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Computer ?crashed? many messages still in my Inbox will NOT open/display.

  • 3 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 7 views
  • Last reply by Toad-Hall

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Using Vaio SVE171 series laptop still with Win 8 and Thunderbird 45.3.0.

Last night Win 8 ?crashed? When I opened TB many (613 of the e-mails still in the InBox were visible 'headers' (NOT sure if that is the right term for what is displayed in the upper half of the InBox), BUT when you click on the 'header' to display the message it does NOT open. Messages from 8/7/2016 through 10/8/2016 are affected.

I've tried compacting folders, closing - re opening TB etc. New post download and display properly.

What am I doing WRONG? THANKS

Be WELL 'n be SAFE!

Mrs. RA

Using Vaio SVE171 series laptop still with Win 8 and Thunderbird 45.3.0. Last night Win 8 ?crashed? When I opened TB many (613 of the e-mails still in the InBox were visible 'headers' (NOT sure if that is the right term for what is displayed in the upper half of the InBox), BUT when you click on the 'header' to display the message it does NOT open. Messages from 8/7/2016 through 10/8/2016 are affected. I've tried compacting folders, closing - re opening TB etc. New post download and display properly. What am I doing WRONG? THANKS Be WELL 'n be SAFE! Mrs. RA

All Replies (3)

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right click the folder, select properties and then the repair button.

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Matt,

THANKS for trying to HELP!

Now all the messages between 8/7/2016 and 10/8/2016 are GONE (missing)!

Out of the frying pan - INTO THE FIRE!

Be WELL 'n be SAFE!

Mrs. RA

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When the computer crashed it might have effected some files that were open. But, If you have an Anti-Virus product scanning Thunderbird fodlers on startup or scanning incoming mail, it is also possible the anti-virus product had scanned the file and messed it up. AV products are good at messing up mbox files, but leave the index alone, which does seem to describe your issue.

At this point there may have been (not guarranteed) some recoverable emails, but the file was corrupted in some way as only index headers were available.

re I've tried compacting folders, Then you compacted what may have been a corrupted file. This would have deleted any 'marked as deleted' emails, which you would expect, but if the file was corrupted, then compacting may not have helped.

The index appeared to be out of synch with what you expected. Then you repaired the index which was the correct thing to do. Repairing did not lose any emails. It just rechecked the actual file holding the emails and provided a correct view of what was actually there. So those emails had already gone.

Attempt to recover emails via Thunderbird. Make hidden files and folders visible:

In Thunderbird

  • 'Help' > 'Troublshooting Information'
  • click on 'show folder'

a new window opens showing profile folder name

  • Close Thunderbird now - this is important
  • click on 'Mail' folder
  • click on pop mail account name that has missing emails.

you should see the 'Inbox' mbox file - it has no extension.

  • Open the 'Inbox' file using Notepad

Emails are written to the file one after the other, so oldest will be at the top. Each email will start with these lines: this is an example

  • From - Sun Dec 28 18:14:40 2014
  • X-Mozilla-Status: 0001
  • X-Mozilla-Status2: 00800000

Use 'Edit' > 'Find' Start at the top, look for this line: X-Mozilla-Status: (not X-Mozilla-Status2:)

  • Make sure each X-Mozilla-Status: has the number 0001
  • edit the number as required working down through the document.
  • Save the file.
  • delete the 'Inbox.msf' file. A new one will be auto created.
  • Restart Thunderbird.

If this recovers any emails in Inbox, then move those emails out of Inbox into suitable folders for organising and storage.