Entourage database corrupted

[Kevin Rigby]

I'm running Entourage on OS X (10.2.4). on staring
Entourage I get the following message:

"Entourage cannot access your data. To attempt to fix
this problem, rebuild your database." ->
OK

The rebuild menu is then displayed. if I select "Typical
Rebuild", then the following message is
displayed:

"Compacting failed
An unknown error (4361) occurred" -> OK

"Typical Rebuild failed, would you like to try and
advanced Rebuild?" -> Yes

"Rebuilding failed
An unknown error (4361) occurred" -> OK


I have not rebuilt the database before and have been
running OS X and Entourage since April.

The Database file is 913.5 MB.

Is there anyway that I can recover the Entourage database?

Thank you.

 

[Diane Ross]

You might not need to rebuild the database to fix the problem. Instead,
delete the following files from your hard disk:

Entourage 2001

* Internet Preferences (System Folderreferences folder)
* Preferences (Documents:Microsoft User Data:Office 2001 Identities:<your
identity name> folder, where <your identity name> is the name of your
Entourage identity)


Entourage X

Preferences can be found in your ~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/

Delete:
The entire MS folder
all com.Microsoft.*.plist

More info on Errors here:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/errors.html#anchor-error4361>

 

[Kevin Rigby]

Attemping from Safari:

Thanks Diane. However I didn't have much luck I'm afraid. Let me be
sure I got this right:

For Entourage X

Preferences can be found in your ~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/

Delete:
The entire MS folder
all com.Microsoft.*.plist

This means delete:

MacintoshHD:Users:UserName <in this case
Kevin>:Libraryreferences:
com.microsoft.Entourage.plist
com.microsoft.Excel.plist
com.microsoft.explorer.plist
com.microsoft.Messenger.plist
com.microsoft.OfficeNotifications.plist
com.microsoft.PowerPoint.plist
com.microsoft.Word.plist

and to delete:

MacintoshHD:Users:UserName <in this case
Kevin>:Libraryreferences:Microsoft

which contains the following files:
Carbon Registration Database
Clipboard <a folder>
Custom Dictionary
Entourage Preferences
Entourage Settings (10)
Excel Keyboard Shortcuts
Excel Settings (10)
Excel Toolbars (10)
Microsoft Component Preferences
Microsoft Office Settings (10)
MS Office ACL [English]
MSN Messenger Preferences
Office Font Cache (10)
Office Registration Cache X
Office X First Run
PowerPoint Settings (10)
PowerPoint Toolbars (10)
Proofing Tool Preferences
VBA Preferences
Word Font Substitutes
Word Settings (10)

?

If so, I still get into the same rebuild loop as before when I attempt to
restart Entourage.

i would appreciate any other advice that you may be able to offer.

Thank you and regards,
kevin

 

[Kevin Rigby]

Thank you again Diane.

* Did you empty the trash and restart after deleting files?

Yes I did.

* Is your drive fragmented. You need contiguous space and double the
amount of your database.
I expect the drive is fragmented as I have never defragged. Is the defrag a
disk utility?

* If you have two drives. Drag the MUD folder to a second drive. Delete
the first then drag the copy back. This will put your file in one contiguous
place. At least, you start with a non fragmented file.

So I'm up to this step in your recommendations now.

I do have a 2nd external firewire drive but excuse my ignorance, what is
the
MUD folder?

Thanks Diane. However I didn't have much luck I'm afraid. Let me be sure I
got this right:

For Entourage X



This means delete:

MacintoshHD:Users:UserName <in this case Kevin>:Libraryreferences:
com.microsoft.Entourage.plist

Only this .plist file. These did not need to be deleted:

com.microsoft.Excel.plist
com.microsoft.explorer.plist
com.microsoft.Messenger.plist
com.microsoft.OfficeNotifications.plist
com.microsoft.PowerPoint.plist
com.microsoft.Word.plist

and to delete:

MacintoshHD:Users:UserName <in this case

Kevin>:Libraryreferences:Microsoft

Entire folder to be deleted.

If so, I still get into the same rebuild loop as before when I attempt to
restart Entourage.

Some thoughts.....


* Did you empty the trash and restart after deleting files?
*
* Is your drive fragmented. You need contiguous space and double the
amount of your database.
*
* If you have two drives. Drag the MUD folder to a second drive. Delete
the first then drag the copy back. This will put your file in one contiguous
place. At least, you start with a non fragmented file.
*
* Run Repair Permissions. See below for directions.
*
* Do you have DiskWarrior? Have your run DiskFirstAid or fsck? (fsck is
file system check, and essentially does what DFA does. It's just easier to
run from the Terminal than get out the CD. It's easy enough for a non
geek user to do. I'll include directions).

If you can open Entourage:
Delete everything you can.
Drag each folder and subfolder** to the desktop. This creates an MBOX
file. This gives you the following options:

1. delete the folder after dragging to reduce database
2. drag back in to see if it fixes the problems in folder
3. create a new identity and drag messages into that identity. This
option can save your messages, if db cannot be fixed
4. archive messages to be dragged back at a later time
5. archive off to another identity. This is a good way to have easy access
by switching identities to search old mail. Doesn't clutter up or slow down
main db.

**Use Script to easily move all folders and subfolders to desktop:

Export Folders
Author: Barry Wainwright

Entourage has the ability to export a folder full of messages as an industry
standard 'UNIX-like' Mailbox format (MBOX file). This is a quick and easy
way of archiving mail out of Entourage, either for routine backup or when
changing mail porgrammes.

However, if you have a lot of folders, frequently nested several levels deep,
this process becomes a tedious and time consuming one. This script will
save ALL your folders, now matter how deep they are nested (well, OK,
there will be a limit, but it's more than 8 levels in tests I have carried out).

<http://files.macscripter.net/scriptbuilders/Entourage/Export-
Folders.sit>

---------------------------------------------------------------
---------
Run Repair Permissions after any software update from Apple and for
other software updates. To use Repair Permissions: Open Disk Utility in
your Applications/Utility folder. Click on the First Aid tab and select Repair
Permissions Click on the icon for your boot volume. Click the repair
permissions button. Don't run from CD as updates have a newer version of
Repair Permissions. Run Repair Permissions from the volume being
repaired. Disk Utility uses receipt files from the disk on which it is running
(not necessarily the same as the disk it is "repairing") in order to set the
"correct" permissions. If you run Disk Utility from a CD, it will use the
receipt files on the CD (if any) to determine what the "correct" permissions
should be. This could mean incorrect "repairs." In short: Disk First Aid
should always be run from CD (or by using fsck at startup in single-user
mode), whereas Repair Permissions should always be run from the volume
being repaired. The exception to the latter being if a permissions problem
is preventing startup. In that case, boot off of the CD and run Repair
Permissions, but if doing so, allows you to boot up again, make sure you
re-run Repair Permissions from your OS X volume afterwards.

---------------------------------------------------------------
---------
Two ways to run fsck: (just copy/paste commands) 1. Go to Terminal type
sudo /sbin/shutdown now (it will ask for you admin password) This puts
you in single user mode (black screen, command line prompt) type fsck -y
Keep running it until it says the file system is OK Once all repairs are
made, type reboot and press return 2. Restart in Single-User Mode. Hold
Command-S Key down when booting. This dumps you into single-user
mode. When the scrolling has stopped, type /sbin/fsck -y and press
return. This will initiate a Unix repair function called fsck (for file system
check) If fsck makes any repairs you'll get a message that says "File system
was modified." Run fsck again until the message no longer appears. Once
all repairs are made, type reboot and press return.
--
Diane Ross
MVP Entourage (MVPs are volunteers)
Entourage Help Page

-----Original Message-----
Attemping from Safari:

Thanks Diane. However I didn't have much luck I'm afraid. Let me be
sure I got this right:

For Entourage X

Preferences can be found in your ~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/

Delete:
The entire MS folder
all com.Microsoft.*.plist

This means delete:

MacintoshHD:Users:UserName <in this case
Kevin>:Libraryreferences:
com.microsoft.Entourage.plist
com.microsoft.Excel.plist
com.microsoft.explorer.plist
com.microsoft.Messenger.plist
com.microsoft.OfficeNotifications.plist
com.microsoft.PowerPoint.plist
com.microsoft.Word.plist

and to delete:

MacintoshHD:Users:UserName <in this case
Kevin>:Libraryreferences:Microsoft

which contains the following files:
Carbon Registration Database
Clipboard <a folder>
Custom Dictionary
Entourage Preferences
Entourage Settings (10)
Excel Keyboard Shortcuts
Excel Settings (10)
Excel Toolbars (10)
Microsoft Component Preferences
Microsoft Office Settings (10)
MS Office ACL [English]
MSN Messenger Preferences
Office Font Cache (10)
Office Registration Cache X
Office X First Run
PowerPoint Settings (10)
PowerPoint Toolbars (10)
Proofing Tool Preferences
VBA Preferences
Word Font Substitutes
Word Settings (10)

?

If so, I still get into the same rebuild loop as before when I attempt to
restart Entourage.

i would appreciate any other advice that you may be able to offer.

Thank you and regards,
kevin

Delete:
The entire MS folder
all com.Microsoft.*.plist

More info on Errors here:

-----Original Message-----
You might not need to rebuild the database to fix the problem. Instead,
delete the following files from your hard disk:

Entourage 2001

* Internet Preferences (System Folderreferences folder)
* Preferences (Documents:Microsoft User Data:Office 2001 Identities:<your
identity name> folder, where <your identity name> is the name of your
Entourage identity)


Entourage X

Preferences can be found in your ~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/

Delete:
The entire MS folder
all com.Microsoft.*.plist

More info on Errors here:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/errors.html#anchor-error4361>

--
Diane





-----Original Message-----
You might not need to rebuild the database to fix the problem. Instead,
delete the following files from your hard disk:

Entourage 2001

* Internet Preferences (System Folderreferences folder)
* Preferences (Documents:Microsoft User Data:Office 2001 Identities:<your
identity name> folder, where <your identity name> is the name of your
Entourage identity)


Entourage X

Preferences can be found in your ~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/

Delete:
The entire MS folder
all com.Microsoft.*.plist

More info on Errors here:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/errors.html#anchor-error4361>

--
Diane





.

.

 

[Kevin Rigby]

D'oh... MUD=Microsoft User Data

I guess I'm just being careful. I'll forge on and see how I go.

Much appreciated.

-----Original Message-----
Thank you again Diane.

* Did you empty the trash and restart after deleting files?

Yes I did.

* Is your drive fragmented. You need contiguous space and double the
amount of your database.
I expect the drive is fragmented as I have never defragged. Is the defrag

a

disk utility?

* If you have two drives. Drag the MUD folder to a second drive. Delete
the first then drag the copy back. This will put your file in one contiguous
place. At least, you start with a non fragmented file.

So I'm up to this step in your recommendations now.

I do have a 2nd external firewire drive but excuse my ignorance, what is
the
MUD folder?

Thanks Diane. However I didn't have much luck I'm afraid. Let me be sure I
got this right:

For Entourage X



This means delete:

MacintoshHD:Users:UserName <in this case Kevin>:Libraryreferences:
com.microsoft.Entourage.plist

Only this .plist file. These did not need to be deleted:

com.microsoft.Excel.plist
com.microsoft.explorer.plist
com.microsoft.Messenger.plist
com.microsoft.OfficeNotifications.plist
com.microsoft.PowerPoint.plist
com.microsoft.Word.plist

and to delete:

MacintoshHD:Users:UserName <in this case

Kevin>:Libraryreferences:Microsoft

Entire folder to be deleted.

If so, I still get into the same rebuild loop as before when I attempt to
restart Entourage.

Some thoughts.....


* Did you empty the trash and restart after deleting files?
*
* Is your drive fragmented. You need contiguous space and double the
amount of your database.
*
* If you have two drives. Drag the MUD folder to a second drive. Delete
the first then drag the copy back. This will put your file in one contiguous
place. At least, you start with a non fragmented file.
*
* Run Repair Permissions. See below for directions.
*
* Do you have DiskWarrior? Have your run DiskFirstAid or fsck? (fsck is
file system check, and essentially does what DFA does. It's just easier to
run from the Terminal than get out the CD. It's easy enough for a non
geek user to do. I'll include directions).

If you can open Entourage:
Delete everything you can.
Drag each folder and subfolder** to the desktop. This creates an MBOX
file. This gives you the following options:

1. delete the folder after dragging to reduce database
2. drag back in to see if it fixes the problems in folder
3. create a new identity and drag messages into that identity. This
option can save your messages, if db cannot be fixed
4. archive messages to be dragged back at a later time
5. archive off to another identity. This is a good way to have easy access
by switching identities to search old mail. Doesn't clutter up or slow down
main db.

**Use Script to easily move all folders and subfolders to desktop:

Export Folders
Author: Barry Wainwright

Entourage has the ability to export a folder full of messages as an industry
standard 'UNIX-like' Mailbox format (MBOX file). This is a quick and easy
way of archiving mail out of Entourage, either for routine backup or when
changing mail porgrammes.

However, if you have a lot of folders, frequently nested several levels deep,
this process becomes a tedious and time consuming one. This script will
save ALL your folders, now matter how deep they are nested (well, OK,
there will be a limit, but it's more than 8 levels in tests I have carried out).

<http://files.macscripter.net/scriptbuilders/Entourage/Export-
Folders.sit>

-------------------------------------------------------------

--
---------
Run Repair Permissions after any software update from Apple and for
other software updates. To use Repair Permissions: Open Disk Utility in
your Applications/Utility folder. Click on the First Aid tab and select Repair
Permissions Click on the icon for your boot volume. Click the repair
permissions button. Don't run from CD as updates have a newer version of
Repair Permissions. Run Repair Permissions from the volume being
repaired. Disk Utility uses receipt files from the disk on which it is running
(not necessarily the same as the disk it is "repairing") in order to set the
"correct" permissions. If you run Disk Utility from a CD, it will use the
receipt files on the CD (if any) to determine what the "correct" permissions
should be. This could mean incorrect "repairs." In short: Disk First Aid
should always be run from CD (or by using fsck at startup in single-user
mode), whereas Repair Permissions should always be run from the volume
being repaired. The exception to the latter being if a permissions problem
is preventing startup. In that case, boot off of the CD and run Repair
Permissions, but if doing so, allows you to boot up again, make sure you
re-run Repair Permissions from your OS X volume afterwards.

------------------------------------------------------------- --
---------
Two ways to run fsck: (just copy/paste commands) 1. Go to Terminal type
sudo /sbin/shutdown now (it will ask for you admin password) This puts
you in single user mode (black screen, command line prompt) type fsck -y
Keep running it until it says the file system is OK Once all repairs are
made, type reboot and press return 2. Restart in Single-User Mode. Hold
Command-S Key down when booting. This dumps you into single-user
mode. When the scrolling has stopped, type /sbin/fsck -y and press
return. This will initiate a Unix repair function called fsck (for file system
check) If fsck makes any repairs you'll get a message that says "File system
was modified." Run fsck again until the message no longer appears. Once
all repairs are made, type reboot and press return.
--
Diane Ross
MVP Entourage (MVPs are volunteers)
Entourage Help Page

-----Original Message-----
Attemping from Safari:

Thanks Diane. However I didn't have much luck I'm afraid. Let me be
sure I got this right:

For Entourage X

Preferences can be found in your ~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/

Delete:
The entire MS folder
all com.Microsoft.*.plist

This means delete:

MacintoshHD:Users:UserName <in this case
Kevin>:Libraryreferences:
com.microsoft.Entourage.plist
com.microsoft.Excel.plist
com.microsoft.explorer.plist
com.microsoft.Messenger.plist
com.microsoft.OfficeNotifications.plist
com.microsoft.PowerPoint.plist
com.microsoft.Word.plist

and to delete:

MacintoshHD:Users:UserName <in this case
Kevin>:Libraryreferences:Microsoft

which contains the following files:
Carbon Registration Database
Clipboard <a folder>
Custom Dictionary
Entourage Preferences
Entourage Settings (10)
Excel Keyboard Shortcuts
Excel Settings (10)
Excel Toolbars (10)
Microsoft Component Preferences
Microsoft Office Settings (10)
MS Office ACL [English]
MSN Messenger Preferences
Office Font Cache (10)
Office Registration Cache X
Office X First Run
PowerPoint Settings (10)
PowerPoint Toolbars (10)
Proofing Tool Preferences
VBA Preferences
Word Font Substitutes
Word Settings (10)

?

If so, I still get into the same rebuild loop as before when I attempt to
restart Entourage.

i would appreciate any other advice that you may be able to offer.

Thank you and regards,
kevin

Delete:
The entire MS folder
all com.Microsoft.*.plist

More info on Errors here:

-----Original Message-----
You might not need to rebuild the database to fix the problem. Instead,
delete the following files from your hard disk:

Entourage 2001

* Internet Preferences (System Folderreferences folder)
* Preferences (Documents:Microsoft User Data:Office 2001 Identities:<your
identity name> folder, where <your identity name> is the name of your
Entourage identity)


Entourage X

Preferences can be found in your ~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/

Delete:
The entire MS folder
all com.Microsoft.*.plist

More info on Errors here:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/errors.html#anchor-error4361>

--
Diane


On 9/18/03 3:49 PM, in article [email protected],


I'm running Entourage on OS X (10.2.4). on staring
Entourage I get the following message:

"Entourage cannot access your data. To attempt to fix
this problem, rebuild your database." ->
OK

The rebuild menu is then displayed. if I select "Typical
Rebuild", then the following message is
displayed:

"Compacting failed
An unknown error (4361) occurred" -> OK

"Typical Rebuild failed, would you like to try and
advanced Rebuild?" -> Yes

"Rebuilding failed
An unknown error (4361) occurred" -> OK


I have not rebuilt the database before and have been
running OS X and Entourage since April.

The Database file is 913.5 MB.

Is there anyway that I can recover the Entourage database?

Thank you.


.


-----Original Message-----
You might not need to rebuild the database to fix the problem. Instead,
delete the following files from your hard disk:

Entourage 2001

* Internet Preferences (System Folderreferences folder)
* Preferences (Documents:Microsoft User Data:Office 2001 Identities:<your
identity name> folder, where <your identity name> is the name of your
Entourage identity)


Entourage X

Preferences can be found in your ~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/

Delete:
The entire MS folder
all com.Microsoft.*.plist

More info on Errors here:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/errors.html#anchor-error4361>

--
Diane


On 9/18/03 3:49 PM, in article [email protected],


I'm running Entourage on OS X (10.2.4). on staring
Entourage I get the following message:

"Entourage cannot access your data. To attempt to fix
this problem, rebuild your database." ->
OK

The rebuild menu is then displayed. if I select "Typical
Rebuild", then the following message is
displayed:

"Compacting failed
An unknown error (4361) occurred" -> OK

"Typical Rebuild failed, would you like to try and
advanced Rebuild?" -> Yes

"Rebuilding failed
An unknown error (4361) occurred" -> OK


I have not rebuilt the database before and have been
running OS X and Entourage since April.

The Database file is 913.5 MB.

Is there anyway that I can recover the Entourage database?

Thank you.


.

.

.

 

[Diane Ross]

I do have a 2nd external firewire drive but excuse my ignorance, what is
the
MUD folder?

Microsoft User Data folder.

 

[Kevin Rigby]

Diane,

Well I tried everything that you recommended but to no avail I'm afraid.
I have restored a backup from 4 months ago. Not ideal but at least I've
recovered a lot of the address book. I've kept the corrupted database
anyway so that it can be recovered if anything new comes to light, sort
of like cryogenic suspension for rich people's brains.

Thanks for your help and patience.

 

[Diane Ross]

Well I tried everything that you recommended but to no avail I'm afraid.
I have restored a backup from 4 months ago. Not ideal but at least I've
recovered a lot of the address book. I've kept the corrupted database
anyway so that it can be recovered if anything new comes to light, sort
of like cryogenic suspension for rich people's brains.

At least you had a backup. I recommend that you create a Task to remind you
to backup your Identity on a regular basis. I duplicate my Identity every 3
days. I also keep older copies of the database around in case corruption has
not been detected.

I also recommended you backup your contacts using the File->Export Contacts
to a tab-delimited file. This is quick and easy to do. Files are small too.

 

[Ken Waltzer]

At least you had a backup. I recommend that you create a Task to remind you
to backup your Identity on a regular basis. I duplicate my Identity every 3
days. I also keep older copies of the database around in case corruption has
not been detected.

I also recommended you backup your contacts using the File->Export Contacts
to a tab-delimited file. This is quick and easy to do. Files are small too.

Entourage databases are known for becoming corrupted. This has happened
to me twice even though I never let it get very large (I archive old
e-mails using Entourage E-mail Archive). I also back up daily to a
second hard drive with Retrospect, so I've never lost more than 24 hours
of mail.

There is a program that may be able to recover your e-mail from the
database. It's called EntourAid and is available here:
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/14148. I've used it to
recover the last 24 hours of e-mails that were lost, but it's supposed
to be able to recover up to 99% of a corrupted database.

Good luck!
Ken

 

[Diane Ross]

Entourage databases are known for becoming corrupted.

Just like hard drives it's not if it will fail but when....

This has happened

to me twice even though I never let it get very large (I archive old
e-mails using Entourage E-mail Archive). I also back up daily to a
second hard drive with Retrospect, so I've never lost more than 24 hours
of mail.

Do you quit the daemon before running Retrospect?