Netscape Mail problems...

A computer at work is using the latest version of Netscape Mail. Before, there were problems with messages just disappearing. We learned that deleting the snm (in older version of Netscape) and msf files (latest version of Netscape), we were able to rebuild the folders.

However, this time, no messages are being displayed in the inbox. However, the inbox file in C\WINDOWS\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\UserName\usenamecode.slt\Mail\accountname directory shows it has data.

The inbox is fairly large, at 75mb. I understand that mailboxes that large can cause problems, but usually when a problem occurs, we have been able to delete that msf file, move the older inbox messages to a new folder and start with a fresh inbox. However, we can't even get that far. I opened up the inbox file in WordPad and I could see that it has updated to the latest retrieval of messages. So, something is happening in the display process...I am not quite sure what!

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,
Jen

 

Welcome to the Forum, Jenco!

Hi Jenco,

You have covered a few of the workarounds I would suggest:
Lost Profile - Mail Settings
Cannot Open/Delete Mail - Mail Disappears

Try this:
With Netscape and Quick Launch closed
Rename the Inbox to XInbox
Create a new Inbox file
Open Netscape

Again, close Netscape & Quick Launch
Copy all files without the MSF extension from XInbox to the newly created Inbox file

Open Netscape.... Can you see your Mail?

HTH,

Ramona

 

Thanks for the solutions, I have tried the info from the first link, and the second link, I have a question about.

If we recreate a new profile, will that still keep the mail folders intact?

Thanks!

Jen

 

Hi Jenco,

Here are step by step guidelines for Creating a New Profile.

Let us know if you have more questions.

Ramona

 

Well nothing has worked so far...

This mailbox is fairly huge, the Inbox file is at 75MB...

I've even tried taking out most of the messages except for the last couple of weeks of messages...and those messages are still not showing.

 

Hi Jenco,

That really is a very large Inbox, and could very well be the problem. Can you archive everything but the current month (for example) and see if you can get the Inbox to display doing so?

Try creating a new Profile, and this time only copy the current month, week, etc., to the new Inbox, and see if it displays.

Since all the workarounds suggested have failed, I really don't have anything else up my sleeve. Creating a new Profile should get your Mail up and running. What OS is running on the problem PC?

When your Inbox mail doesn't display, in the left pane of the mail window, do the other mail folders (Drafts, Sent, etc.) display mail?

Ramona

 

I have a similar problem, in that I cannot download any new email into the inbox.
I discovered that i have a total of 73 meg in all my mail boxs, but i had much more when i discoverede this problem, i have around 40 m in the inbox, but it won't let me delete the emails that are recent. it will let me delte older ones, except for the big ones that are the problem. seems i have one that has 20meg alone.
if you have a clue as to how i can delete, some that would be good.
I use this for business, and thought i could keep all the email for future reference but if there is a limit of around 30m or so for each folder, then i'll have to do something different. perhaps a new profile like you suggest....
what about the archiving you suggest, i went to the 'help' in netscape and it doesn't recognize archive?

 

Ramona,
I had even tried to import the inbox to a different mail profile on a different computer. Would that have solved the potential problem of the new profile?

How does one go about archiving?

Thanks for any more help you can provide. I just don't get it why alllll these mail messages are the file, however they just do not show up.

Jen

 

From my limited experience witht his problem, I think that when the folder has too much email stored in it, it may allow one or more emials headers to load, but doesn't load the message, due to lack of space. but it lets the server think the whole thing was downloaded.
least, thats how mine was seeming to operate, till i started a newprofile and transffered all the folders except for the inbox folder.
for what its worth.

 

I received a PM from Jenco, and am posting it here, with my reply:

Hi Jen,

To get the backup to the existing mail account folder:
Open Windows Explorer
From the backup:
Copy all files with NO MSF extensions
and paste them into the mail account folder
Also copy all SBD folders to the mail account folder (These are the subfolders)
Caution: these files will replace any existing files in the mail account folder. You may first want to rename the backup mail files, e.g., change Inbox to OldInbox, etc. The renamed files will appear in the mail when Netscape is opened. This will ensure that you lose no existing mail.

Ensure that the Local directory setting in Mail & Newsgroups Server Settings points to the correct path.

As to the Inbox size:
I have never seen a size limitation for Mail folders; however I have seen this recommendation even going back to Communicator, and that is:
Move your messages from the Inbox to another folder. You should never use your inbox to store your mail. Archive/backup large mail folders in order to avoid unstable Mail.

It is possible for a server to have a limitation on email file size. Also, attached files can create email message too large for the server to handle. This too can create errors and problems.

Let us know if we can be of further help!

Ramona

EDIT: 3:07 PM
Burning the Mail folder, or even the entire Profile, to CD is the best method of backup/archiving your Mail. You can then access the Mail on the CD from Netscape by either creating a Profile just for the CD archive, or change the Local directory path in the Mail & NG Server Settings to that of the CD. Actually, there are several different approaches. I can help you do it step by step if you like.

 

Welcome to the Forum, horsediver!

Hi horsediver,

Good move on your part to create the new Profile. Read the above reply to Jenco, which should cover the problems with the Inbox. If you have a CD burner, then burning your Mail to CD is the best way to backup. (Backing up is what I mean by "archive ".) You can then read your Mail backup directly from the CD.

Ramona