received messages automatically deleted

[TroubledTom]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC
Email Client: Exchange

I have been using Entourage successfully for years. Yesterday after an update to version 11.1 (I hadn't updated i awhile...) all of my received messages started being automatically deleted (still marked as unread in the deleted items folder). I've been on the phone w/ tech support at my university and they can't figure this out. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[Diane Ross]

I have been using Entourage successfully for years. Yesterday after an update
to version 11.1 (I hadn't updated i awhile...) all of my received messages
started being automatically deleted (still marked as unread in the deleted
items folder). I've been on the phone w/ tech support at my university and
they can't figure this out. Has anyone else experienced this?

You must have a rule that is moving the message. The most likely culprit is
the Mailing List Manager (MLM). It's very easy to set up a MLM rule by
accident, when you are marking a message as 'not junk'. The wording of that
dialog is ambiguous to say the least. Check if there is an MLM entry (look
for MLM entries under the tools menu) with the incorrect destination folder
as the target folder. Mailing List Manager rules run before your other
rules.

 

[TroubledTom]

That took care of it. I had accidentally set a MLM rule as you describe. Thanks so much!!!

 

[Andrew]

I came here looking for similar help. All of a sudden all mail on Entourage over about two months old is being deleted with no dialogue box or any other indication, and without them being held in a deleted folder. Having seen the above auqestion I checked the MLM and there is nothing in it, and I can't see why it is doing this. Neither have I set any "rules". My entourage is working with AOL, if that makes a difference. I checked on my AOL email preferences and they are as I left them, i.e. to save all messages.

 

[Adam Bailey]

I came here looking for similar help. All of a sudden all mail on
Entourage over about two months old is being deleted with no dialogue box
or any other indication, and without them being held in a deleted folder.
Having seen the above auqestion I checked the MLM and there is nothing in
it, and I can't see why it is doing this. Neither have I set any "rules".
My entourage is working with AOL, if that makes a difference. I checked on
my AOL email preferences and they are as I left them, i.e. to save all
messages.

Also check Schedules (Tools menu). If missing messages are from a specific
period (over two months ago) rather than all messages, it suggests that you
(or AOL) have a Schedule deleting mail older than that date.

 

[Vlasta]

Hello all,
I recently started using Entourage on my home computer thinking that I can offload from the server all those hundreds of emails I was not yet able to sort through and have time to do so over weekends. I had lost some eamils in the process but was able to get them of the Exchange server... for a day or two!! Today I could not find ANY of the emails in any of the folders 'On My Computer'. I do not have any Schedules set up and only one Rule (for emails received in Inbox on Server to go directly to my Inbox on my computer). How could any schedules outside of "my computer" effect emails that are supposed to be on "MY COMPUTER"?? How could they have disappeared??
Thanks Vlasta - one very disappointed Entourage customer!

 

[Diane Ross]

I recently started using Entourage on my home computer thinking that I can
offload from the server all those hundreds of emails I was not yet able to
sort through and have time to do so over weekends. I had lost some eamils in
the process but was able to get them of the Exchange server... for a day or
two!! Today I could not find ANY of the emails in any of the folders 'On My
Computer'. I do not have any Schedules set up and only one Rule (for emails
received in Inbox on Server to go directly to my Inbox on my computer). How
could any schedules outside of "my computer" effect emails that are supposed
to be on "MY COMPUTER"?? How could they have disappeared??

It's possible you have "unread only" or "flagged only" selected. Check under
View in the Menu bar.

BTW, what version of Entourage are you using?

 

[Vlasta]

Hello Diane,
I'm using Office 2008, Entourage 12.1.0 and currently downloading an 'urgent' update for it. I checked that all messages are being displayed not only 'unread' or 'flagged' ones. I double-checked all the Rules and Schedules and still can't work out what could have occurred.
I have only a few folders, and the messages seemed to have disappeared out of two of them. These messages that disappeared were more then 2 months old from one folder and more then 2 weeks old from the other folder. I had about 300 messages disappearing and am absolutely certain that I did not delete them yesterday - when they were still in those folders. I am lost as to the reason for their disappearance.
What can I do to prevent loosing messages like this happening in the future?

 

[Diane Ross]

I double-checked all the Rules and Schedules and still can't work out what
could have occurred.

Just to be clear....are the messages that disappeared in folders "On My
Computer" or on your Exchange server?

I have only a few folders, and the messages seemed to have disappeared out of
two of them. These messages that disappeared were more then 2 months old from
one folder and more then 2 weeks old from the other folder. I had about 300
messages disappearing and am absolutely certain that I did not delete them
yesterday - when they were still in those folders. I am lost as to the reason
for their disappearance.

If these were on your server, it's possible their is a schedule to delete
older emails. You would need to contact your IT.

Check again under Tools --> Schedules and see if there are any schedules
checked. Entourage comes with some default ones.

What can I do to prevent loosing messages like this happening in the future?

First we need to determine what is causing the behavior and second backups
are critical for important data.

It's advised not to let Time Machine backup your Entourage database. If the
database is copied while being used, the backup could be corrupt. You can
set the Time Machine to exclude the Microsoft User Data folder and create an
iCal event to copy it over at night while not in use so you get one backup
daily in Time Machine.

Alternative method to use Entourage and Time Machine (does a once a day or
whatever time period you select)

<http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/2008/01/alternative_method_to_use_entourage_
and_time_machine.html>

Entourage and Time Machine (creates chronological backup of Identity can be
used by both Tiger and Leopard)

<http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/2008/01/entourage_and_time_machine.html>


Your server should be backing up your data also.