Preventive Browser Maintenance

Updated 04/15/04

The following basic maintenance will ensure premium performance for your browser, when implemented at the close of your online session.

Compact your Mail folders frequently in order to release unused space to other applications. Compacting compresses the files, thus taking up less HDD space. Compacting should be done when messages have been moved or deleted.
In Mail & Newsgroups, click: File | Compact Folders.

The Trash folder should be emptied frequently.

Keep your Inbox to a reasonable size, as it isn't intended for archiving mail. Create an archive folder in your Mail Account. Move messages to this folder when the Inbox starts growing to a disproportionate size. You risk losing all your Mail if allowing the Inbox to become too large.

To create a Folder:
Click on: File | New | Folder
Type in the name you wish to use
The Folder will appear in the left pane of the Mail window

Next you can create subfolders for the newly created archive folder, if you wish.

If you have several hundred messages you wish to move to the archive folder, I would suggest moving the messages in reasonable increments and not all at one time. The Mail component could choke, if you try to move too many messages at the same time.

Before attempting to move messages from the Inbox to an archive folder, back up your Profile. If for any reason you make an error, you will have a current back up of your entire Profile.

The easiest way to move messages from one folder to another:
Highlight the messages you wish to move, by holding down the Shift key, or hold down the Ctrl key if the messages are scattered.
Right click the highlighted messages
Click on: Move to | Mail Account | your archive folder
Your messages will be moved.

If you prefer, you can select Copy to | Mail Account | your archive folder
Copying the messages will create one extra step. Once you copy the messages from the Inbox to the archive folder, then you will need to delete the files you copied from the Inbox.

Once you have either moved or copied the files from the Inbox to your archive folder, compact the folders. If you have storage medium other than a floppy drive, i.e., a Zip Drive, or CD Burner, then back up to the storage medium on a regular basis.

See my guideline for Archiving, and Accessing Mail on CD

With the browser, and Quick Launch closed:
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the *.slt (salted) folder
See: Profiles Folder Location for your OS.

Delete these files:
history.dat - this is the database of all visited web pages
XUL.mfl - contains precompiled chrome and JavaScript cache for faster loading

Delete this folder:
Cache - temporary internet files

Your browser will rebuild these files, and folder, when next opened.
Do this for each Profile.

Back up your Profiles Folder frequently, and certainly when any additions, deletions, or edits are made. Windows XP users should pay special attention, as the prefs.js file can become corrupt after a crash, or perhaps for no reason at all. This can result in the loss of Mail, and Mail settings. This seems to occur more frequently if running Windows XP. Mail can be easily recovered by replacing the corrupt prefs.js file with your current back up. Otherwise if no prefs.js back up is available it becomes a more complicated procedure.

Before backing up the Profiles folder, compact your Mail folders, and delete the history.dat, and XUL.mfl files, and Cache folder, from the *.slt (salted) folder.

To back up your Profile:
Close the browser and Quick Launch
Open Windows Explorer
Create a back up folder on your root directory, which would be C: for most users. Name the folder whatever you wish

Next: Navigate to your Profiles folder: < path >\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles
Right click the Profiles folder
Click on "Copy "

Next:
Navigate to the back up folder and right click the folder
Click on "Paste "
Now you have a current back up of your Profile.

Also maintain the Download Manager, by deleting the list of files that you have downloaded. If you allow the list to become too lengthy the Download Manager may stop working. To clear the list of files:

Click on Tools | Download Manager
Press Ctrl+A
Click on "Remove from List "

Windows maintenance - but also important for error free operation:

Do a "Find" for *.tmp and delete all files found
Start | Find | Files or Folder

Empty the Recycle Bin frequently
Do a thorough ScanDisk frequently
Defrag at your discretion



Ramona

 

archiving mail

What is the easiest way to carry out your suggestion?


"Keep your Inbox to a reasonable size, as it isn't intended for archiving mail. Create an Archive subfolder of your Mail Account. Move messages to this folder when the Inbox starts growing to a disproportionate size. "

How does one move several hundred messages at one time to an archive subfolder?

 

ackerberg,

I wouldn't try moving several hundred messages at one time. Do it in reasonable increments, or your Mail component will choke during the copy. Speaking from experience.

Ramona

 

With the older version of Netscape making sub-directories for old mail was easy but, with 7.0 I am not sure I understand how to make extra Folders to stow the mail in.

I have been making phoney e-mail address or what is additional e-mail accounts in order to have extra folders to stow the saved mail in.

Would Ramona mind explaining how she does the archiving of mail to be saved in Folders and yet have it immediately available for review.

Or is there a place of instructions for me to read on this subject.

THANKS,

 

Hi Ray,

To create a Folder:

Open the Mail window
Click on: File | New | Folder
Type in the name you wish to use
The Folder will appear in the left pane of the Mail window.

See this Screen Shot

Ramona

 

Tranferring the mail

Hi Ramona,
I never had a problem creating the new mail folder. My problem is how to transfer 600 e-mails all at once without having to do each one separately. Is there a way to do a mass transfer? Thanks.

 

Hi ackerberg,

As I said earlier in the thread, I wouldn't do a mass move, as your mail component might choke. Try moving half of them at a time.

Highlight the Inbox
Hightlight the first message
Hold down the shift key
Move the scroll bar half way down the message list
Click the last message
Half the messages will be highlighted
Left click the messages and drag them to the newly created archive folder
OR
Right click the message
Click on Move to | Mail Account | your archive folder

Let me know if you have further questions.

Ramona

 

Thanks Ramona

 

I too THANK Ramona so very much - I feel kind of 69 years stupid - I been making Folders since they were called Directories but, for some reason I always did it using a Windows Explorer type program and made the Folders directly and not from within Netscape Mail.

I never been one to use Drag and Drop much either.

So, with this thread I learned two things........ How to separate or breakout the mail into smaller packages. AND learned I can make Folders even off the InBox and Sent Folder.

So, Ramona I do appreciate the use of your knowledge and all the effort you put into this forum.

 

ackerberg,

Always a pleasure!

Ray,

Glad to hear that an "old dog" learned a new trick! I'm still discovering new things about Netscape and Mozilla. This old dog has learned a few new tricks too!

Ramona

 

Ramona,
your tips are excellent, although I have been doing what you suggest for long time. I don't know if there is any more of a risk to create another folder, or a subfolder of the Inbox. I right click either on the account name, or on the Inbox to create select a New Folder, which I promptly rename. I get nervous when I get over fifty e-mails in one folder, although the Inbox, itself stays lean and mean.
I have made use of Message Filters to direct some recurring e-mails, like newsletters or jokes.
I may have a dozen of subfolders, but they are well organized.
Now, how do you Login this site? My method, or, lack thereof, is to select to reply, and sure enough I am told that I don't exist, etc. Am I blind?

 

Westside,

To log in, go to this link: http://www.windowsbbs.com/

Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and on the right hand side, it says:

Not cookied?
Login with username and password:


Ramona

 

Ramona, Many thanks for the very important reminder and instructions on maintaining the browser.

Marvin

 

Ramona,re: XUL.mfl-not quite sure exactly what it does,or why it`s better to delete it.Can you kindly elaborate a little? Many thanks!

 

perkin,

As you have seen, the file grows to enomous size in only one session. Here is a brief description of the files in the salted folder (*.slt): http://gemal.dk/mozilla/files.html

XUL.MFL is the cache file for the UI - User Interface, when you load the application and go to news, mail, preferences, etc. all of which are stored in cache. The .MFL extension stands for Mozilla Fast Load. It makes the application run faster by caching all of your favorite windows, etc. in Mozilla/Netscape. Netscape/Mozilla rebuilds the file when reopened, just as it does the Cache folder, and history.dat.

Ramona

 

Thanks very much Ramona,most helpfull!