there??? I am not
very computer literate, if you know what I mean, so can you please give me
answers that are easy to understand...
Thanks heaps,
Ella

There should be several subfolders in Microsoft User Data, but the one you
should be MOST concerned about is
Office 2008 Identities
which should contain a folder called
Main Identity
But if you moved this, Entourage will create a new one next time you launch,
in which case all your e-mails will be missing, as you observed.

You need to quit Entourage, then find the old Main Identity folder and put
it back.

The other folders inside Microsoft User Data related to Entourage are
Entourage Script Menu Items and Entourage Sound Sets.

 

[Diane Ross]

I have shifted some folders today and also had to do a force quit and now all
my emails are gone from Entourage.

Did you force quit Entourage or your computer? Since you are "not very
computer literate" I highly suggest you start a backup strategy.

It's advised not to let Time Machine backup your Entourage database. If the
database is copied while being used, the backup could be corrupt. You can
set the Time Machine to exclude the Microsoft User Data folder and create an
iCal event to copy it over at night while not in use so you get one backup
daily in Time Machine.

Alternative method to use Entourage and Time Machine (does a once a day or
whatever time period you select)

<http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/2008/01/alternative_method_to_use_entourage_
and_time_machine.html>

Entourage and Time Machine (creates chronological backup of Identity can be
used by both Tiger and Leopard)

<http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/2008/01/entourage_and_time_machine.html>

The simplest method is to simply make a copy in the Finder. Until you can
figure out how to backup, at least do this. Set a Task in Entourage to
remind you. The downside of manual backup is you forget to do it.

We've discussed using SuperDuper!(backup software) before, but this is an
excellent time to remind users about a feature it has that protects you from
system updates that so bad.

One of the options in SuperDuper! is to create what the author calls a
"Sandbox". It's used to revert to pre-update state of your OS. Here's a
description of how this option works:

A Sandbox is a bootable copy of your system, stored on another hard drive or
partition, that shares your personal documents and data with the original.
With SuperDuper!, you actually use the Sandbox as your startup volume. You
can safely install any system updates, drivers or programs in the Sandbox,
without worrying about what might happen to your system. If anything goes
wrong, you can simply start up from the original system. SuperDuper! has
preserved it in its original, pre-disaster state but all your new and
changed personal documents are totally up to date. Within minutes, you're up
and running again without having to go through a difficult and
time-consuming restore process.

SuperDuper! Is $27.95. I¹m not affiliated with the product. Just a satisfied
user. <http://www.shirt-pocket.com/>