Problem with Office Database

[Steven_Madsen]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: intel

When I start Word, Excel or Power Point I get a message that "there is a problem with the Office database." If I try to rebuild it using Office database utility, the window closes, the utility stays open but nothing happens (no activity in Activity monitor either). If I launch Entourage, it tells me it "cannot switch to that identity." It won't let me create a new identity (or, if so, it's temporary and I can't switch to it either). I have to quit Entourage because it won't open. I had Office X installed previously. Never used Entourage, Exchange or Outlook on the Mac. I have uninstalled and reinstalled, to no effect. Today's update made no difference. As far as I know, I don't need the database but I want to get rid or the error messages.

 

[Diane Ross]

When I start Word, Excel or Power Point I get a message that "there is a
problem with the Office database." If I try to rebuild it using Office
database utility, the window closes, the utility stays open but nothing
happens (no activity in Activity monitor either). If I launch Entourage, it
tells me it "cannot switch to that identity." It won't let me create a new
identity (or, if so, it's temporary and I can't switch to it either). I have
to quit Entourage because it won't open. I had Office X installed previously.
Never used Entourage, Exchange or Outlook on the Mac. I have uninstalled and
reinstalled, to no effect. Today's update made no difference. As far as I
know, I don't need the database but I want to get rid or the error messages.

Try removing the Microsoft User Data folder to the desktop and restart.
Normally, I would not advise this as this is where your Entourage data is
stored, but since you said you never used Entourage, then this will allow a
new Microsoft User Data folder to be created when Word is launched. Not sure
if you have any files in MUD like Normal that you might need to save. If
everything works, then you can trash the old Microsoft User Data folder.

 

[Steven_Madsen]

On 3/11/08 7:07 PM, in article (e-mail address removed)9absDaxw,

:

> When I start Word, Excel or Power Point I get a message that "there is a
> problem with the Office database." If I try to rebuild it using Office
> database utility, the window closes, the utility stays open but nothing
> happens (no activity in Activity monitor either). If I launch Entourage, it
> tells me it "cannot switch to that identity." It won't let me create a new
> identity (or, if so, it's temporary and I can't switch to it either). I have
> to quit Entourage because it won't open. I had Office X installed previously.
> Never used Entourage, Exchange or Outlook on the Mac. I have uninstalled and
> reinstalled, to no effect. Today's update made no difference. As far as I
> know, I don't need the database but I want to get rid or the error messages.

Try removing the Microsoft User Data folder to the desktop and restart.
Normally, I would not advise this as this is where your Entourage data is
stored, but since you said you never used Entourage, then this will allow a
new Microsoft User Data folder to be created when Word is launched. Not sure
if you have any files in MUD like Normal that you might need to save. If
everything works, then you can trash the old Microsoft User Data folder.

Thanks but same result. I had previously tried deleting "Main Identity" in the Office 2008 Identities Folder but that didn't work either. Appreciate the response, though.

 

[Diane Ross]

Thanks but same result. I had previously tried deleting "Main Identity" in the
Office 2008 Identities Folder but that didn't work either. Appreciate the
response, though.

I don't know what you are doing to your messages but instead of the quote
character I see > > You messages are extremely difficult to read past
replies.

 

[Steven_Madsen]

I don't know what went wrong with my reply to your reply, Diane. What I said was "Thanks but same result. I had previously tried deleting "Main Identity" in the Office 2008 Identities Folder but that didn't work either. Appreciate the response, though." Btw, I forgot to mention that I'm using the home/sudent edition, it it matters.

 

[Diane Ross]

I don't know what went wrong with my reply to your reply, Diane. What I said
was "Thanks but same result. I had previously tried deleting "Main Identity"
in the Office 2008 Identities Folder but that didn't work either. Appreciate
the response, though." Btw, I forgot to mention that I'm using the home/sudent
edition, it it matters.

Found out > is a problem coming from Mactopia interface.

Another user just reported this worked. NOTE for anyone following along this
DELETES your mail.

1- Deleted "Microsoft User Data" folder under Documents
2- Deleted all com.microsoft.* under ~/Library/Preferences
3- Deleted Microsoft folder under ~/Library/Preferences

I then re-ran Office Setup Assistant, and problem solved.

 

[Steven_Madsen]

That seems to have done it. Thank you so much!

 

[Richard_D_Jones]

Another user just reported this worked. NOTE for anyone following along this

DELETES your mail.

1- Deleted "Microsoft User Data" folder under Documents
2- Deleted all com.microsoft.* under ~/Library/Preferences
3- Deleted Microsoft folder under ~/Library/Preferences

I then re-ran Office Setup Assistant, and problem solved.

Thanks Diane,
I read this thread, and have been having similar problems to Steven Madsen: I was running Office X and having persistent problems with Entourage. You suggested I upgrade to Office 2008, which is what I did this morning. So the result is:
When I try to open a Word file I get the error message "The operation could not be completed. An unexpected error occurred (error code 10660) "
When I try to open an Excel file I get the error message "The operation could not be completed. An unexpected error occurred (error code 10660) "
Entourage has defaulted to an empty Main Identity, and when I try to switch identities, it invites me to rebuild the database (fine) but then only offers me the empty Main Identity to rebuild (which of course is OK)
I've now moved the identity I want to the desktop, as suggested, so it will now open the empty Main Identity Ok, but the other issues with Word Excel etc. continue.

 

[Diane Ross]

I read this thread, and have been having similar problems to Steven Madsen: I
was running Office X and having persistent problems with Entourage. You
suggested I upgrade to Office 2008, which is what I did this morning. So the
result is:
When I try to open a Word file I get the error message "The operation could
not be completed. An unexpected error occurred (error code 10660) "
When I try to open an Excel file I get the error message "The operation could
not be completed. An unexpected error occurred (error code 10660) "
Entourage has defaulted to an empty Main Identity, and when I try to switch
identities, it invites me to rebuild the database (fine) but then only offers
me the empty Main Identity to rebuild (which of course is OK)
I've now moved the identity I want to the desktop, as suggested, so it will
now open the empty Main Identity Ok, but the other issues with Word Excel etc.
continue.

According to MSFT KB 890889:

<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/890889>

This issue occurs when one of the following conditions is true:
€ You created the Office for Mac document with the Microsoft Office for
Mac Test Drive, and the Office Test Drive is in the Trash.
€ You have more than one copy of the same version of Microsoft Office for
Mac installed on your computer.
€ The Mac OS X Finder could not locate the Office for Mac program that
owns the Office for Mac document.
€ The Office for Mac document has the wrong file name extension
associated with it.

Further Google searching on error found this:

"kLSAppInTrashErr -10660 The application cannot be run
because it is inside a Trash folder."

I suspect your method of install and removing is somehow involved.

I would not remove Office X, until you get your data out as MBOX files and
your contacts as a text or tab delimited file.

 

[cwilliams1]

When I start Word, Excel or Power Point I get a message that "there is a problem with the Office database." If I try to rebuild it using Office database utility, the window closes, the utility stays open but nothing happens (no activity in Activity monitor either). If I launch Entourage, it tells me it "cannot switch to that identity." It won't let me create a new identity (or, if so, it's temporary and I can't switch to it either). I have to quit Entourage because it won't open. I had Office X installed previously. Never used Entourage, Exchange or Outlook on the Mac. I have uninstalled and reinstalled, to no effect. Today's update made no difference. As far as I know, I don't need the database but I want to get rid or the error messages.
-----------------------
This is actually very simple. I had this problem at one point too.
Please try the following steps:
1. Open your Mac Finder and go to your Documents folder.
2. Once in your Documents folder, choose Microsoft User Data.
3. Once you are there, open the Office 2008 Identities.
4. DELETE/move all identity folders to the trash. If there is any file labeled "Newsgroup Cache," leave it there.
5. EMPTY YOUR TRASH completely and open Word, Excel, POwerPoint, Entourage (or whatever is installed on your computer.)
This should do the trick.

 

[Diane Ross]

2. Once in your Documents folder, choose Microsoft User Data.
3. Once you are there, open the Office 2008 Identities.
4. DELETE/move all identity folders to the trash. If there is any file labeled
"Newsgroup Cache," leave it there.

This will delete all of your mail too.

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Warning--this is HORRIBLE ADVICE for anyone who uses Entourage at all.
Moving the Identity to the trash and emptying it will delete all your
email, etc.