All data disappeared! What happened?

Something really weird happened after I installed several new programs. When
I opened Entourage all my data, folders, and settings were gone, empty, as
if this were the first time I was using the program, as if I'd never
configured it or downloaded any email. I nearly freaked out but remained
certain that the data was there somewhere.

Turns out it was. For some reason, a 2nd Microsoft User Data file got
created in a different location, and that's what Entourage was showing. When
I deleted this file and placed the original Microsoft User Data file in its
place (I found it elsewhere on my HD), all my data reappeared, thank
goodness.

I'd like to understand what happened--how on earth this 2nd Microsoft User
Data file got created-- to make sure it doesn't happen again. Anyone have
any ideas? Thanks!

Barry
Fri Dec 26 11:21:48 CST 2003

On 26/12/03 8:03 am, in article BC112B3E.268A%sfeliz@nada.com, "Sarah Feliz"
<sfeliz@nada.com> wrote:

> Something really weird happened after I installed several new programs. When
> I opened Entourage all my data, folders, and settings were gone, empty, as
> if this were the first time I was using the program, as if I'd never
> configured it or downloaded any email. I nearly freaked out but remained
> certain that the data was there somewhere.
>
> Turns out it was. For some reason, a 2nd Microsoft User Data file got
> created in a different location, and that's what Entourage was showing. When
> I deleted this file and placed the original Microsoft User Data file in its
> place (I found it elsewhere on my HD), all my data reappeared, thank
> goodness.
>
> I'd like to understand what happened--how on earth this 2nd Microsoft User
> Data file got created-- to make sure it doesn't happen again. Anyone have
> any ideas? Thanks!
>

I'm guessing that at some time you have renamed you identity to be something
different to the default 'main Personality'. All that happened is that your
prefs got lost somehow (maybe through a permissions problem?) and Entourage
didn't know what to look for, so it created a new default personality.

It may be worth running 'repair permissions' to make sure the installers
didn't mess with things they aren't meant to.


--
Barry Wainwright
Microsoft MVP (see http://mvp.support.microsoft.com for details)
Seen the Entourage FAQ pages? - Check them out:
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/toc.html>

Please post responses to this newsgroup. If I ask you to contact me
off-list, remove '.INVALID' from email address before replying.

Diane
Fri Dec 26 13:59:42 CST 2003

On 12/26/03 9:21 AM, in article BC121EAC.37C34%barry@barryw.net.INVALID,
"Barry N. Wainwright" <barry@barryw.net.INVALID> wrote:

>> Something really weird happened after I installed several new programs. When
>> I opened Entourage all my data, folders, and settings were gone, empty, as
>> if this were the first time I was using the program, as if I'd never
>> configured it or downloaded any email. I nearly freaked out but remained
>> certain that the data was there somewhere.
>>
>> Turns out it was. For some reason, a 2nd Microsoft User Data file got
>> created in a different location, and that's what Entourage was showing. When
>> I deleted this file and placed the original Microsoft User Data file in its
>> place (I found it elsewhere on my HD), all my data reappeared, thank
>> goodness.
>>
>> I'd like to understand what happened--how on earth this 2nd Microsoft User
>> Data file got created-- to make sure it doesn't happen again. Anyone have
>> any ideas? Thanks!
>>
>
> I'm guessing that at some time you have renamed you identity to be something
> different to the default 'main Personality'. All that happened is that your
> prefs got lost somehow (maybe through a permissions problem?) and Entourage
> didn't know what to look for, so it created a new default personality.

FWIW, this is a pretty common problem. Generally it's user error. The
identity is renamed or moved. If you have more than one Documents folder it
can also get to be a problem. I really recommend just using the User's
Document folder. It's ok to move the files from the root Documents folder to
your User's Documents.

It's important to know were Entourage stores it data so you can make
backups. Just create a Task to remind you. I make a copy every 3 days.


--
Diane Ross
Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>

Sarah
Sat Dec 27 17:32:57 CST 2003

That's it. I had 2 Document folders in different areas and didn't realize
this could be a problem.

The back up idea is a great one. Is there a specific backup utility for
Entourage like there is for Eudora (Backdora)? If not, how exactly do you
make your backups? How does one set up Tasks (sorry, I'm new to Mac)? And is
the appropriate file to be copied the Database Cache file inside Microsoft
User Data file?

Thanks a lot!

On 12/26/03 11:59 AM, in article BC11D32E.16365%dross@nospam.mvps.org,
"Diane Ross" <dross@nospam.mvps.org> wrote:

> On 12/26/03 9:21 AM, in article BC121EAC.37C34%barry@barryw.net.INVALID,
> "Barry N. Wainwright" <barry@barryw.net.INVALID> wrote:
>
>>> Something really weird happened after I installed several new programs. When
>>> I opened Entourage all my data, folders, and settings were gone, empty, as
>>> if this were the first time I was using the program, as if I'd never
>>> configured it or downloaded any email. I nearly freaked out but remained
>>> certain that the data was there somewhere.
>>>
>>> Turns out it was. For some reason, a 2nd Microsoft User Data file got
>>> created in a different location, and that's what Entourage was showing. When
>>> I deleted this file and placed the original Microsoft User Data file in its
>>> place (I found it elsewhere on my HD), all my data reappeared, thank
>>> goodness.
>>>
>>> I'd like to understand what happened--how on earth this 2nd Microsoft User
>>> Data file got created-- to make sure it doesn't happen again. Anyone have
>>> any ideas? Thanks!
>>>
>>
>> I'm guessing that at some time you have renamed you identity to be something
>> different to the default 'main Personality'. All that happened is that your
>> prefs got lost somehow (maybe through a permissions problem?) and Entourage
>> didn't know what to look for, so it created a new default personality.
>
> FWIW, this is a pretty common problem. Generally it's user error. The
> identity is renamed or moved. If you have more than one Documents folder it
> can also get to be a problem. I really recommend just using the User's
> Document folder. It's ok to move the files from the root Documents folder to
> your User's Documents.
>
> It's important to know were Entourage stores it data so you can make
> backups. Just create a Task to remind you. I make a copy every 3 days.
>