Netscape mail msgs lost after hard drive upgrade

Helllllllppppp. For some reason, after installing a new hard drive, the inbox mail disappeared. There were old mails - some read, some not, but they all went somewhere and I need them. Any idea how to get them back or where to look. I tried leaving an ad in the newsapapers, but my pc can't read............... (sorry, bad joke.) No joke about the poo-poo I'm in if those mails are gone for good.
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Thank-you, thank-you.

 

Welcome to the Forum, iNepT PC!

iNepT PC,

I assume you made no backup before installing your new HDD?

The Mail Account folder for Netscape is located here:
C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\profile_name\*.slt\Mail\pop.isp_name.net

If you made no backup, and the Mail Account folder isn't in the above location, then I think you may have lost your Mail.

 

Hey Ramona,
Thanks for the direction. I managed to find a few files to that nature and also how to open them (with Netscape). It's a lot of techno babble coding and stuff that's completely Greek to me. I'm not even sure if it's "current" mail or the "history" mail from days lost or what. They have a "msf" file extension that was a trick to open. Now, I just got to find out HOW to get those back to where they were. I imagine that duplicates would overwrite (I hope), and the old be be restored. I looked in "import ", but I don't get an option to "import file" from the desktop where I saved a copy of. Any ideas?

 

iNepT PC,

If you are running Netscape or Seamonkey:

Open Mail and Newsgroups, then click on:
Edit | Mail & Newsgroups Account Settings | Server Settings

If you are running Thunderbird:

Open Thunderbird, and click on:
Tools | Account Settings | Server Settings

Scroll down to the "Local directory" field
Click on the "Browse" button to the right of the field
Find the path to the Mail Account folder that contains your mail, e.g. pop.ispname.net
Close Mail & Newsgroups, and reopen
Your Mail should be viewable now.

The MSF files are summary files created by Netscape. When loading the mail, these files give Netscape/SeaMonkey/Thunderbird, the header information. Your actual messages (including all headers) is stored in the file with no extension (unix format). They aren't meant to be edited, or read, by the user.

These files can be safely deleted, and are regenerated on restart of the Browser. They frequently become corrupt, and this is why it is the first suggested workaround when a Mail problem exists. These files are especially prone to damage if you are running Quick Launch (Netscape/SeaMonkey).

 

So then, two questions come to mind; Does this procedure do anything to the existing mail on the computer now - meaning the "new" ones (read and unread) that are on the screen now? And, secondly, does the mail in that folder repopulate the current view or put things back where there were - read, unread, e.t.c.? (I think that made sence)

TYVM

 

1. Yes, the procedure does effect the existing mail, but it won't be lost. If you point to the original Mail Account folder, then that will be the Mail that you will view when opening the Mail.

2. No, you will have to copy the "new" messages to the "original" Mail folder. Here's how:

Close Netscape and Quick Launch, and open Windows Explorer:
Copy the files with no .msf extensions in the Mail Account folder
(Inbox, Drafts, Templates, Sent)

Paste the files with no .msf extensions in the original Profile's Mail Account folder

Copy all SBD (subfolders) to the original Mail Account folder, as they contain your subfolders. Also delete the MSF files in these folders.

Caution:
These files will replace any existing files in the original Mail Account folder.

You may first want to rename the Mail files.
e.g., rename Inbox to OldInbox, etc. The renamed files will appear in the Mail. This will ensure that you lose no existing mail.

Back up all Mail Folders before doing this edit.

If you have more than one Mail Account, follow the same procedure for each Mail account.

Let us know if you have further questions.

 

WOW Can you just over I'm in Vancouver, Canada and I've got cold beer!!!!

I'll have a look at that when my brain wakes up. Thanks sooooo much Ramona.

 

You're most welcome, but afraid it's past my bedtime, so will have to pass on that beer. Save it for another time, O.K.?