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

olive...@officeformac.com

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Feb 4, 2010, 7:43:43 AM2/4/10

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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:
(User)/Library/Caches/Metadata/Microsoft/Entourage/2008/Main Identity/OT/OB/OM/2K
but double clicking to open them throws up a message "Entourage cannot find this item It may have been deleted or renamed".
Any suggestions for restoring my original settings?

Diane Ross

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Feb 4, 2010, 6:50:32 PM2/4/10

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On 2/4/10 4:43 AM, in article 59bb2...@webcrossing.JaKIaxP2ac0,
"olive...@officeformac.com" <olive...@officeformac.com> wrote:

> I opened Entourage 2008 (v12.2.3) this morning on my Mac Book Pro and my
> account had vanished.

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

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/troubleshoot/crashes.html#crash15>

>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:
> (User)/Library/Caches/Metadata/Microsoft/Entourage/2008/Main
> Identity/OT/OB/OM/2K
> but double clicking to open them throws up a message "Entourage cannot find
> this item It may have been deleted or renamed".
> Any suggestions for restoring my original settings?

These are the Spotlight cache files not your data. They won't open because
they can't 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>

olive...@officeformac.com

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Feb 5, 2010, 4:45:09 AM2/5/10

to

Many thanks for this very clear response. My wife has the laptop at work at the moment, so I'll have to wait to try your fix! Fingers crossed.
Oliver.

> On 2/4/10 4:43 AM, in article 59bb2...@webcrossing.JaKIaxP2ac0,

> "olive...@officeformac.com" wrote:
>
> > I opened Entourage 2008 (v12.2.3) this morning on my Mac Book Pro and my
> > account had vanished.
>

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

> >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:
> > (User)/Library/Caches/Metadata/Microsoft/Entourage/2008/Main
> > Identity/OT/OB/OM/2K
> > but double clicking to open them throws up a message "Entourage cannot find
> > this item It may have been deleted or renamed".
> > Any suggestions for restoring my original settings?
>

> These are the Spotlight cache files not your data. They won't open because
> they can't find the Identity.
> --
> Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
> Entourage Help Page

> Entourage Help Blog
> YouTalk Twitter: follow
>
>

olive...@officeformac.com

unread,

Feb 5, 2010, 10:41:05 AM2/5/10

to

Many many thanks, Diane. Tried your solution when my wife got home and it worked.

Yrs, very relieved,

Oliver.

Diane Ross

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Feb 5, 2010, 6:12:09 PM2/5/10

to

On 2/5/10 7:41 AM, in article 59bb2...@webcrossing.JaKIaxP2ac0,
"olive...@officeformac.com" <olive...@officeformac.com> wrote:

> Many many thanks, Diane. Tried your solution when my wife got home and it
> worked.

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

--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP

donlambson

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Apr 28, 2010, 5:14:34 PM4/28/10

to

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 ;)

Diane Ross wrote:

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

On 2/4/10 4:43 AM, in article 59bb2...@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.

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/troubleshoot/crashes.html#crash15>

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>

Previous Posts In This Thread:

On Thursday, February 04, 2010 7:43 AM
olivernare wrote:

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

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: 
(User)/Library/Caches/Metadata/Microsoft/Entourage/2008/Main Identity/OT/OB/OM/2K 
but double clicking to open them throws up a message "Entourage cannot find this item It may have been deleted or renamed".

Any suggestions for restoring my original settings?

On Thursday, February 04, 2010 6:50 PM
Diane Ross wrote:

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