Entourage 2008 Corrupt database problem

[evonzz]

My girlfriends MBP [2.4GHz, 2GB ram, OS X 10.5.2] has been having problems with entourage identity. When starting entourage, an error message leads to the database utility starting up. We did a verification and scan log notes:

"ERROR: Corruption detected on index [MLRC:1]"

so then proceed to rebuild database. We tried it several times and each time gets stuck approx 75% way along step 4/5, whereby the operation could not be completed.

The identity's main database is 4.5GB. the rebuild identities get stuck approx at 3.4GB size. I think she is running Entourage 12.1.0

On occasions i have rebuilt my own identities with no problems, but this time we cannot get past these incomplete rebuilds and therefore cannot open entourage.

Unfortunately the backed up identity is not as recent as it should be

Is there any way we can save this situation or retrieve the data within?

[louishen]

Run Disk Utility first to repair permissions

Try compacting the database first, then doing a repair

[evonzz]

have run disk utility and repaired some permissions, but no effect on entourage problem.

What effect does compacting have on databases in terms of possibly fixing this problem?

Is 4.5 GB a large entourage identity size?

[louishen]

I dont know the upper limit on Entourage 2008's database, but compacting cant do any harm. If you do manage to fix it then I would do some archiving to slim down that mailbox, or consider migrating over to Mail or Thunderbird - which dont use a monolithic file to store data

There used to be a program to fix entourage databases, but it has not even certified to run on Tiger, and has not been updated since 2002

[evonzz]

ok, so tried to compact the database and an error occurred at the end of stage 1/2 of the compacting.

So basically - still got the same corrupted database and no entourage...

oh - and another thing: i tried to copy the whole entourage 2008 data folders to another drive as a (corrupted) backup and finder would not let me drag it across.

[louishen]

what did the finder say when you tries to copy it?

[evonzz]

said something like:
operation could not be completed because of an unexpected error. error code 0

[krislphil]

What you described is EXACTLY what happened to my computer about 6 hours ago. I use my emails for work and have about 50 of them all filtering into Entourage. Like most other people, I was super excited to get my mac last fall (still love it), but I was new to the features. I didn't back up anything. I've been going crazy trying to fix it and don't even really know what happened. Mac Pro OSx with Entourage. Database won't open and have tried everything. Please, if you found a solution, would you be able to share it with me? My email is krislphil@yahoo.com (or just reply here, which is easier - since my email patience has worn thin).

Thanks!
~Kristin

[technologist]

Corrupt Database Fixes

In general, Entourage's database sucks. Back it up frequently, and don't depend on it being there. (Use an IMAP mail service to store your mail, so that there's a copy on the server in case Entourag goes belly-up.)

[evonzz]

sorry to sound lame, but i cant remember exactly how i fixed it. i know i lost a bit of info. but my backups were available and not that old. so i may have trashed the corrupted file and started over.

Good luck with it.