Restoring Inbox from backup

[akfrankl]

Using Entourage 2004 for Mac, version 11.3.3

Got a database warning this morning, used disk utility, 'repaired' the
disk, found nearly all of my Inbox emails had disappeared.

Spoke to Microsoft, switched Identities to the 'backup' during this
morning's 'repair'....nothing in there, no emails, no folders, nada.
Switched to another identity - from a similar backup - dating to
August 2006.

I have all of my contacts - up to date (ie today)
I have all of my calendar - up to date
I have all of my Sent Items / folders etc - up to date

My Inbox is empty barring the couple of emails that have arrived
today. Totally flumoxed.

I have a backup I made using Carbon Copy Cloner but have now
discovered that I cannot restore using the USB connection from my HD
to my external HD.

Does anyone know how I can

a) find / sort the emails I need on the backup
b) restore them to Entourage

Can I just drag and drop?

All help much appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Diane Ross]

Using Entourage 2004 for Mac, version 11.3.3

Got a database warning this morning, used disk utility, 'repaired' the
disk, found nearly all of my Inbox emails had disappeared.

Spoke to Microsoft, switched Identities to the 'backup' during this
morning's 'repair'....nothing in there, no emails, no folders, nada.
Switched to another identity - from a similar backup - dating to
August 2006.

I have all of my contacts - up to date (ie today)
I have all of my calendar - up to date
I have all of my Sent Items / folders etc - up to date

There are a couple of options to get the data out of this old database.

Create an Entourage archive (.rge)
Drag a folder to the desktop. This creates an MBOX file that can be dragged
back into a new Entourage Identity.

More help here:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/database/backup.html>

I suggest creating a brand new Identity rather than using the one from the
rebuild. You're going to do a lot of work and you don't want to put the data
into a database that has hidden problems.

I have a backup I made using Carbon Copy Cloner but have now
discovered that I cannot restore using the USB connection from my HD
to my external HD.

If you can just drag over files to your drive, drag the Main Identity (named
main by default).Rename the Identity so you don't overwrite the current
Identity. Place it in the Office 2004 Identity folder. Switch Identities in
Entourage to get to the renamed Identity to export data.

--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
One of the top five MS Entourage resources listed on the Entourage Blog.
<http://blogs.msdn.com/entourage/>

 

[akfrankl]

There are a couple of options to get the data out of this old database.

Create an Entourage archive (.rge)
Drag a folder to the desktop. This creates an MBOX file that can be dragged
back into a new Entourage Identity.

More help here:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/database/backup.html>

I suggest creating a brand new Identity rather than using the one from the
rebuild. You're going to do a lot of work and you don't want to put the data
into a database that has hidden problems.


If you can just drag over files to your drive, drag the Main Identity (named
main by default).Rename the Identity so you don't overwrite the current
Identity. Place it in the Office 2004 Identity folder. Switch Identities in
Entourage to get to the renamed Identity to export data.

--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
One of the top five MS Entourage resources listed on the Entourage Blog.
<http://blogs.msdn.com/entourage/>

Thanks so much for the tips; totally out of my depth on this stuff!

Apparently the Carbon Copy Cloner will likely be of no good since it
seems whatever I backed up was already corrupted.

I've now dragged all folders / subfolders to my desktop and created an
archive of my calendar and contacts. I haven't done this with the
email since, when trying earlier, the computer twice froze.

I've still 'lost' any email that was in my Inbox since August, but
have online versions, so not the end of the world and can get it again
once the 'new' database is up and running.

Thanks again. Off to assume a new Identity!

 

[Diane Ross]

Apparently the Carbon Copy Cloner will likely be of no good since it
seems whatever I backed up was already corrupted.

This is why you should keep an archive and/or snapshot of older backups just
in case.

Snapshot: This is most useful when you have inadvertently backed up a file
that is damaged or unreadable, but say two weeks ago was fine. With the
snapshot feature you can go back in time to a session where the file is
undamaged and replace it.

I keep a snapshot once a month from my backups that I do every 3 days.
During the 3 day period use "keep mail on server for 3 days" so I'm covered.

Tip to Organize Your Backups Chronologically

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/database/backup.html#folderorg>
--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
One of the top five MS Entourage resources listed on the Entourage Blog.
<http://blogs.msdn.com/entourage/>