Entorage database gone!

Hello
I am a very non-computer literate member so please be patient here!

I was trying to back up my docs. I already have Crashplan (offsite back up) but I wanted to backup up to an external hard drive. As i tried to do so my Mac crashed.On reopening my Entourage mail was empty as were my calendar and all my contacts. I.e it opened up as if it were new. Yes it downloaded all my current gmail but everything else was gone: archived e-mails, calendar contacts etc
I used the 'rebuild database' option but it just opened up the same 'new' empty Entourage.

So next step: I got into my Crashplan account and told it to download my saved mail database.
A blank looking icon duly arrived on my desktop labelled 'Database' Aha! I thought I'm rescued but alas if I click on it all it does is open my current i.e nearly empty, Entourage mail.
So at the moment I have lost my calendar info, contacts, archive mail and all my mail folders - any ideas gratefully received? (apart from running away to live in a cave)
andy B

I'm not familiar with the capabilities of Crashplan, but a I can tell you that everything involving your Entourage emails is stored in a folder called Microsoft User Data. It is found in your Documents folder. If you can restore the contents of that folder via backup, you'll get everything back. If you can't then your probably starting over from scratch.

When Entourage 'opened up as it were new', it probably recreated the Microsoft User Data folder in Documents. 'Rebuild database' would have rebuilt the new one it created, not the one that was there before.

Assuming you have a reliable backup, move the existing Microsoft User Data folder from Documents to your desktop. Place the original MUD folder in your Documents. Restart Entourage. Everything should be back the way it was. If all is well, then you can delete the MUD folder from your Desktop. If it doesn't work, then you can simply move the desktop MUD folder back into Documents and you'll undo everything mentioned above in this paragraph.

entourage data

Thanks Jaygray fro prompt response.
I think my original backup file wasn't the entire MUD from Crashplan so I'm downloading the entire MUD now which will take 13 hours! I'll see if that sorts it.
When I place the downloaded MUD file in the Docs folder (with the original MUD in moved to my desktop) will my Mac automatically choose the new folder or do I have to press any keys to stop it from simply opening the MUD on my desktop?
thanks
andy

If you had a lot of emails and attachments, the MUD folder could be several GB in size. Mine is currently @ 9 GB. It could take a while to download.

I believe Entourage should just look in the Docs folder and automatically use whatever MUD folder it finds there.

Also, if I could amend my earlier advice, rather than moving the current MUD folder, just rename it. Call it 'Microsoft User Data 2' or anything else you want. As long as it's not called 'Microsoft User Data', Entourage will ignore it and you can leave it in your Docs folder.