Have I Lost Everything Too?

[Rafael Montserrat]

Entourage 11.2.5
OS X
Ibook G4

Hi,

This morning I restarted the computer to quit all applications in order to
upload some photographs. I never got around to that because I got
sidetracked going through OS X and Word, learning about, and setting up more
features in preferences and in other places.

I had quit Entourage along with all the other applications. After fooling
around with new features, and before uploading the pictures, I opened
Entourage. It came on "Welcome To Entourage" All my stuff was
gone‹everything, including my account settings, and all the custom folders I
have taken so long to add.

I recreated the accounts, and when I did, a moving loading bar began in the
lower right corner of the Entourage window, and numbers to the left of it
were decreasing as the bar moved across. For instance, 400-399, etc. I
thought everything might be coming back, but all that came back was what I
had in my inbox and in the junkmail folder.

I went on my yahoo.sbc.com website and all that was there were a few recent
inbox emails. No folders. No address book.

One of the things I did was to open Sherlock and add him to my dock. Then I
fooled around with channels, preferences, etc. But I can't think of
anything I might have done to cause this disaster. I have saved contacts
though, and can export them back. But is there any way to recover those
hard earned folders ?

Thanks,

Rafael

 

[Diane Ross]

This morning I restarted the computer to quit all applications in order to
upload some photographs. I never got around to that because I got
sidetracked going through OS X and Word, learning about, and setting up more
features in preferences and in other places.

I had quit Entourage along with all the other applications. After fooling
around with new features, and before uploading the pictures, I opened
Entourage. It came on "Welcome To Entourage" All my stuff was
gone‹everything, including my account settings, and all the custom folders I
have taken so long to add.

I recreated the accounts, and when I did, a moving loading bar began in the
lower right corner of the Entourage window, and numbers to the left of it
were decreasing as the bar moved across. For instance, 400-399, etc. I
thought everything might be coming back, but all that came back was what I
had in my inbox and in the junkmail folder.

I went on my yahoo.sbc.com website and all that was there were a few recent
inbox emails. No folders. No address book.

One of the things I did was to open Sherlock and add him to my dock. Then I
fooled around with channels, preferences, etc. But I can't think of
anything I might have done to cause this disaster. I have saved contacts
though, and can export them back. But is there any way to recover those
hard earned folders ?

Is it possible that you moved your Microsoft User Data folder? This is one
of the most common errors resulting in Entourage starting with a new blank
Identity. Hopefully, you have not deleted the file. If you have deleted the
trash, it's gone. Sorry!

Select Switch Identity and see if your old identity is still listed.

Entourage expects the folder to be in your Documents folder. For OS X users,
that's the Documents folder in your User's folder.

To find your old database, search for "Microsoft User Data" (without the
quotes).

If you have not used a new identity in Entourage, then copy the entire
Microsoft User Data folder to the correct location.

Fix if you have more than one Microsoft User Data Folder...

Move the entire identity folder you want to use to the Office Identities
folder that Entourage is recognizing. Your identity is named "Main" by
default. Be sure to rename one so you do not overwrite. Your identity folder
can contain more than one identity.

Switch Identities to view your old mail. If you have not used the new
identity, delete it. If you have used it and want to combine the new mail
with your original database, drag each folder to the desktop from one
identity. This creates an MBOX file. Switch identities. Drag the MBOX files
into the folder window of Entourage.

You can delete the old folder after you are satisfied with the transfer.

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/faq_topic/identities.html#id2>

 

[Kim]

I'm experiencing a similar problem - at least before I could no longer
open Entourage: when I try opening my .Mac mail account using .Mac's
webmail program, my inbox now appears empty. All of my folders still
have messages in them but I can't access anything new at all. And since
I can't open Entourage, I now have no way of checking my mail. This is
a little disconcerting.

I'm using Entourage X, Student Edition.

 

[Rafael Montserrat]

Diana,

1. Using Spotlight, I find I have four "Microsoft User Data folders".
Only one is in "Documents". How do I "Fix" This?
2. I have only one Entourage identity.
3. I "save as" everything to this same "Documents" folder. Is that OK?
I used to save everything to my desktop. I recall reading somewhere
that that's where things should be held.
4. I have checked out your url:
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/faq_topic/identities.html#id2> and I'll
read it. It's daunting.

Thanks, Rafael

This morning I restarted the computer to quit all applications in order to
upload some photographs. I never got around to that because I got
sidetracked going through OS X and Word, learning about, and setting up more
features in preferences and in other places.

I had quit Entourage along with all the other applications. After fooling
around with new features, and before uploading the pictures, I opened
Entourage. It came on "Welcome To Entourage" All my stuff was
gone‹everything, including my account settings, and all the custom folders I
have taken so long to add.

I recreated the accounts, and when I did, a moving loading bar began in the
lower right corner of the Entourage window, and numbers to the left of it
were decreasing as the bar moved across. For instance, 400-399, etc. I
thought everything might be coming back, but all that came back was what I
had in my inbox and in the junkmail folder.

I went on my yahoo.sbc.com website and all that was there were a few recent
inbox emails. No folders. No address book.

One of the things I did was to open Sherlock and add him to my dock. Then I
fooled around with channels, preferences, etc. But I can't think of
anything I might have done to cause this disaster. I have saved contacts
though, and can export them back. But is there any way to recover those
hard earned folders ?

Is it possible that you moved your Microsoft User Data folder? This is one
of the most common errors resulting in Entourage starting with a new blank
Identity. Hopefully, you have not deleted the file. If you have deleted the
trash, it's gone. Sorry!

Select Switch Identity and see if your old identity is still listed.

Entourage expects the folder to be in your Documents folder. For OS X users,
that's the Documents folder in your User's folder.

To find your old database, search for "Microsoft User Data" (without the
quotes).

If you have not used a new identity in Entourage, then copy the entire
Microsoft User Data folder to the correct location.

Fix if you have more than one Microsoft User Data Folder...

Move the entire identity folder you want to use to the Office Identities
folder that Entourage is recognizing. Your identity is named "Main" by
default. Be sure to rename one so you do not overwrite. Your identity folder
can contain more than one identity.

Switch Identities to view your old mail. If you have not used the new
identity, delete it. If you have used it and want to combine the new mail
with your original database, drag each folder to the desktop from one
identity. This creates an MBOX file. Switch identities. Drag the MBOX files
into the folder window of Entourage.

You can delete the old folder after you are satisfied with the transfer.

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/faq_topic/identities.html#id2>

 

[Diane Ross]

1. Using Spotlight, I find I have four "Microsoft User Data folders".
Only one is in "Documents". How do I "Fix" This?
2. I have only one Entourage identity.

Are any of the four Microsoft User Data folder backups? Where are they
located?

Entourage can have multiple Identities. To merge all four Identities, you
will need to rename each Identity so you do not overwrite your current
"Main" (named Main by default) and drag them into the Microsoft User Data
folder-> Office 2004 Identities folder in Documents.

Switch Identities to view your old mail. If you have used it and want to
combine the new mail with your original database, drag each folder to the
desktop from one identity. This creates an MBOX file. Switch identities.
Drag the MBOX files into the folder window of Entourage.

You can delete the old Identities after you are satisfied with the transfer.

3. I "save as" everything to this same "Documents" folder. Is that OK?
I used to save everything to my desktop. I recall reading somewhere
that that's where things should be held.

The Microsoft User Data folder definitely needs to be in Documents. As far
as other items, without knowing what they are it is hard to comment.