Entourage (2004) Database - what to do abt this msg

[S. Devlin]

I follow the instructions in Microsoft Entourage Help for saving an archive
of my Entourage items as backup (File > Export > Export items to an
Entourage Archive).

It archives Calendar, Tasks, Notes, and Contacts, with no problem (saves
them with an .rge extension). It has also archived Mail with no problem
until now. Now, it stops part way through and this message appears: "There
was a problem saving one of your messages. Your Office database may be
damaged. Start the Database Utility to verify your database."

I ran the database utility ("verify database integrity" option) and it tells
me that my database is fine.

I know the database utility has an option to rebuild the database, but I'm
wary of using it after reading this on Entourage Help:

"If you suspect that the database is damaged, try to ascertain the source of
the problem before you attempt to fix it because repairing the database can
sometimes cause data loss."

Also, it indicates that a damaged database would cause more serious
symptoms, such as Entourage crashing, blank lines in the Word Address Book,
missing scrapbook clippings, etc. I've never had problems like that -- or of
any sort -- with Entourage in the four years I've been using it.

Does anyone have any ideas how to eliminate this error?

P.S. I also back up my entire Main Identity folder by copying it to an
external drive. No problems or error messages at all when I do this.

 

[Diane Ross]

Does anyone have any ideas how to eliminate this error?

The database utility is not always accurate. If your messages will not
export using the export as Entourage archive (.rge) file, then there is
corruption in your database.

You next step is to find the corrupt message. You can use a script to export
as MBOX files by Jolly Roger. The script will fail on the folder with
corruption.

Export folders as MBOX files using a script
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/database/export_mbox.html>

Once you identify the problem folder, create a subfolder and move half the
messages into the subfolder.

Try dragging the folder to the desktop to create an MBOX file. If this
works, then you know the corruption is in the other half. Most likely you
will have to continue dividing the folder(s) to get to the bad message(s).

Sometimes you can even drag the bad message to the desktop but then it might
not open, but you can see the contents then delete it.

"If you suspect that the database is damaged, try to ascertain the source of
the problem before you attempt to fix it because repairing the database can
sometimes cause data loss."

This is correct. Even the process during the rebuild to make a copy can go
badly. I always advise users to make a duplicate in the Finder first as
additional backup. A rebuild does make a duplicate, but sometimes in the
process the original and backup get merged resulting in total disaster.
It's rare but it happens.

If you do decide to backup make sure you have plenty of breathing room. It
takes more than twice the size of the database to recover some databases.

How to rebuild:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/database/rebuild.html>

Once you get all your data out of Entourage, you need to create a new
Identity and import your data. If you use a lot of categories, the .rge file
will only carry them over for messages and contacts. It is possible to get
everything, but it takes time and knowledge.

How to manually move your data. (when import fails and/or you need to move
to a new Identity same version or revert to an older version)

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/install/manual_install.html>