Office - My account disappeared and I can't access my old identity/emails/contacts

Asked By olivernare

04-Feb-10 07:43 AM

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
Processor: Intel
Email Client: pop

I opened Entourage 2008 (v12.2.3) this morning on my Mac Book Pro and my account had vanished.  I opened a new one with the same info and the program is working again, BUT my contacts and saved messages are inaccessible (even though Finder's "Search" can see them.  They are located in: <br>
(User)/Library/Caches/Metadata/Microsoft/Entourage/2008/Main Identity/OT/OB/OM/2K  <br>
but double clicking to open them throws up a message "Entourage cannot find this item  It may have been deleted or renamed". <br>
Any suggestions for restoring my original settings?

04-Feb-10 06:50 PM

On 2/4/10 4:43 AM, in article 59bb23e9.-1@webcrossing.JaKIaxP2ac0,


Entourage expects the Microsoft User Data folder to be in your Documents
folder. For OS X users, that is the Documents folder in your User's folder.
When Entourage opens in a new blank Identity, it is usually User error.

Most likely you have accidentally moved your data. Hopefully, you have not
deleted the file. If you have deleted the trash, it is gone. Sorry!

Select Switch Identity (under Entourage in the Menu bar) and see if your old
identity is still listed.

To find your old database, search for "Microsoft User Data" (without the
quotes). You can also search on "Office 2008 Identities" (replace 2008 with
either 2004 or X if you are using an older version)

If you have not used a new identity in Entourage, then copy the entire
Microsoft User Data folder to the correct location.

Fix if you have more than one Microsoft User Data Folder...

Move the entire identity folder you want to use to the Office Identities
folder that Entourage is recognizing. Your identity is named "Main" by
default. Be sure to rename one so you do not overwrite. Your identity folder
can contain more than one identity. Switch Identities to view your old mail.
If you have not used the new identity, delete it. If you have used it and
want to combine the new mail with your original database, drag each folder
to the desktop from one identity. This creates an MBOX file. Switch
identities. Drag the MBOX files into the folder window of Entourage.

You can delete the old folder after you are satisfied with the transfer.

Sometimes updating software (including the OS) can cause problems where
files go missing. See this link for help finding 'lost' files.



These are the Spotlight cache files not your data. They will not open because
they cannot find the Identity.
--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page   <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog  <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
YouTalk <http://tinyurl.com/bzcrjy> <-- Entourage mailing list
Twitter: follow <http://twitter.com/entouragehelp>

05-Feb-10 04:45 AM

Many thanks for this very clear response.  My wife has the laptop at work at the moment, so I will have to wait to try your fix!  Fingers crossed. <br>
Oliver. <br><br>> On 2/4/10 4:43 AM, in article 59bb23e9.-1@webcrossing.JaKIaxP2ac0, <br>

05-Feb-10 10:41 AM

Many many thanks, Diane.  Tried your solution when my wife got home and it worked. <br><br>Yrs, very relieved, <br><br>Oliver.

05-Feb-10 06:12 PM

On 2/5/10 7:41 AM, in article 59bb23e9.2@webcrossing.JaKIaxP2ac0,


It?s a common mistake and is a very scary one. Glad you got your mail back.

--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page   <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog  <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
YouTalk <http://tinyurl.com/bzcrjy> <-- Entourage mailing list
Twitter: follow <http://twitter.com/entouragehelp>

28-Apr-10 05:14 PM

sorry to be so dumb, but i must have switched some setting somewhere that has my Office 2008 Entourage email sent files hiding somewhere.



ive looked and restarted and such but i cant see anyway to restore the old view.



sheepish ;)

28-Apr-10 08:47 PM

On 4/28/10 2:14 PM, in article 2010428171434donlambson@imaginisce.com, "<don


Check the MLM under Tools > Rules in the Menu bar. You probably accidentally
created a MLM rule by accident when marking a message as junk.

--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page   <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog  <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
YouTalk <http://tinyurl.com/bzcrjy> <-- Entourage mailing list
Twitter: follow <http://twitter.com/entouragehelp>