Selective Mail crashes

Question

Level 1

0 points

Selective Mail crashes

Shortly after upgrading from 10.5.5 to 10.5.6, I began to have Mail troubles. On three occasions, I have gotten emails that appear in the message list but when I try to open them, Mail crashes and gives me a report, ignore, or relaunch dialog box. No matter what I do, Mail repeats this behavior. One email from a friend, one from my cousin, and one from my WIFE all shut down mail. Other emails work fine, and some from these same people are not affected.

I have repaired permissions and run Disk Warrior. I did find three prefs that were bad. One (com.apple.iPhotomosaic.plist), and two concerning my HP printer. I have removed these from their libraries.

Any other ideas? I don't know how to test what I have done but wait and see.

iMac, MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.6), 4 GB, FW HDx3

Posted on Dec 18, 2008 5:10 AM

Reply

Answer 1

JonK..

Level 2

234 points

Dec 18, 2008 7:09 AM in response to fredch

Any other ideas? I don't know how to test what I have done but wait and see.

do a spotlight search on "mail.app" and see if you have more than one mail app.

(also check the version number of the mail.app that you are running by clicking "about mail".)

it is possible that you did a "archive and restore" in the past, and have multiple apps... and are running an older app... (also can happen in other apps if this is the case)

Reply

Answer 2

atsysusa

Level 1

5 points

Dec 18, 2008 7:46 AM in response to fredch

If the incoming emails have PDF or Graphical file attachments [e.g., jpg, png, tiff, jpeg etc.] that could be your problem. It is mine and I have not found a solution.

You can test this by creating a test message to yourself and trying to attach a pdf or tiff. If you get the spinning beach ball that is your problem.

Suggest that every time mail crashes send a report to Apple - do not click on ignore. They will soon be inundated.

Reply

Answer 3

fredch Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 19, 2008 1:48 AM in response to JonK..

I ran Spotlight and find a Mail app 3.2 in Macintosh HD--Applications--Mail and a Mail app 3.5 in Macintosh HD (the int. HD)--Macintosh HD (a folder)--Applications--Mail.

I suspect that you are right, but I am unsure what to toss. I updated via Software Update and have not done an archive and restore ever.

Reply

Answer 4

Dec 19, 2008 1:52 AM in response to JonK..

boom that seems to have fixed it....
cheers!!!!
paul

Reply

Answer 5

Dec 19, 2008 1:53 AM in response to fredch

If you click on Mail in the menubar and choose About Mail, what exact version is reported?

Ernie

Reply

Answer 6

GEJC

Level 1

0 points

Dec 19, 2008 3:08 AM in response to fredch

After upgrading to 10.5.6 every time a send a e-mail *_without an attachement_* every thing is O.K,
but with an attachement mail crashes every time.
I did reinstal leopard and mail works fine, i did the last upgrade again [ to 10.5.6 ] and i have the same problem.
Now i reinstalled leopard but i dear not upgrading again.
Can some one help me please?
Thank You.

Reply

Answer 7

Dec 19, 2008 3:20 AM in response to fredch

Look at the root level of your hard drive, and if you have a Previous System folder, delete it, and then download and install the Combo Update for 10.5.6. This should bring Mail, and possibly some other apps up to speed.

If you have any third party plugins for Mail, be aware of the following advisement:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2486

Ernie

Reply

Answer 8

fredch Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 19, 2008 3:57 AM in response to fredch

I DO have two Mail apps. In fact it looks like I have a whole copy of my HD in a folder by the same name as my internal HD (Macintosh HD). I am tempted to trash the whole folder, but it has the newest version of Mail. I possibly could copy all the apps in the folder to the apps on the HD. Some are newer (on the HD and not in the folder). I'll run a backup first. I did do an archive and install when I went on 10.5.0, so I guess that is where the folder arose.

Message was edited by: fredch

Reply

Answer 9

Dec 19, 2008 3:57 AM in response to fredch

I don't think you should copy those apps, although they are probably OK. Instead remove that folder, and install the Combo Update so as to update the apps in the Applications folder.

Btw, if you do a Get Info on this folder, what is its size said to be?

Ernie

Message was edited by: Ernie Stamper

Reply

Answer 10

fredch Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 19, 2008 4:13 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

The folder is 53.64 GB. I am copying it to an ext. HD and will delete it from the int. HD.

Reply

Answer 11

Dec 19, 2008 4:28 AM in response to fredch

Before deleting, double-click on your hard drive Icon, and then click on the House Icon in the resulting windows Sidebar -- are all the expected folders for a Home directory present?

Ernie

Reply

Answer 12

fredch Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 19, 2008 6:13 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

Not sure what these folders should be. Can you amplify? Thanks!

Reply

Answer 13

Dec 19, 2008 6:33 AM in response to fredch

They are your Home/User directory standard folders that OSX installs when you create your User Account for Documents, Library, Movies, Desktop, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Sites, Public. They are probably your most important data holders.

Ernie

Reply

Answer 14

fredch Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 19, 2008 6:44 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

All folders are present and accounted for. Any thoughts on how I might get the 3.5 version of Mail? Mine is still 3.2. When I opened it and went a message that was in the trash and had caused a crash, it still does this.

Reply

Answer 15

fredch Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 19, 2008 7:59 AM in response to fredch

New crashes persist. I think only if there is an attachment.

Reply