Netscape 7.2 Mail - Folder Being Processed

ON THE SUBJECT OF NETSCAPE MAIL, I AM REVISITING AN OLD PROBLEM,
'FOLDER BEING PROCESSED'. THIS RE-OCCURS REGULARLY, AND JUST AS REGULARLY, I DELETE ALL THE FILES WITH .MSF IN MY MAIL FOLDER.
NOW, HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT DO THE TRICK ANYMORE. i HAVE DELETED THE .MSF FILES A DOZEN TIMES TODAY. AS SOON AS I RE-OPEN MY NETSCAPE 7.2
MAIL, THEY INSTANTLY REAPPEAR. THE PROGRAM SHOWS 'RECEIVING MESSAGES', BUT THEY NEVER SHOW UP. ANY SUGGESTIONS?
THANKS
GEORGE

 

George,

When you type in all upper case letters, this depicts "shouting ", and is considered bad form. It's also very hard to read, so if you would please edit your post, it would be appreciated.

Open Netscape, and go to your ISP's webmail interface. Delete all spam, or any other suspicious looking messages, especially from Taiwan, or similar.

The MSF files are rebuilt on opening Netscape, and that is what should happen. Another routine workaround is to:

Delete the entire Cache folder located in your *.slt folder
Delete the history.dat file
Delete the XUL.mfl file

Let us know if you continue to have problems...

 

Think of the MSF file as a summary of the contents of the file you are seeking to open. Say your inbox. Inbox.msf is the summary , a list of the contents of the Inbox, the headers etc which you see displayed.
If you delete the msf file, guess what , It has to be rebuilt when you open the inbox. This is what it means by Folder being processed, it is building a summary of the contents, the msf file to display.

As for the recieving messages and none show up; does your ISP have spam filtering (or even antivirus?) if so , it is often the case that you see the number in inbox at the ISP , you send a request for them and then their server processes them and deletes the spam and or viruses so you do not get any.

Do you get any email? How about if you send one to yourself?

Listen to Ramona, she is the expert here.

 

I AM NOT SHOUTING!
Just kidding, sorry about that, didn't know.
I deleted all 10 of my cache folders, as well as the other two files you recommended - still no luck - still get 'folder being processed'.
Deleted the.msf files again - still 'being processed'
I checked isp webmail and there was no spam, only one message from
someone I know.
Thanks
George

 

Did you delete the files on the hard drive with Netscape closed?
Also, have you been compacting your Inbox? Check the size of the Inbox on the hard drive. Does it make sense, in relation to the expected number of messages?

 

Yes, I deleted the cache folders with Netscape closed.
I have never compacted my inbox.
It is 160MB, I currently have 84 messages in the inbox
Thanks
George

 

George,

Run, do not walk, to your PC and compact that Inbox!
See this Solutions page for more tips on Preventive Browser Maintenance.

I figured that you didn't know about the shouting. No problem! JUST DON'T DO IT AGAIN! (Just kidding )

 

Sorry, Ramona, I was already at my PC when I got your post, so I couldn't run, or walk, to it.
Gee, if you're this wound up about 160MB, I dread to tell you that my Sent file is over a GB - guess I'll archive and compact that too!
I will read and follow the browser manitenance tips.
Thanks
George

 

George,

Maybe it's time to start archiving some of that Mail... Take a look here:
Archiving and Accessing Netscape Mail on CD

I'm calmer now.

 

I tried to compact my mail folders. It worked for the Sent folder, but not the Inbox - 'cannot compact because another operation is in progress' - being processed, no doubt. I then deleted about half of the messages in my inbox, created an archive folder and moved more messages into it. I tried all the usual tricks again - still 'being processed'. I also noticed that my Sent file is now down to 50MB from 1.+GB, but, despite all that deleting and archiving, my Inbox file is still at exactly the same 160MB as before. Can I archive all my Inbox messages and then delete the Inbox - will the program create another one on restart?
I humbly await more enlightenment.
Thanks
George

 

George,

You are backing up your Profiles folder, right?

Don't delete the Inbox, but yes, archive all Inbox messages to other folders/subfolders of the Mail Account.

Exit Netscape
Again - delete the Inbox.msf file

Open Netscape Mail - now what happens?

That Sent folder is very large...

 

George,

A bit more information on the size limitation beyond which email folders can corrupt. You are starting to experience what can happen when folders are allowed to grow to exorbitant size.

 

Yes, I backed up my profile.
I moved all my Inbox messages in to my archive.
I deleted inbox.msf
I also moved the majority of my Sent messages into my archive.
I re-opened Netscape mail and - still being processed, still can't compact Inbox
The Inbox file is still at 158MB
Are you sure I can't delete my Inbox?
George

 

George,

Let's do this:
Exit Netscape and Quick Launch
Navigate to your Mail Folder, and copy the folder to a temporary location, your backup folder would be a good place. Once you copy it to the backup folder, then delete the Mail subfolder in the *.slt folder.

Open Netscape and remove your Mail Accounts.
Exit Netscape

Open Netscape and recreate your Mail Accounts
Exit Netscape

Now... in the Mail folder which you moved to a temporary location, open the Mail Account folder.

* Rename those folders to: OldSent, OldDrafts, OldWhatever.
* Next: copy those folders to the newly created account
* Do not copy any MSF files to the new Mail Accounts.
* Also copy all SBD folders, as they contain your subfolders, and these files:
*** msgFilterRules.dat
*** popstate.dat
*** rules.dat

You now have a Pristine INBOX, and there should no longer be any "trying to process folder" problem.

Follow the above for each Mail Account you have.

Let me know if this isn't perfectly clear, or you have further questions.

 

Hi Ramona
I followed your instructions but it didn't work.
I still have an empty inbox that is being processed.
I went thru the procedure twice, but no joy.
I even uninstalled Netscape and re-installed it, but still no joy.
Any ideas?
George

 

George,

Since that workaround didn't help, then a new Profile is in order. If you need a guideline: http://home.att.net/~cherokee67/NS7newprofile.html

 

Hi Ramona
I am getting more puzzled by my mail problem.
I activated Outlook Express just to see how it worked.
I can't get my messages off the server with OE either.
I get an error message saying 'the server doesn't respond'
Then, I downloaded Thunderbird and installed that.
I can't get my messages thru Thunderbird either.
At least, I'm not getting a 'folder being processed' message with TB.
Could be I've got two problems, one with Netscape, and one with my ISP.
I'll check this tomorrow.
George

 

Hi Ramona
Well, things are just bizarre!
This morning, I called my ISP to see about my email problem.
As luck would have it, they are in a labour dispute, and I couldn't get
anyone to talk to.
Then, I opened Outlook Express, and, lo and behold, it immediately downloaded all my messages off the server.
I opened Thunderbird, and checked my mail - no messages on the server.
Same with N7.2, and no message about 'processing'
I imported the messages from OE to both Tbird and N7.2 without difficulty.
At least I don't have to switch profiles.
I will, however, from now on, religiously compact my folders and archive them regularly.
The annoying part about this is that the problem seems to have been at the server, and it was masked by the 'processing' glitch.
I thank you profusely for all your help, and, no doubt, I'm sure you will save my bacon again in the future
George

 

Glad you got something straightened out. And, even gladder that you tried another mail client. Now, you will have to make sure that the settings in all of them include to leave messages on server. I think that it is on server settings in OE. I had just tried to set up an account in OE, as a test. If you don't have that check mark ( the same applies to Netscape and Thunderbird), you will not see the message in the other client, but you should, if you have that check mark.
The server can make big messes, which send you on wild goose chases.

 

George,

Hallelujah! So glad you have you Mail at last.