Updated from 10.3.3 to 10.3.4 and all Entourage data has disappeared

[Patricia Henwood]

PLEASE HELP! Three weeks ago I bought a G4 Powerbook with Mac OSX 10.3.3
installed. I previously used a PC and it has taken me a long time to
convert all my Outlook 2000 contacts and emails and migrate them to
Entourage 2004 for Mac. However, until today all was working without any
problems.

Today I decided to update to 10.3.4 o/s and did so by downloading the update
onto my windows notebook (which has an ADSL connection - my Mac only has a
dial up connection) then burning the update to CD, inserting the CD into the
drive of my Mac and installing from there. No problems. Re-started my Mac
and went to Entourage to check my emails to discover that ALL DATA has
disappeared from Entourage. The only thing in Entourage is the 'Welcome'
email from Microsoft dated today at 14.30 (immediately after I updated to
10.3.4).

I immediately telephoned Apple Support who basically said 'it shouldn't have
happened - your problem is with Entourage so contact Microsoft' - so much
for the 90 days free telephone support.

I'm sure that the data is on my computer somewhere - perhaps 10.3.4 stores
data differently from 10.3.3 - has anyone else encountered this problem?

I know that with Outlook (the Windows equivalent of Entourage) all data was
stored in a .pst folder but I have no idea how it is stored on a Mac. Can
anyone tell me where to start looking?

Triciaq

 

[Craig Deutsch]

This *may* be a problem of misplaced identity.

Macs don't use a .pst file as in Windows (at least that I know). Look in
your Mac's hard drive in the following folder: (Hard drive) > Users > (Your
folder) > Documents > Microsoft User Data > Office 2004 Identities > Main
Identity. In that folder are four files: Database, Mailing Lists, Rules
and Signatures. It's the Database that's important. If it's a very small
file (a few K), then you have another problem, ie., where to find your
original files. But I'd bet money you still have them, so I wouldn't panic.

If, however, the Database is larger (mine's about 350MB), the the identity
is OK, but Entourage isn't mapping to yours. Microsoft will tell you what
to do here as well. This should be an easy fix. Have no idea why the
10.3.4 upgrade caused this.

Since Entourage 2004 is so new, I'm sure that free telephone support from MS
will resolve your issue. The only thing that might be a drag is the on-hold
wait time. I've forgotten whether they're 24/7. If not, then I'd get on
the phone as soon as they open.

Hope this helps a bit even though it doesn't solve your problem.

 

[Patricia Henwood]

Many thanks Craig,

I did as you suggested and the Database is there (32.5MB - which should be
about right, I hope, because the Address Book has 150 odd contacts and the
emails are only those received since a fatal PC crash last March)! However,
as you say, it doesn't solve my problem but it does make me feel less
frantic about the fact that everything had disappeared.

I doubt very much that there is such a thing as free Microsoft support in
Australia - I will ring tomorrow morning and ask

Tricia

 

[Mickey Stevens]

Go to Entourage > Switch Identity, and re-select your identity. The data
stored in the Database should show up, since it's evidently located in the
proper place.