Emails vanished from my inbox

Hi godfrey,

When you originally set up your Mail Account, your Mail Account folder was named:
mail.altelco.net

Each time you create a new account a -digit is added to the Mail Account Name.

When you lost your mail, you created another Mail account
mail.altelco-1.net

When you reinstalled Netscsape it created yet another Mail account
mail.altelco-2.net which is empty

The mai.altelco-3 and -4, evidently were created when trying to point the Local directory to the correct path.

The mail.altelco-5.net is most like your current, newly created account. To ensure this is correct look here:

Edit | Mail & Newsgroups Account Settings | Server Settings

In the right pane scroll down to the "Local directory" field. What is the last folder entry?

What ever the last folder entry, i.e. mail.altelco-?.net, then that is the folder to which you will copy your renamed Mail files (OldInbox, OldSent, etc.)

Don't use any other folder but the one shown in the Local directory path, for copying the Mail files.

Ensure that you have made a backup copy of your Profiles folder before starting the edit. Also that you have closed Netscape and Quick Launch.

Once you have moved the Mail from mail.altelco.net to your newly created account, then you can follow the same procedure to copy Mail from any other accounts which may contain Mail.

Did you delete the mail.altelco.net folder here:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\mozilla.org\GRE\1.4f_2003062408

If not, please do that before starting to move your Mail from the old to new account. Double check to ensure there is no Mail contained in the folder. If not, then highlight the mail.altelco.net folder, right click, and select: Delete.

Please ask any questions you may have, if this isn't clear to you.

Ramona

 

Hi Ramona,

I'm proceeding very carefully to avoid mistakes. For me as a beginner, the path is full of minefields.

I right-clicked on Start, and then left-clicked on Explorer. What came up is a list of Folders. You said highligh C. Are you talking about drive C I always click on, on my way to my folders?

Godfrey

 

Hi godfrey,

Yes, take it slow and easy, and you'll be fine.

Drive C is what I referred to. At the top of the left pane in Windows Explorer.

Ramona

 

Hi Ramona,

When I highlighted drive C, it opened up, showing quite a few icons in the right pane. But there's no "Select" to click on. The closest thing to "Select," probably used in a different context, is this statement on display: "Select an item to view its description. "

It seems I didn't get it right. Is drive C supposed to open up when I simply highlight it? Or did I do something wrong in trying to highlight it? I simply had the cursor at the end of the drive's description and left-clicked; and there it was, highlighted in blue, but accompanied by several icons on the right none of which is identified as "Select. "

Godfrey

 

Hi godfrey,

I'll go into a bit more detail for you:


Open Windows Explorer
In the left pane
Highlight the C:\ which is your root directory

In the right pane of Window Explorer, right click in any blank space
From the right click menu, select : "New "
Then from that menu, select: "Folder "
A flashing blue rectangle will be available, which says: "New Folder "
In that field, type in "Backup" or whatever you wish to name the folder

Now you can go to the Profiles folder, right click the Profiles folder, and from the right click menu, select: "Copy "
Next go to the Backup folder, right click the Backup folder you created, and from the right click menu, select: "Paste "
Now you have a backup of your Profile

Let me know if this isn't perfectly clear.

Ramona

 

Hi Ramona,

Thank you very much for your patience. I'm definetly doing something wrong, may be right from the beginning as I try to follow your instructions.

This is what I do, and what I get: On my way to Windows Explorer, I left-click on Start, go to Programs, then to Accessories, and down to Windows Explorer.

I have left-clicked, and right-clicked on Windows Explorer, at different times, and have gotten the same results. In the left pane, or small left window, under Folders are listed the following items in descending order: Desktop, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Computer, Recycle Bin, and Online Sewrvices. And in the right bigger window are My Documents, filled with the appropriate icons identifying the documents.

Earlier, you said I could right-click on Start, and then on Explore, and still get the same results. I have done both, clicked left, and clicked right on Explorer, again at different times, and have come up with this: A long list of folders in the small left window, or pane, and Start Menu in the right window which is also much bigger than the left one.

Among the items listed under Folders in the left pane, besides the ones I have named above, are: Floppy A; C (Drive C, I assume); and the rest all the way down; a significant number of items too many to name here.

Am I on the right track?

I have also, after clicking on Start, tried Run, and Search, but am at loss exactly what I should type in there. Typing in my local directory in the Search window has not helped at all; and in the Run window, I found this highlighted: .../MozillaProfiles/godfrey/pakeway6hwy.slt/prefs.js

I just can't find what you say I should highlight after I open Windows explorer. The left pane you're talking about has the items, or folders, I have identified above; so does the right one with its own items.

The rest is mystifying to me. I see no blank space in the right pane, if I see any pane at all; and no root directory (C) to highlight on the left. The only "C" I see is drive C, I believe. And when I highlight that, I see quite a few folders and other icons in the right window which also shows the drive's capacity and how much of it I have left.

I use Windows ME, although I don't believe it has anything to do with all this confusion.

Are there any shortcuts? This is one long, tortuous journey, although I'm not ready to give up.

Godfrey

 

Hi godfrey,

I know it is very confusing when you are a beginner, trying to understand all the terminology.

I put up a screen shot for you, as Confucius said; A picture is worth 10,000 words.. Look here:
http://home.att.net/~cherokee68/windowsexplorer.html

You will see in the left pane that the C: is highlighted

In the right pane the cursor rests in a "Blank Space." Place your cursor where you see mine, in the screen shot.

Right click in the "Blank Space "
From the Menu select: "New "
From the next Menu select: "Folder "
By select, I mean that you should click on "New ", and then click on "Folder ".

Now you will see a flashing blue rectangle, which says "New Folder "

Type in that rectangle the name of your Backup folder. Once you type in the name of the folder, that folder will now appear in the left pane. For the sake of clarity, type in "Backup "

This Backup folder is where you will paste the backup of your Profiles folder.

If this isn't perfectly clear, please ask questions.

Ramona

 

Hi Ramona,

I'm doing just fine, so far; proceeding cautiously, of course.

This is where I am now: the "Backup" folder is still in the right window, and not in the left where you said it would be. Whether or not this makes a difference, I don't know.

What's next? With Netscape and Quick Launch off, go to my local directory, ...mail.altelco-5.net, right-click on the mouse, then click on copy, and then go back to the "Backup" folder to paste it? And then erase the local directory to paste in ...mail.altelco.net - the one fully loaded with emails?

Godfrey

 

Hi godfrey,

Close Windows Explorer, and when you reopen it, the Backup folder will be in the left pane.

Your next step is to copy your "Profiles" folder.

The Profiles folder will be found here:
C\Windows\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles

Right click the Profiles folder
From the menu, click on "Copy "
Now go to the C:\Backup folder
Right click the Backup folder
From the menu, click on "Paste "

Open the Backup folder
Do you see the Profiles? If so, then you have made a backup.

Don't delete anything.

Ramona

 

Hi Ramona,

Simple, yet not quite so simple for a beginner like me. But I'm getting there.

Exactly where's the Profiles folder, besides where I have found it before when I double-click on My Computer and navigate all the way to where it is?: My Computer---Drive C---Windows---Application Data---Mozilla---Profiles---godfrey---pakeway6hwy.slt

Which I one do I target, and click on: godfrey or pakeway6hwy.slt?

By the way, there are four profiles on this computer, mine being just one of them.

Again, make it very simple for me, as you always have done, step-by-step. I'm almost there.

Thanks.

Godfrey

 

Hi godfrey,

You're doing absolutely great!

This is the location of your Profile folder, which is where you found it before:

C\Windows\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles

Right click the "Profiles" folder
From the menu, click on "Copy "

Now go to the C:\Backup folder
Right click the "Backup" folder
From the menu, click on "Paste "

Ramona

 

Thanks, Ramona.

I did as instructed and saw the copying going on. But I cancelled it, temporarily, because I want to make sure that I have to copy all the profiles. Not all of them are mine. There are four profiles. Do I have to copy all of them? It's going to take about 204 minutes; that's the time remaining as shown on the screen when the items were being moved into the other folder.

Or do I have copy only "godfrey "?

Godfrey

 

might help

hi. i might have a solution. when that configuration error pops up, note what line it says is the problem in prefs.js; mine happened to be line 165. so i went and opened up prefs.js in notepad to find this on line 165, "user_pref( "timebomb.first_launch_time ", "1067354642947566 ");" aboviously a hack attack. i have a firewall too, so it was probably executed from something i downloaded(a crack for a game or two, heh ). all i did was delete from prefs.js(opened up in notepad) and clicked save. now netscape starts up without me having to enter my user information each time. i too, am also having trouble logging into my mail. everytime i type my password, it says "log in failed." all of this started the exact same time the tainted code to prefs.js started executing itself; so it IS related, no doubt. i am trying to fix that right now, i will post here again if i do figure that one out. good luck fixin urs!!

p.s.- i found this board while searching for help. and the dude that has been helping godfrey(whom this letter is addressed to) helped me by helping me locate my mozilla folder to locate that prefs.js file. thank you. now i must go fix my mail...

 

i fixed mine!!!

okay, now i've found this in prefs.js after opening it in notepad. i forgot what line but here is the malicious code that prevented my mail from working... it says this: user_pref( "mail.is_a_franklin_user ", true);" i deleted that and saved and now it works. all of my old mail is present as well. i suggest you do the same, find those two wrongful codes in your prefs.js and delete them. if you do not find these, i strongly suggest using your natural given .... eh, whats the word... ... ... reasoning, yeah, ur natural given talent of reasoning to find code that just doesn't sound right. like "timebomb" and *** ever "franklin_user" is. sounded like b.s. to me so i got rid of it. im sure my netscape was permantly altered in someway by a program that lies hidden and tracks re-installs again and again and what not and does the same altering to it's program code and these values execute it. so don't worry about those virii on ur cpu, just focus on getting rid of the codes in your prefs.js that execute them. doing so will make them harmless even tho they can't be found, my virii scanner can't find em so they are probably new if these problems are just getting around to people. i just got it and u did. it's brand new. i hope the procedures i took fixes ur netscape as it did mine. good luck!!!!!!!!!

 

...

p.s.- in notepad, click "edit" then "find" and copy and paste my problem codes i found on mine to find them more quickly:

user_pref( "timebomb.first_launch_time ", "1067354642947566 ");

user_pref( "mail.is_a_franklin_user ", true);

If you cannot find these, i suggest doing what i suggested before, find dumb code within the prefs.js that just doesn't sound right! be sure to backup the prefs.js by simply copying it to another directory(just remember which, i'd just simply make a folder called "backup" in the direcotry where prefs.js is and copy it to there, then edit away all ur problems!) go! snap to it!!!!!!!

 

sorry

i just read back a few post and saw that ur problem got fixed... i didn't read into it too much but i did read that u said that ur mail is now working and everything is fine except that u can't get ur old mails still. well, still try what i suggested for the hell of it. i'd do it, cuz it seems like u really wan't those mails! heh i hope it does work for you. all of my stuff is still there now! and a whole brand new chunk of junk mail too! (72 new junk mails... ) i haven't been able to check it in about 5 days. now i can delete my ratrunner.com account. netscape mail is the best! good luck again!!!!!

 

Thanks, pantheon, although I can't quite follow you because I know very little about computers. I appreciate your help nonetheless. My prefs.js was renamed prefs.old by my ISP technician and I was then able to access my email, except the old ones which I'm sure I'm about to get with the help I have been getting so far.

Regards,

Godfrey

 

;

k. i'll keep up with the board and see if ur problem gets solved. if not, i'll explain how i fixed it in again but in simpler terms. bye for now...

 

Hi Ramona,

Should I copy all the profiles or just mine? I can't go any further until you clarify this.

Thanks.

Godfrey

 

Hi godfrey,

Yes, copy only the "godfrey" profile:

C\Windows\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\godfrey

One more question that you have yet to answer: is there any Mail in this folder:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\mozilla.org\GRE\1.4f_2003062408\altelco.net

Ramona