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What would prevent Thunderbird from re-creating deleted *.msf files?

  • 2 majibu
  • 1 ana tatizo hili
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  • Last reply by JoeB

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What would keep TB from re-creating *.msf files after they've been deleted, to get old mail to show up in TB (mail still physically in the Mail folder)?

Had to create a new profile & copy in a bunch of accounts. All worked OK except one.

At 1st, the one acct was missing in Tbird. Eventually I re-created the acct, but it didn't pick up all the old emails, that are in the new profile, under that acct's folder (still isn't).

All other accts are working. I deleted the *.msf files for that acct & restarted. Still didn't pick up the old email, but did retrieve new msgs (arriving after new profile was created).

Then, when I'd 1st re-start TB, I was sure all msgs were displaying. A few min. later I'd look & they were all gone from the one acct - except the newest msgs. Huh? I drank another cup of coffee.

Finally saw that TB still wasn't re-creating the msf files, so it never retains the msgs it displays (I guess - they keep "disappearing").

What would keep TB from re-creating *.msf files after they've been deleted, to get old mail to show up in TB (mail still physically in the Mail folder)? Had to create a new profile & copy in a bunch of accounts. All worked OK except one. At 1st, the one acct was missing in Tbird. Eventually I re-created the acct, but it didn't pick up all the old emails, that are in the new profile, under that acct's folder (still isn't). All other accts are working. I deleted the *.msf files for that acct & restarted. Still didn't pick up the old email, but did retrieve new msgs (arriving after new profile was created). Then, when I'd 1st re-start TB, I was sure all msgs were displaying. A few min. later I'd look & they were all gone from the one acct - except the newest msgs. Huh? I drank another cup of coffee. Finally saw that TB still wasn't re-creating the msf files, so it never retains the msgs it displays (I guess - they keep "disappearing").

Chosen solution

What "They" do you mean? The *.msf files? How could they be in a different profile than the one currently in use?

"Here's what really happened."

TB created a "different" mail folder for this acct - which I didn't see at the bottom of all the accts under "Profiles\<profile name>\Mail."

I'd entered POP server name for the acct in TB settings. I used "POP.unseen..." instead of "mail.unseen..." - which seems unlikely to work. Provider's instructions are to use "mail.unseen...." I didn't look for the other mail storage folder because "pop.unseen..." server name worked. It d/l the newest mail into the new mail storage folder it created, that I didn't see. I was expecting it to be like the old folder & like another acct for that provider's service.

Once I changed the server name in TB settings, it used the "correct" storage folder & re-created the *.msf files in that folder. But, I had to open the Inbox & Sent files from both mail storage folders, then copy the older mail into the newer mail folders.

If Tbird / Unseen's servers hadn't worked when using either "pop.unseen...." or "mail.unseen..." server names, I would have caught my "error" right away.

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My initial reaction is they are not in the current profile.

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Suluhisho teule

What "They" do you mean? The *.msf files? How could they be in a different profile than the one currently in use?

"Here's what really happened."

TB created a "different" mail folder for this acct - which I didn't see at the bottom of all the accts under "Profiles\<profile name>\Mail."

I'd entered POP server name for the acct in TB settings. I used "POP.unseen..." instead of "mail.unseen..." - which seems unlikely to work. Provider's instructions are to use "mail.unseen...." I didn't look for the other mail storage folder because "pop.unseen..." server name worked. It d/l the newest mail into the new mail storage folder it created, that I didn't see. I was expecting it to be like the old folder & like another acct for that provider's service.

Once I changed the server name in TB settings, it used the "correct" storage folder & re-created the *.msf files in that folder. But, I had to open the Inbox & Sent files from both mail storage folders, then copy the older mail into the newer mail folders.

If Tbird / Unseen's servers hadn't worked when using either "pop.unseen...." or "mail.unseen..." server names, I would have caught my "error" right away.