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Inbox folder is empty (except for new mail) after reboot. Any way to get the messages back?

  • 3 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by christ1

apfeiffer
apfeiffer
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I have a pop account. This is the second time this happened. First time I had two years worth of mail. This time just two months. Upon rebooting my computer my inbox comes back blank and then just downloads new mail only to this pop inbox. I have tried properties/repair - it did not repair it. I tried deleting the msf file that didn't work either. I have NOT compacted this time. Last time I did and learned that once compacted there was no way to get inbox folder back. I have Norton Anti-Virus and have checked to see if it ate it - but no it did not. Is there anything I can do? Thanks so much.

I have a pop account. This is the second time this happened. First time I had two years worth of mail. This time just two months. Upon rebooting my computer my inbox comes back blank and then just downloads new mail only to this pop inbox. I have tried properties/repair - it did not repair it. I tried deleting the msf file that didn't work either. I have NOT compacted this time. Last time I did and learned that once compacted there was no way to get inbox folder back. I have Norton Anti-Virus and have checked to see if it ate it - but no it did not. Is there anything I can do? Thanks so much.

All Replies (3)

christ1
christ1
  • Top 25 Contributor
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First time I had two years worth of mail.

This sounds like you're accumulating messages in Inbox, which is not best practice. Inbox is most susceptible to corruption, keep it as clean as possible.

I have NOT compacted this time.

What is the size of your Inbox file on disk?

I have Norton Anti-Virus

Still anti-virus software is the most likely cause for folder corruption. Do you let Norton scan your Thunderbird profile folder? Do you let Norton scan incoming and outgoing messages? Do you let Norton scan attachments? If so, disable all that.

apfeiffer
apfeiffer Question owner
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Yes, I do accumulate messages, I know it is not best practice but sometimes there are just no alternatives.

Currently my inbox is 600 MBs

Yes Norton scans all three of those. Would I not be at huge risk to viruses if I turned it off?

christ1
christ1
  • Top 25 Contributor
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Yes, I do accumulate messages

Move messages out of Inbox, and keep Inbox as clean as possible.

Would I not be at huge risk to viruses if I turned it off?

You're not supposed to turn off anti-virus, but you should not let it interfere with Thunderbird as described above. There is no risk doing that.