Resolved Lost email content in Thunderbird

Hello One and All,

I am new to this posting world, so I do hope I followed the rules and I'm not duplicating a subject that has already been addressed.

I use Thunderbird email v2.0.0.23(20090812) and have for about 6 or 7 months now. Everything seemed to be fine until yesterday. I received 5 or 6 emails and was checking them one at a time in the upper part of the split viewing window (where subject, sender, date are listed). I highlighted (clicked on it) the next email in line. The header info (who from, subject, date, etc) displayed was the same as the email I had just read (it should not have been) and the body or content of that next email was totally blank. I checked a couple more and they seemed fine, all of the messages (header and body) were intact. I went back to the "blank" email - still blank, then I started clicking on a couple more in the inbox on a random basis. These were emails I'd received in just the past couple of days and everything was fine; no problems. When I rechecked them, it looks like the body/content has disappeared from all my emails in my inbox. YIKES!

What did I do to make them blank? What can I do to get the content back? I cannot believe they can just disappear like that. Are they hidden, somehow?

Any help or insights would be very much appreciated. I did have info in my seemingly "lost" emails that I need to deal with soon.

Thanks
22foster

 

I have heard weird things, but not this one. In first, when highlighting the invisible header, and selecting View|Message Source, do you see anything?
In any event, if you see a discrepancy between header and contents, close TB, locate your profile, and the Mail folder|account|and delete the Inbox.msf file from Windows Explorer (if you use a PC). Now, open TB, and things should be back to normal. I hope you know where your profile is located.
Refer to:this link

 

in over my head, I think

Westside,

Thank you for your quick response. First, scratch "intermediate" from my knowledge base; I'm feeling very much the beginner. Like, what is my profile? and, is Windows Explorer what is used to operate the computer with on the main screen? I am horribly ignorant regarding terminology. I am fairly isolated from the rest of the staff, so any chats that have occurred over time to compare notes/learn something new have eluded me.

I have come to find that I have left out some info that may be useful. I am on a network run by Windows 2008. The person who set up our network is no longer with the company. I am use to using a directory tree view to find various things. But I'm afraid what that view looks like on our network has me going in circles; there seem to be redundancies and duplications in many files. There are many items I have no idea what they are for, if they are crucial, etc. Nonetheless, I have poked around I found several Inbox.msf files, so I'm not sure what to delete. I did just speak with some in my company who is will to see if they can help, following your directions.

I will provide you an update as soon as possible.

 

In doubt, you can delete all .msf files. They will rebuilt, basing on the equivalent files with no .msf extention. It is important that you work with your program closed, when you delete these files.
As for having more that one Inbox.msf file, it may mean that you, still, have, profiles from previous programs, like Netscape7, or Mozilla, or any of their relative.
I am not familiar with your set up, but, no matter what you should have something like a Documents and Setting folder of your own. By Windows Explorer, I mean what you see in your drive. I have retired over seven years ago, and I was doing very little of my own with what I had, but I was able to install, and work with the programs available, back then. It would be good if you can get some knowledgeable help with your system.

 

Foster,

I'm not sure I am capable of explaining what a Profile is but, I'll take a shot at it.

First keep in mind there are any number of software programs that have something called a "PROFILE ". Basically a "Profile" is a file or folder that holds your personal settings of likes and dislikes of how a software program operates.

For example it could be as simple as holding your choice of color settings.

In the case of Thunderbird, a Profile which you create and name is pretty complex as it consist of more then one folder and holds the settings required for connecting to your ISP and other settings relative to how you want Thunderbird to operate. For example one of these settings allows you to keep your mail messages in any folder you create and setup for Thunderbird to use.

Please keep in mind there are default settings which Thunderbird will use if you do not choose to change them.

Thunderbird allows for more then one Profile and within each Profile you can have more then one mail box. When you load Thunderbird you can choose which Profile you desire to use. Purpose of this is so more then one person can use the same Thunderbird program to send and receive mail.

Hope this helps as it is my simply definition of a Profile.

Unless it has changed "Windows Explorer" is usually found under START and ACCESSORIES. "Windows Explorer" is a program to manipulate and control your files and folders with on the hard drive. I hold the opinion, it is very important for all users to learn how to use Windows Explorer or a similar program.

I invite you to read a document I prepared which explains my opinion and a few things to know which are at:...
http://www.raysmyth.net/dunce/09-hd/00-hd.html

My 2 cents, Ray

 

Westside,

Thank you for your input and suggestions. I did get some assistance from someone in my company. We did locate my profile and the appropriate .msf files (there were two) and got them deleted. I went back into TB and it did rebuild everything. However, the emails where I could not view their content - they are not in the list with my other inbox emails. The person I worked with thinks that the problem was not in the header of the emails, but the content or body or message of them got scrambled. Even though these emails were listed in the inbox listing, they some how got corrupted?

This seems a little strange to me. Some of these "funky" emails (the ones missing their content) came through just recently, while other emails I'd received a month or two ago and were still in my inbox suddenly had no content. I'm guessing this reindexing that took place permanently deleted all the emails with no content? Oh well.


Old Chief Ray,

Thank you for your explanations and illustrations for what a profile is and what Windows Explorer is/does. I, also, am of the opinion all users should know how to navigate and work with their systems. My problem was finding someone who could provide some answers, instead of taking the stance that I should know this already and go find someone else to explain this to you. So, thank you very much. Now I can find my socks!


I do have TB back and stabilized, but I don't know if there is a way to recover my lost emails. So, I'm not sure how to determine (and mark) this thread as resolved. As I said way back when, I'm a newbie to bb's.

 

Unless I missed something the e-mails were never seen. Were they seen? Since there is no header, you cannot check them.

 

Yes, the emails showed in the inbox list with date, subject, sender, etc. But when I highlighted/clicked on them to read there was nothing - no content.

I also at that time tried to view a few random emails in the inbox that I had already received and read. I just had not gotten around to dealing with them. When I highlighted/clicked on them there was nothing there in the content. There had been, then there wasn't.

I can understand an incoming email getting scrambled, but not emails already received.

Any thoughts?

 

Here's a thought which will probably won't get us anyplace but, based on you're saying that you are clicking on the message, I am going to assume you are using the Classic View and have to Click Click in order to see the message.

I suggest you try going to VIEW - LAYOUT and select the Wide View. This will split the Thunderbird window horizontally about half way so it is not necessary to click as all you need do is highlight each message and read it in the lower half of the screen.

NOTE, after selecting the WIDE VIEW and splitting the screen, it might be necessary to raise the divider border up in the event that was it's last setting.

Frankly, I am doubtful this will accomplish anything but, is an option worth trying since I can't see your screen from here. HA!!

Good Luck, Ray

 

Thanks Old Chief,

I do have TB set to Classic View which does split the screen: list above, message below. It just doesn't display all the way across the screen like Wide View. I don't have to double click to see the message.

In my quest for the proper terminology I sometimes just don't know what is correct: When I hold my cursor over a listing in the upper part of the screen to select the message I actually have to click my mouse once which highlights the listing and provides the contents of the email below.

Anyway, I guess those old received emails that got trashed and have now disappeared completely since TB did a rebuild are just lost forever. Dang.

Que Sera, Sera....

 

I, simply, do not understand why there is such concern for something which was never seen. I would understand that you would be upset about mail which you saw, but as I am reading no such mail was ever seen. Thunderbird does not delete mail, by itself (unless set as Junk, or with a filter to remove it. I think that there is any concern, I would look at the mail as webmail, first, beside using the View|Message Source trick, which allows one to view the text part and other info of a message without opening.
There is a risk to open a message in the Classic View. A message opens without your intervention, and this is not safe. As for viewing the messages in their entirety, one can expand or contract the part of each view.

 

Hi Foster! I have the same issue!! This happened just yesterday, so in searching for answers I came across your post. It affects only about a 2 month block of emails. Ones before seem OK and the most recent ones are OK. There was indeed content before, but now there isn't. Or in some cases there is stuff there, but it doesn't match with the header. In my case, it appears that all the 'messed up' email is in duplicate.( LOL - tried to use 'scr*** up' but it got censored - must be to 'save' those 'innocent' 14 year olds from bad words <g>.)

This appears to have occurred after a Panda Active Scan 'fixed' a couple suspicious files. <sigh>

The downside, I haven't backed-up stuff recently - the plus side, I also haven't cleared the files from the server. Now if only I could get them back into the computer!

I had hoped that I could just delete that block of emails from whereever Thunderbird stores them and the program would just take them off the server again replacing the scrambled version with a fresh copy ... But as far as I can see Thunderbird stores them in some type of compressed file so I can't extract just that block.

I don't want to dump the whole file as then I'd lose all the older emails, many of which I need to refer to from time to time.

Any ideas?

linda

 

It should work if you create a new profile, and enter a new account. Unless, your AV messes things up, again. The files like Inbox, are not compressed, and the contents are readable, with Wordpad. Antivirus programs can cause havoc, and in many cases all mail was lost, even on account of a single suspicious mail. But, some programs will just remove a few or even one e-mail. You should be able to find info, about this, in your AV program.
I am controlling the AV program, not the other way around.

 

I'm not sure I understand exactly what you want to do but, it appears you want to save a portion of the messages in the INBOX and delete some bad ones in the INBOX and then go retrieve your mail off the server again.

Also appears you have messages in the INBOX that are not on the server and want to keep your older messages.

If you are like me and never use the Local Folder, I offer you this suggestion:

1. Clean up your normal INBOX Folder with the messages in it you want to keep and I'd do the same for SENT messages.

Do the same for DRAFT and TEMPLATE Folders in the event you have messages there which you want to keep.

Providing you are using the default setting, you should find your Thunderbird messages in the path which looks something like this of C:\Documents and Settings\RAY\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\616ih6cj.Default User\Mail\mail.smyth1.net

In the above case my INBOX and SENT mail is in the "mail.smyth1.net" folder.

NOTE: This path and these files are normally hidden and you will have to unhid your files using TOOLS-FOLDER OPTIONS-VIEW in "Windows Explorer "

2. Using "Windows Explorer" I would first make a backup copy of the "PROFILES" folder in the above path which will provide you a copy of all your mail plus Address Books and the Bookmark File. Once finished you can delete this temporary backup as it will still contain some unwanted files.

3. Next Copy the INBOX and SENT file from your ISP Mail Box to the Local Folder. Copying the DRAFT and TEMPLATE is up to you but, don't copy anything you don't need.

DO NOT COPY the files with the MSF extension or any others.

4. Using Windows Explorer, Go back to the normal ISP Mail folder and delete everything in it.

5. Load Thunderbird and verify your normal MAIL folder is empty and your cleaned up mail is in the Local Folders boxes.

6. Go back to the normal folder and download your mail again.

7. Once your mail is downloaded you may move the INBOX and SENT message now in the Local Folder back to the Normal INBOX and SENT Folder which will again put all your mail back together.

As a rule, it is best not to have too many email messages in one folder, So I have the practice of separating my mail by each month and name my folders under the INBOX Folder simply 01 tru 12 and this way the months all line up in order and each month I move my mail over to it's permanent folder. Also for each year I start a complete new profile i.e. RAY-2010 which keeps me organized by the years and months.

My 2 Cents, Ray

 

Thanks for your reply!
When I went to where my mail was stored, it doesn't list individual messages, how would I go about seeing them?

I am not sure how to go about creating a new profile. Do I just make up another name and then put the exact same info (server etc) in it as my current profile? This would then at least take the stuff off the server and put it on my computer, though not in the same group of emails as my primary bunch, yes?

This would be a workable solution I think. As long as I remembered that if I couldn't find something in my primary account I could look there.

Before I mess with anything I have taken a copy of the mail folder and stored it on my external drive. If the primary copy becomes totally trashed, if I just put the copy back will Thunderbird recognize it? I am really concerned about making matters worse instead of better as I have much important info stored!

linda

 

Yup. That's pretty much it in a nutshell.

I do have quite a few emails stored in folders on Local Folder as well, though use those a lot less these days due to Thunderbirds superior search capabilities. As it would take FOREVER to look through these (it took me an hour just to sort through about 3/4 of the stuff on the server to make room) I'm hoping to just dump the block of corrupted emails.

Ok, my location appears to be -
C:\Users\linda\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\kxeqpj3e.default\Mail

In that folder there are 2 folders Local and pop.metrocast.net
If I hover over the Local folder it says I have 4.8GB of mail (yikes!), however if I open it shows all the folders I have created (not sure what the extension is, it doesn't show). It also shows a folder that says Inbox.sbd (and a few others). If I hover over that it says it is only 1.99MB ! So where's the mail? (I do seem to have it set to show hidden files.)

OK, I think I have already done this (see previous post) though I grabbed the entire Thunderbird file which also seems to include a couple other small files.

OK, you've lost me here! Could you maybe show me via http://www.screentoaster.com/ or the like?

Ok, now this sounds like it would work, if not for my getting totally confused in the middle. Maybe if you and 'West' could join forces ? It sounds like we're close. <g>

I have spent hours messing with this over the past few days and have only succeeded in getting annoyed and frustrated, so I really appreciate both of you attempting to help! That said, I think I've reached my aggravation quota for the day!! Maybe my patience will return by evening. <g>

Though I haven't (yet <g>) experienced this with Thunderbird I did lose a HUGE chunk of mail back when I used Outlook Express (why I changed!) as when my Inbox reached a certain size Outlook trashed it!

I had thougt of at at least splitting stuff by year, though not by month.
Doesn't that make searches difficult?

I really appreciate your help and hope I can get it straightened up soon. It is simply amazing how much involves email these days! Though I dumped my cable TV a couple years ago (due to the high cost) and never looked back, I'd be lost without my computer internet connection!

linda

 

Mail in the Inbox, etc. file is stored back to back, with the latest one downloaded on top. This is the old Unix format, and all one needs is to right click on the Inbox file, and Open with Wordpad (Notepad does not work with large files). You will not see individual images, but, most important, you will see the text.
One should Compact the files after sending something to Trash. This has been around for as long as Netscape, and such programs have been out.
It may be a problem if too many messages come, but if you know the date, you should be able to view your mail, by scrolling down the open Wordpad file.

 

Linda, if you will go to http://www.raysmyth.net/linda I think maybe you can better understand what I have attempted to convey in writing.

However, before going there please understand I am a contankerous old man who does his own thing and doesn't much use the default stuff.

First off, I use SeaMonkey and it is not exactly like Thunderbird but, it does come from the Mozilla family of browsers and the screens are very similar.

I also have my profiles and mail folders located on an internal hard drive D: so the path you will be seeing are my own and not the default settings.

Keep in mind I use a new Profile each year and have other Profiles for my own use. I also have several mail boxes set up in each of the Profiles. I've already told you I use monthly folders for my mail stowage.

You mentioned the .sbd folders and that is the sub-folders to the Sent or Inbox folders.

I do have Thunderbird installed and did use some screens from it on how to create additional Profiles.

I don't think I need say any more just go to the link of www.raysmyth.net/linda and read the screens.

The screen instructions and my previous post should give you the comfort zone to proceed.

Good Luck, Ray

 

Linda, After reading your last message for the 3rd time, I am now thinking that perhaps you may be using the Local Folders and if that is the case then prior to proceeding with the method I described on the web site we need to determine exactly where your mail is located because I been assuming you were not using the Local Folders.

Your mail normally should be in the pop.metrocast.net folder. But, now it has got me to wondering.

Go to http://www.raysmyth.net/linda-11.jpg and after reviewing the bottom of the screen where is shows the Local Directory setting, please go to Server Settings in your setup and tell me which folder it indicates is being used for the Local Directory:

Note: you will have to go inside the small window and scroll the path command line over.

Let us know what that says because this is the path to the folder where your mail should be.

Also can you tell us after reviewing the stuff at www.raysmyth.net/linda which folder have you been seeing your e-mail in when in Thunderbird. i.e. your mail box folder or the Local Folders.

Ray,