Entourage rebuild function

[bridgarw]

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

We have a problem with entourage - messages not showing correctly etc - so I tried to do a rebuild. The little window opened saying it was preparing, then no further progress was indicated, even after several hours.

I tried doing the second level rebuild, and the same thing happened.

However, when I checked I found there were now two old database files and caches. The new database file was reduced from over 300 MB to 40MB! Entourage is now working consistently, but I am troubled by the way it behaved - I could only get out of the rebuild by shutting down my MacBook Pro (holding down the Power Button until it quit) as everything else froze each time.

Has anyone experienced this?

 

[Norm]

I am having a problem too. I downloaded some emails from my ISP and Entourage went buggy. I tried to rebuild the database and I am now in the second hour of waiting for the "preparing to rebuild" to leave the screen and actually do some rebuilding.

How long did you wait before shutting down and getting success with the restart?

Thanks!

 

[Paul Caldwell]

I am having a problem too. I downloaded some emails from my ISP and Entourage
went buggy. I tried to rebuild the database and I am now in the second hour of
waiting for the "preparing to rebuild" to leave the screen and actually do
some rebuilding.

How long did you wait before shutting down and getting success with the
restart?

Thanks!

Norm:

I had the exact same issue. It took about 4 hours for my database to
actually begin rebuilding. I let it run overnight. Paul

 

[bridgarw]

I did this on Sunday, then deleted the old database and old cache files so no longer have the times to refer to, but I remember the times were very close to the time I started the rebuild process - as best I recall it took no longer than half an hour to create the old database files and the new ones. There are very few emails in our Entourage though, only the last six weeks worth, which I had copied from my MacBook Pro to new iMac.

I left it for two and a half hours before forcing the shut down - but it seems from the times the new files were created this was not necessary for our Entourage. Running it overnight as Paul suggests is probably a good idea if you have more than the small amount of email in it that we have right now.

I see from other discussion threads that Office X is not really compatible with Leopard and the Intel macs, so think we are going to start using Mail instead - I wouldn't want to experience this problem when we have amassed a lot of email and changing would be more of a nuisance, with the risk of losing data.

Our Entourage is still working normally this morning, so the rebuild does seem to have worked, despite the total lack of indicated progress from "preparing ....".

Margaret

I am having a problem too. I downloaded some emails from my ISP and Entourage
went buggy. I tried to rebuild the database and I am now in the second
hour of waiting for the "preparing to rebuild" to leave the screen and
actually do some rebuilding.





How long did you wait before shutting down and getting success with the
restart?





Thanks!

 

[Diane Ross]

I am having a problem too. I downloaded some emails from my ISP and Entourage
went buggy. I tried to rebuild the database and I am now in the second hour of
waiting for the "preparing to rebuild" to leave the screen and actually do
some rebuilding.

When asking a question please include which machine you're running and which
version of OS X, as certain answers will vary between different Macs and
Tiger vs. Leopard, etc. Including RAM helps when there are performance
issues.

We need to know what version of Entourage you are using including any
updates.

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/version/index.html#find_version>

 

[Diane Ross]

I had the exact same issue. It took about 4 hours for my database to
actually begin rebuilding. I let it run overnight. Paul

What size was your database? I've never experienced a time like this, but my
database is generally less than 4GB.

FYI...during the rebuild process, Entourage makes a backup so depending on
the size of your database this time period will vary.

I do recommend that in the Finder you make a copy because if Entourage's
rebuild goes wonky for any reason during this copy process your original
database could become so corrupted you loose everything.

If your database is full this could also contribute to the slow process as
the Finder has to use virtual space to work.

 

[Diane Ross]

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

We have a problem with entourage - messages not showing correctly etc - so I
tried to do a rebuild. The little window opened saying it was preparing, then
no further progress was indicated, even after several hours.

Exactly what version of Entourage X? Did you upgrade to 10.1.9?

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/downloads/mactopia_dl.html>

How much free space do you have? See this article on rebuilding an Entourage
X database:

Rebuilding a damaged database that exceeded size limit

<http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/2007/09/rebuilding_a_damaged_database_that_e
xceeded_size_limit.html>

In case the above link does not work:

<http://tinyurl.com/4s6qv3>

If you are unable to rebuild, as a consultant I do this for users and have
been successful.