Inbox problem in NS 4.8

1. I solved two problems by following the instructions that I found in the forum, but now I have one for which I can find no answer. I had the problem, of the Inbox refusing to open. As found, I went to Attributes and unchecked Read Only. Now my Inbox will open and I can get new messages. But Inbox does not open with the messages previously received. I feel sure that they are still there as the file still shows a size of 263 MB. Other files, such as Sent, open normally and show all past messages not deleted - the only problem is with Inbox.
2. Help, please! I need my file of old incoming messages. Thanks, Mack

 

Welcome to the Forum,

Hi Mack,

Try this:

Close Netscape
Open Windows Explorer
Browse to the
C:\Program Files\Netscape\Users\yourusername\Mail folder
Delete the Inbox.snm file

Open Netscape and see if all of your messages are now accessible.

Post back if you continue to have problems.

Ramona

 

Inbox problem with NS 4.8

Many thanks, Romona, but it didn't work. No change in the problem.

 

Hi Mack,

What you can do, is recreate your Inbox.

Close Netscape
Browse to your Users\username\Mail Folder
Rename your Inbox file (with NO SNM Extension) OLDInbox

Open Netscape Messenger, and a new Inbox will be created.

Close Netscape
Open the Mail Folder

Open both the newly created Inbox (NO SNM Extension) and the OLDInbox (NO SNM Extension)

Copy the entire contents of the OLDInbox

Paste the entire contents of OLDInbox into the newly created Inbox

If no joy, post back...

Ramona

 

Thanks again, Ramona, for your patience with me
I have spent several hours trying your latest suggestion, but am running into problems.
Step 4 - you say "Open both....." Open into what?
I have tried using Wordpad and MS Word - I get the
file opened, but when I try to copy it to be pasted, I run into problems - probably due to the very large size of the file = 264 MB. I tried, briefly, to copy and pasted in sections, but didn't get very far that way either. Perhaps I am not "opening" in the correct manner that you intended. Can you please comment and expand on your procedure? Thanks again!

 

Hi Mack,

I see your problem, as I just recreated what you are trying to do with a large Mail folder, and indeed it didn't work! I'm at fault for assuming you would know how to do the step. My apology. A Word Processing editor may add formatting to the text and make the situation worse.

I'm trying to keep you from having to create a new Profile, not the worst thing to do, but better to avoid if possible.

Try this, with Netscape Closed, and after backing up your Users Folder:

Make a copy of the Inbox, move it to another location, and rename it Inbox2
Copy the renamed Inbox2 file back to the Mail Folder

Rename Inbox to XInbox
Delete Inbox.snm

Open Netscape
Open Messenger
You should see a new Inbox with no messages
You should also see Inbox2 with messages (we can only hope)

Open Inbox2
Highlight all messages
Right click
Select: Copy Message | Inbox
The Gods willing, your Messages will be there...

If this works, then you can delete the Inbox2 Folder in Messenger. Once you close Netscape, then make a backup copy of your Users folder, as you will now have a good working Mail Folder. After a few days, without experiencing further problems. you can then delete the XInbox file...

I can't recreate your problem, as my 4.79 Inbox isn't corrupt, so I can't guarantee that this will work. Usually deleting the Inbox.snm file is the workaround.

If this doesn't work, then you will need to create a new Profile.

One other thought, have you run AdAware recently, or SpyBot, or whatever program you use for spyware? This is just to rule out any outside interference.

Ramona

 

Hi Mack,

Other things to try, before creating a new Profile:

Back up the Users folder
Close Netscape
Rename NSREG.DAT to NSREG.BAK
Located in C:\WINDOWS
Open Netscape.
Profile Manager will prompt for a new Profile.
Use the existing Profile Name (same name as you are now using)
If you have multiple Profiles, they can be restored the same way

Not sure this will have any effect, but I'm grasping at straws here, as the usual fix isn't working.

Did you copy a Mail backup from CD, as you said the Inbox was checked "Read Only "? Was curious about this, because if you still have that copy, I'm wondering if you might try moving it again into your Mail Folder.

Ramona

 

Ramona

Again many thanks for all your efforts to help me, but I give up! I have renamed files, moved files, re-renamed files, etc., so much that i am dizzy!
I am missing a 16-day portion of my Inbox, and I will just have to live without it.
What strikes me as odd are the following figures:

Sent file 883 messages 101,543,403 bytes

Inbox file 83 messages 262,411,037 bytes

It would appear that the Inbox has more messages that show up on the screen. I have no messages earlier than 06 Jan 03, then everything up thru 10
Feb, then a gap until 27 Feb, then everything after that date!

Thanks again and all best wishes to you,