Lost database in Entourage

[LP3]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel
Email Client: pop

Hi, I've been using Entourage 2008 Version 12.1.1 since I purchased my MacBook Pro in April. I shut down the computer Friday night; when I rebooted yesterday, Entourage launched all new, with a single "welcome" message. All of my e-mails and folders are gone.

I also had the option to update my Office programs but hit cancel.

In this "new" Entourage, I tried to import my old database. Using the import wizard, I navigated to Microsoft User Data/Office 2008 Identities/Main Identity. I was unable to select the database or any other items as they are grayed out.

My e-mails must be somewhere. Can you help?

LP

 

[William Smith [MVP]]

Hi, I've been using Entourage 2008 Version 12.1.1 since I purchased
my MacBook Pro in April. I shut down the computer Friday night; when
I rebooted yesterday, Entourage launched all new, with a single
"welcome" message. All of my e-mails and folders are gone.

I also had the option to update my Office programs but hit cancel.

In this "new" Entourage, I tried to import my old database. Using the
import wizard, I navigated to Microsoft User Data/Office 2008
Identities/Main Identity. I was unable to select the database or any
other items as they are grayed out.

You can not import a Database whose version is the same as the
application that created it (i.e. Entourage 2008 can not import a
Database that was last updated by Entourage 2008).

Entourage looks for your data in one place: it must be inside your
Documents folder in a folder called Microsoft User Data. The full path
to it would be ~/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Office 2008
Identities/Main Identity/Database where " ~ " is your home folder.

The "Main Identity" folder may be named something else. If you've moved
or renamed any of these folders then put things back in place.

If you see everything in place then go to the Entourage menu --> Switch
Identity... and see if you can select your old identity.

Hope this helps!

--

bill

Entourage Help Page <http://entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
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[LP3]

Thank you for your response. With the help of MS support, I "found" the database in another folder after a search in My Documents; it had been moved to an arbitrary folder. From there it was a simple matter to move that to the desktop and replace that "empty" folder in User Data.

An update MS called "critical" was also required - not sure if that had anything to do with the folder move, but maybe it helps if this happens to anyone else.

All good now. Thanks again!

LP