Can't Open EML Files in Thunderbird.

All of a sudden, forwarded e-mails in Mozilla Thunderbird from one of my regulars have empty bodies and the forwarded messages and attachments attached as eml files. Upon double-clicking the eml attachment, a second window opens with the usual stuff in the main body and the attached file (usually an mpg) in the 'attachment' window. However, the attached mpg file won't open (even though the listing in the inbox shows the size as that of a large mpg file. Any ideas as to why this could be happening?

As a kind of test, I forwarded an mpg file to myself and it worked normally---that is, the attachment showed up immediately in the attachments window as an mpg file and opens normally. Could it be that my friend has done something to cause his messages to be 'converted' to eml files? He claims not to have changed anything for over a year.

 

Welcome to the Forum, SidMoore!

SidMoore,

Here is something to try on your end, and this is from the Mozilla Thunderbird KB:

1. Exit Thunderbird, and open Windows Explorer
2. Make a backup copy of the file "Inbox "
3. Rename the file "Inbox" to "InboxOld "
4. Delete the file "Inbox.msf "
5. Start Thunderbird. It will create a pristine Inbox
6. There should be a new folder "InboxOld" visible in the left folder pane
Right-click "InboxOld" and select "Compact This Folder "
7. If this succeeds, try to open the InboxOld

Let us know if you can open the folder without problems. If so, then you can rename the folder to anything you wish. If you have been keeping a large amount of messages in the Inbox without compacting, this may be your problem. Create an Archive folder, containing subfolders, and arrange your messages there, once you have answered them. Keep your Inbox very lean.

Now... if the problem is on your friend's end, and it could very well be the case, then have him check all his mail settings to ensure that he isn't sending the messages as attachments. He should be sending them inline. Do you know what mail client he uses?

 

Thanx, Ramona.

And, thanx, for redirecting my post, Pete.

Ramona, I have been compacting my folders regularly, but, I followed your suggestions to a tee and the new "InboxOld" opens fine. I will take your advice and create subfolders to store stuff in to keep the inbox lean.

However, this didn't help with the already received e-mails. I am assuming they were altered somehow and are now corrupt.

I'm having this problem with only one guy who swears he's changed nothing on his end to cause this new problem. He uses AOL---could that be causative?

 

SidMoore,

I think it must be on your friend's end, as it appears he is sending the messages as an attachment, and not "Inline ".

 

I am pretty sure that AOL sends as attachment. I don't know if they can send inline, as an option.

 

I'm sure the guy has been using AOL all along (even when there was no problem). At this point, I am my wit's end to solve this problem. What's weird is, the e-mails are very large, indicating that the files have been downloaded to my computer, but, I just can't open or save them. When I click on the eml file, another window opens showing the unopenable/unsavable file as an 'mpg' or 'pps', depending on its format. When I try I get an error message telling me to check the file name.

 

Sid,

What AntiVirus program do you use? Norton and Thunderbird are not very compatible. For whatever antivirus program you use, disable the autoprotect, or scanning incoming and outgoing messages, and see if that stops the blank messages. You will still be protected against infection. If you attempt to open a attachment containing a potential virus, then your antivirus software will recognize that your are attempting to infect your system, and will alert you. The best practice is to save an attachment to disk and then scan it with the antivirus software prior to opening it.

BTW, you can also view the incoming blank messages, by clicking on "View" Page Source. You might be able to see the problem by taking a look at the header. Feel free to copy the header and post it here.

 

Ramona, I'm running Trend Micro PC-cillan Internet Security.

Three new problems are: 1) messages display only in html, 2) the body of a different e-mail is displayed when a new message is highlighted, and, 3) I have TB set to display messages in a new window, but, they aren't doing that---they are only displaying in the window below the message list. I'm going to give up on this mess and resurrect OE. Thanx for your help, anyway.

 

Sid,

Before you go to OE, create a new Profile in Thunderbird. If you need help:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Migrating_settings_to_a_new_profile

If you have further questions, let us know.

 

Thanx for the suggestion, Ramona. I followed your advice and created a new profile. I haven't figured out how to transer my old settings and address books over, but, the problem seems not to exist in the new profile.

However, in the new profile, when I highlight a message and click the delete button, nothing happens. I have to drag and drop the message to the junk folder. Which brings up another anomaly: my trash folder does not appear in the folders list. I tried to create a new one and all I get is a message telling me a trash folder already exists.

Now, for the really interesting part. Going back to my original profile just now to check something, I found all those unopenable e-mail attachments were back to normal and readily accessible. I had done what you had suggested previously and created an OldInbox folder and put all the old e-mails in there that I wanted to save for possible future reference.

So, if this stands the test of time, I may not have to use the new profile after all. Isn't that curious!?!?

 

That much is good news!

If you set up your Mail Account correctly, then highlighting and deleting a message should send it directly to the Trash folder. You should definitely have a Trash Folder, but since you don't that is undoubtedly why nothing happens when you press "Delete ".

I would do this:

Tools | Account Settings
Highlight the new Account
Scroll to the very bottom of the list and press the "Delete Account" tab

Close the program

Reopen TB
Recreate the Account, and again, close TB
Open TB
Do you have a Trash folder?

Maybe not! Could be that you didn't close the program after you did the editing? Now, after a restart, everything you edited has been written to the prefs.js file, and that's why you see it correctly.

Post back and let us know if the new account gets straightened out by deleting, and recreating.

If you go back to the original mail account, then in order to point TB to that Profile, do this:
Tools | Account Settings | Server Settings
Scroll down to the "Local directory" field
Click on the "Browse" tab
Find the path to the original Mail Account Folder, and select it, e.g.,

C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\profile_name\Mail\pop.isp_name.net

Your default Mail Account Folder should be in place.

Once you finish all your editing, ensure that you make a copy of your entire Thunderbird folder, and place it in your C:\Backup folder.

Back up frequently, and the next time a problem arises, all that is necessary, is to remove the corrupt Thunderbird folder and replace it with the backup. That's why you should do it frequently, in order to have all your current Mail saved. I backup every nite when I shut down the PC...

 

Or, may be, the old profile got intimidated by the presence of the new one, and, decided to stop playing games. sorry, I could not help it.