iTBotB

Q: Mail crashes when importing MBOX files

Mail crashes instantly when I select an MBOX file to import. In the brief moment before crashing it creates an Import folder and an MBOX, but the MBOX is empty.



 

A few days ago, I got one MBOX to import. It shows up in the Library/Mail/V3/Mailboxes/ folder, and the MBOX container holds working messages. However, this MBOX doesn't show up in the side bar.

 


I went to a clone backup made shortly after installing El Capitan. I replaced Mail and every Mail-related file that was in my user Library. That resulted in instant crashes every time instead of intermittent crashes partway through an import.


 

I did a Safe Boot startup. The problem remained.

 


This is reason 49 on why it is bad to leave Snow Leopard. I wouldn't have switched to Mail except that Outlook 2011 can't search emails or run simple filters such as Unread. (Microsoft's recommendation is to buy Office 2016.)

 

Any ideas on how to fix Mail other than reinstalling El Capitan?

VIN,Mac Pro (Early 2009), OS X El Capitan (10.11.2), Switch with Snow Leopard 10.6.8

Posted on Dec 16, 2015 7:19 PM

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Q: Mail crashes when importing MBOX files

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  • by iTBotB,

    iTBotB iTBotB Dec 16, 2015 8:59 PM in response to iTBotB
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 16, 2015 8:59 PM in response to iTBotB

    I have more information. I booted into Snow Leopard and opened Mail 4.6. It had no problem importing the MBOX files with the Outlook e-mails and attachments. I booted back into El Capitan. I removed the /Library/Mail folder. I launched Mail 9.2. It created a new /Library/Mail folder that, obviously, had no e-mails. I imported from the Mail 4.6 Mail folder. Everything imported perfectly. Yay! I then tested the ability of Mail 9.2 to import a small Outlook-created MBOX file. Immediate crash.

     

    I hoped that the problem was that Outlook 2011 on El Capitan generates corrupt MBOX files, but that doesn't seem to be the case. They looked fine in BBEdit. Outlook had no difficulty importing them.

  • by ERM from MO,

    ERM from MO ERM from MO Jan 21, 2016 7:49 AM in response to iTBotB
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 21, 2016 7:49 AM in response to iTBotB

    I had this same exact problem.  I found a solution!  Third party application called Digital Tweaks solved the issue.  It takes you through a 3 step process.  First step, export your mail as OLM file from Outlook MAC 2011.  Second step, use the Digital Tweaks software to convert that OLM file.  In the Digital Tweaks software, you will simply open the OLM file, and then you will have choices on exactly which mailboxes you want to move. Simple button click in the software to convert the mailboxes to Apple Mail format.  Third step, follow simple instructions to import the new Apple Mail formatted file directly into Apple Mail as a native file.  It works! I imported 88,000 old mails, and they all look intact.  Cost of the software was $49.  Great product! 

  • by andimac,

    andimac andimac Jan 23, 2016 12:25 PM in response to iTBotB
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jan 23, 2016 12:25 PM in response to iTBotB

    I have the same problem. I have El Capitan on an internal SSD. I tried importing from mboxes I had saved on a separate internal hard drive. Mail crashed every time. When Mail reopened the import folder and the imported named folder were there, but no email in the folder.  If I start up from the internal hard drive running Mavericks, it works fine in the Apple Mail in Mavericks. So I copied all the mboxes to the SSD desktop and tried again in El Capitan. Still crashing and reopening with empty folders in the imported folders. Help. So annoying.

  • by Vicki S1,

    Vicki S1 Vicki S1 Jan 24, 2016 2:05 PM in response to andimac
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 24, 2016 2:05 PM in response to andimac

    I just moved up to El Capitan--having been with Mt. Lion--always afraid to jump into things, so I completely skipped Yosemite and Mavericks. I have spent the entire day trying to use Mail and import mboxes. I have used Microsoft Office 2008--Entourage due to Mail not being "friendly" with imports. I thought I would try again, but whenever I click on the continue box to import, the program crashes completely. It will leave one empty import folder in the millisecond before the crash. If this has been an ongoing problem for people, why has it not been addressed thus far??? I searched for an answer elsewhere....and I refuse to pay for a program to import to Mail. That is stupid! This is an Apple problem that needs a quick answer. I hope someone has a fix soon!

  • by imdamfino,

    imdamfino imdamfino Apr 4, 2016 1:50 PM in response to iTBotB
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iTunes
    Apr 4, 2016 1:50 PM in response to iTBotB

    I moved to El Capitan on my Mac Mini this weekend, and I also want to migrate over from Outlook to Apple Mail. Unfortunately it appears that the mbox crash issue has not been resolved!

    Does anyone have a solution that doesn't cost $49 to overcome an Apple bug? Or I guess I still stay with Outlook, and move to Outlook 2016 (which has its own issues).

  • by Cobra600,

    Cobra600 Cobra600 Apr 13, 2016 11:15 AM in response to iTBotB
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 13, 2016 11:15 AM in response to iTBotB

    Same issue here too. BUT also with MAC Outlook 2016 and El Capitan.

    Export folders to mbox files.

    Import in OSX Mail.

    Crash of OSX Mail.

    Imported folders are empty.

     

    Please Apple .... do you have support

  • by thomasfromrotterdam,

    thomasfromrotterdam thomasfromrotterdam Apr 17, 2016 7:34 AM in response to Cobra600
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apr 17, 2016 7:34 AM in response to Cobra600

    There seems to be an open bug report on this. Can't open it since Apple was closing my bug report and referring to number "12950102".

     

    Did anyone find a solution without having to buy migration tools/software?

  • by Cobra600,

    Cobra600 Cobra600 Apr 17, 2016 9:48 AM in response to thomasfromrotterdam
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 17, 2016 9:48 AM in response to thomasfromrotterdam

    Still no support on this subject .

     

    So no other solution yet. AND the people who uses paid solutions probably (in my opinion) have some relation with sellers.........

    App's mostly work with the tools which are present already at OSX. So nothing to be expected there. For me commercial responses.

     

    The one which could make sense is using Thunderbird, but doe snot work either ..... Thunderbird also uses MBOX format. And just THAT format is crashing OSX mail.

    So .... APPLE ... please report and fix this bug.

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Apr 17, 2016 10:33 AM in response to Cobra600
    Level 9 (72,578 points)
    iTunes
    Apr 17, 2016 10:33 AM in response to Cobra600

    Apple doesn’t routinely monitor the discussions. These are mostly user to user discussions.

     

    Send Apple feedback. They won't answer, but at least will know there is a problem. If enough people send feedback, it may get the problem solved sooner.

     

    Mail Feedback

  • by thomasfromrotterdam,

    thomasfromrotterdam thomasfromrotterdam Apr 19, 2016 1:27 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apr 19, 2016 1:27 AM in response to Eric Root

    I've submitted the issue through Mail Feedback as well. I 've noticed that the Mail version of the bug report was different (older) from the current version (Version 9.3 (3124)). Anyway, it has not been fixed yet so let's hope that it gets resolved soon.

  • by -jth,

    -jth -jth May 5, 2016 7:17 AM in response to thomasfromrotterdam
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 5, 2016 7:17 AM in response to thomasfromrotterdam

    This is a known issue (I went through 3-4 levels of support before they could confirm that) and it hasn't been fixed. The advice from the rep was to head to an Apple Store to import the mbox on a non-El Capitan system, which they keep on hand for situations like this.

  • by Unived,

    Unived Unived Jun 22, 2016 10:13 PM in response to iTBotB
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 22, 2016 10:13 PM in response to iTBotB

    I am facing the same issue. I made the mistake to setup Outlook 2011 for Mac. Tired of how slow it is and now want to move my emails from Outlook on Mac to Mail. Tried to export folder which was salved as .mbox - however, when importing it on mail as soon I as click import Mail crashes. Unable to fix this. Any answers?

  • by thomasfromrotterdam,

    thomasfromrotterdam thomasfromrotterdam Jun 23, 2016 12:53 AM in response to Unived
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 23, 2016 12:53 AM in response to Unived

    Last update that I got from Apple on the Bugreport.

     

    Thank you for contacting us.

     

    The original report on this issue, Bug ID 12950102, is still under investigation.

     

    Please note that you will not be able to directly view the original report in order to keep its information confidential.

     

    We will do our best to keep you informed as new information becomes available. Please check release notes regularly for changes affecting this issue.

     

    Please check the release notes for the OS.  For OS X, they are listed here:  https://developer.apple.com//osx/download/ 
  • by thomasfromrotterdam,

    thomasfromrotterdam thomasfromrotterdam Sep 23, 2016 1:58 PM in response to iTBotB
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 23, 2016 1:58 PM in response to iTBotB

    I'm delighted to share with you all that I can import .mbox files again in Apple mail since the upgrade to OS X Sierra. Finally...

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