On 2003-03-22 10:52, john guy wrote: >> Try holding Option key when Entourage starts up. >> You should have an option to revive your data. > > did that but it does not allow you specify which db file you want > rebuilding... > > Anyone else can add to this? Okay, here's what you want to do: First, make a backup copy of your Microsoft User Data folder. I know it's unusable as is, but if anything else goes wrong, you might be in even more trouble. Then, start Entourage, as suggested, with the Option key held down. There will be a dialog, asking if you want to rebuild your Entourage data. Choose a standard rebuild, first. If after that Entourage comes up with your email and other data, fine. Throw away the backup copy you made, and make a new one. Make a copy every week, after all, you indicated that some of the data is business-critical... If the standard rebuild doesn't work, once again start Entourage with Option depressed. This time, choose to do an advanced rebuild. This is more likely to solve problems, but it will also discard some data, such as categories assigned to your data. If this works, again throw away the backup copy you made, make a fresh backup copy, and take it upon yourself to make a copy every week, after all, you indicated that some of the data is business-critical... If that doesn't work, either, it's time for drastic measures. Before you do so, be sure that you definitely have made a backup copy of your Entourage data. You have? Good. Now, open the file "Database", which is located in ~/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Office X Identities/Main Identity, with a text editor, like for instance BBEdit. Scroll through the file, and copy all of the emails you can find, and deem important enough to save, from this file. There'll be lots of crap in between the useful data, but if you really want it back, this is the last resort at getting at it. Good luck. ,xtG .tsooJ -- /~\ The ASCII Ribbon Campaign: \ / - No HTML/RTF in email X - No Word docs in email / \ - Respect for open standards -- Joost van de Griek <http://www.jvdg.net/>