How To Reset Mac Mail 3.6 To Default Settings

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How To Reset Mac Mail 3.6 To Default Settings

Hello Mac People!

6 months ago I was using a third party tool with my Mac Mail. The tool added an auto BCC address to every outgoing mail. I no longer use the tool and deactivated the third party tool. But there was an error in deactivating and the BCC address is still attached to every outgoing email. I asked the third party tool and they tried everything to fix it, but nothing worked.

I visited the Genius Bar and they said the only way to fix it now, would be to reset my Mac Mail to the original settings (aka start all over) and then re-add each email account, folder, rule, preferences, etc.

It's a pain, but I have to do it.

Problem is I forgot how to save all my current emails in Mac Mail so when I reset everything I can re-import my current emails.

I also don't know how to reset Mac Mail to its original settings.

Please help. Thanks!

Mac Book Pro, Mac OS X (10.4.9), Mac Mail

Posted on Dec 27, 2009 12:52 PM

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Answer 1

Dec 27, 2009 1:03 PM in response to tomaswk

What third party tool were you using, since none was required to do what you say it did. Before you get all excited about resetting something that isn't required, give us details on the tool you used.

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Answer 2

tomaswk Author

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Dec 27, 2009 1:24 PM in response to Golden Shoes

Sure no problem - the third party tool was http://www.ihance.com

In short - by adding a BCC address to each email, it will add it to my salesforce.com account attached to the contact I were emailing.

Does this help more?

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Answer 3

Dec 27, 2009 1:32 PM in response to tomaswk

If this tool is still adding those to your emails, then it obviously wasn't uninstalled. So we need to know where it installed itself and then we can uninstall it and it's dependent files.

Check in Home/Library/Mail/Bundles, /Library/InputManagers, /Library/Internet Plug-Ins, Home/Library/InputManagers, and Home/Library/Internet Plug-Ins for any files related to that tool and list them in your reply.

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Answer 4

tomaswk Author

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Dec 27, 2009 1:56 PM in response to Golden Shoes

Thanks GS,

I did do this with the Genius Bar, but possible we missed something, so here's a list of what was in each folder:

Home/Library/Mail/Bundles > Nothing in this folder

/Library/InputManagers > 1 folder ( http://screencast.com/t/YjdiMjRmM) I think unrelated

/Library/Internet Plug-Ins > Several files ( http://screencast.com/t/ZTk3M2QyOD) most I know are not related, a few I don't know what they are from.

Home/Library/InputManagers > I don't have this folder

Home/Library/Internet Plug-Ins > 2 Files ( http://screencast.com/t/Y2ZhZmM0) I think unrelated

Ok let me know if this makes any sense to you. Thanks!

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Answer 5

Dec 27, 2009 2:07 PM in response to tomaswk

Yes, those files are all unrelated, and you should delete those. The only other place to look is in /Library/Application Support/ihance (assuming that's what they named that folder) and see what's in there; as well as in Home/Safari/Preferences for the com.ihance.xxxxxx.com and see if deleting that file doesn't help.

Of course, you could also send an email to support@ihance.com and ask them how to delete everything related to that application, and exactly where all the files are located. You shouldn't have to pay for that, either; uninstalling something should be free, or they need to clearly post all the details on their web site.

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Answer 6

tomaswk Author

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Dec 27, 2009 2:17 PM in response to Golden Shoes

/Library/Application Support/ihance doesn't exist, but here's what's in /Library/Application Support > http://screencast.com/t/YjM1NTMyNm (nothing seems related)

Home/Safari > doesn't exist

Trouble shooting with Ihance was my first attempt at fixing this and we went back and forth may times but never fixed it. I've exhausted their ability to help me. That's when I went into Genius bar.

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Answer 7

tomaswk Author

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Dec 27, 2009 2:27 PM in response to Golden Shoes

I should note - the Genius Bar said it's probably something corrupted in Mac Mail, hence the resetting.

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Answer 8

Dec 27, 2009 2:31 PM in response to tomaswk

Sorry, I meant to type Home/Library/Preferences, not Home/Safari/Preferences.

It could be that your Mail preferences file is corrupted, in which case the only fix is to delete it and recreate your accounts from scratch. What sort of email accounts are these: POP, or IMAP. It does make a difference, so we need to find that out before doing anything else.

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Answer 9

tomaswk Author

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Dec 27, 2009 2:41 PM in response to Golden Shoes

Ah ok Home/Library/Preferences has a lot of files in it, but nothing seems related to ihance.

All of my accounts are POP accounts.

"Mail preferences file is corrupted, in which case the only fix is to delete it and recreate your accounts from scratch." <--- This sounds very much like what the Genius Bar said.

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Answer 10

Dec 27, 2009 2:48 PM in response to tomaswk

It probably is what they said, but I don't rely on that, because depending on the "Genius", they've been known to be completely wrong on many occasions. I like to verify that other possibilities aren't the real cause first.

So, if you know all your account information to setup the account(s) again, do this:

Quit Mail if it's running.
Go to Home/Library/Preferences and delete the com.apple.mail.plist file.
Restart Mail, setup your accounts again and it will find your existing mailboxes automatically.
Re-set your other Mail preferences the way you want them.

If that solves your problem, you can now empty the Trash.

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Answer 11

tomaswk Author

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Dec 27, 2009 2:52 PM in response to Golden Shoes

By deleting the com.apple.mail.plist file, am I going to loose all the mail folders and emails in those folders over the past couple years? Or are you saying once I re-add each account, it will re-find the folders/emails on my computer?

Thanks!

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Answer 12

Dec 27, 2009 2:58 PM in response to tomaswk

No, you won't lose the emails at all. You just need to recreate the account(s) so that there's no possibility of that ihance application affecting it due to corruption. It will find your existing account folders.

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Answer 13

tomaswk Author

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Dec 27, 2009 3:02 PM in response to Golden Shoes

Ok thanks - doing it now, will report back.

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Answer 14

tomaswk Author

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Dec 27, 2009 4:31 PM in response to Golden Shoes

WooT WooT! Seems like the auto BCC is gone. It's going to take a bit to set everything up again, but happy to have BCC gone. Thanks!

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Answer 15

tomaswk Author

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Dec 28, 2009 12:40 PM in response to Golden Shoes

Hi GS -

Good news I've been functioning great with your fix yesterday. Only problem now is that several emails were not brought back into Mac Mail once I set the emails up again.

There were several emails in my inbox that are not there now. If I go to Home > Library > Mail > [email account] > INBOX.mbox I can see the old emails, but they are not in Mac Mail when I search for them. Any ideas on how to get them back into Mac Mail?

Thanks!

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