User profile for user: maleo..
maleo.. Author
User level: Level 1
45 points

Mail needs to repair your mailbox...

Every week or so, it decides that it wants to crash, sometimes halfway through writing or reading messages. Anyone got any ideas why this would happen? It's only been a problem since I upgraded to Leopard - I couldn't fault Tiger mail for it's reliability!

MacBook 2.16Ghz (Late 2007), Mac OS X (10.5.1), iBook G4 (14", 1.33GHz); iPod (Classic, 80gb); iMac G4 (Flat Panel, 800MHz)

Posted on Dec 3, 2007 12:36 AM

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16 replies
User profile for user: Dan Merfeld
Dan Merfeld
User level: Level 1
10 points

Jan 3, 2008 8:12 AM in response to Dan Merfeld

Okay, just an update on my issue. Now Mail is completely messed up. When I last posted a moment ago, I was repairing my INBOX. I went back to Mail to get some emailing done and now I can't even get into Mail. I keep getting the same error message that my mailbox needs to be repaired. I've repaired it three times in a row now, I'm locked out of the application.

Looks like I'm stuck to my iPhone for the day emailing, because my laptop has become useless since I've updated to 10.5.1!!!! FIX THIS APPLE!
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User profile for user: Dan Merfeld
Dan Merfeld
User level: Level 1
10 points

Jan 4, 2008 6:21 AM in response to Dan Merfeld

Problem still happening.

Yesterday I tried removing all my email accounts, deleting all Mail preferences and starting from scratch. It worked for most of the day. No email problems. So I thought the problem was fixed.

However this morning, when I launched Mail, the same thing happened again. At this point, I'm going to see about dropping my OS down to 10.4. There have been so many issues with 10.5, I just don' think the added features are worth all the hassle.

I have a computer, that is basically a web browsing machine, because anything else I try to do with it, just doesn't work.
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User profile for user: maleo..
maleo.. Author
User level: Level 1
45 points

Jan 7, 2008 6:30 AM in response to Dan Merfeld

Hi Dan,

Again, although it's bad that there are so many people with these issues, I'm really glad to hear that it's not just me!!!

I've now been running Mail for about 3 weeks without any problems - solved in it's entirety by not having RSS feeds within Mail and avoiding using Stationery. Doesn't seem logical to add these features if they destroy the software, so I'm hoping Apple will solve this issue soon. I've sent them feedback on the issue, I suppose the only way to get it solved would be for more people to!

Although I agree with your reasons to drop down to 10.4, this is one of only two problems I've had with 10.5.1 (the other being with Active Directory integration, but that's another story...), so I think I might be staying with it in the short term. Hang on, it will get better I'm sure!

Dave
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User profile for user: Dan Merfeld
Dan Merfeld
User level: Level 1
10 points

Jan 11, 2008 4:21 PM in response to Yannick HOUSSEAU

Still having problems today. I thought it was fixed, and then it came back 😟

A couple of things. I have a Media Temple account, it seems like it's that mailbox that is requiring repair. I do have RSS feeds and To Do lists, so it could be that. I've become heavily dependent on both, so I hope this gets fixed soon.

Today, I was at a client's office and I was unable to use mail. It was pretty inconvenient. I'm almost ready to switch email clients if that happens again. I'm holding out as long as I can, because I've come to love Mail.app.

I also had a kernal attack for the first time in years. It happened when I was fussing in mail, but I'm not 100% how to tell if Mail is responsible.
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User profile for user: richardstoddard
richardstoddard
User level: Level 1
24 points

Jan 17, 2008 4:32 PM in response to Dan Merfeld

I've had this problem a couple of times before, and it generally repaired my mailboxes okay, although once it changed receipt date for about 500 messages to the current date. Today, however, it dumped almost all of my mail - a mailbox that might have had 300+ messages might have 10-12, while others have none. I tried to restore them using Time Machine, and Time Machine shows 10,000+ files/messages being restored. When I open mail it will show a reasonably appropriate count for unread messages in the mailbox pane, but when I click on one it will revert back to either no or just a few messages. I've tried to restore it twice to no avail. Any advice? (I'm obviously going to look for a different app, but I need my mail!)
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User profile for user: richardstoddard
richardstoddard
User level: Level 1
24 points

Jan 17, 2008 5:46 PM in response to richardstoddard

I managed to get through to support this evening (good thing my MacBook is still new) and am on my way to restoring mail. The messages were still there when I looked in Library>Mail>Mailboxes, so I am now in the process of restoring by importing mailboxes - File>Import Mailboxes...

To guard against losing critical data in the future, I intend to keep key mailboxes as IMAP mailboxes, which means they'll remain on the server.
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Mail needs to repair your mailbox...

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