Mac Mail Folders on iMac which won't start up again

Question

Level 1

11 points

Mac Mail Folders on iMac which won't start up again

Hi, my 9 year old sadly died (won't restart, have done everything thanks to this forum for helping me) and have ordered a new laptop to replace it. New laptop is on back order thanks to Covid-19.

Now, I realise I had organised my Mail into folders on the iMac. I guess, does this means that all the emails I had filed into the folders are not searchable on other devices, because they are not in my inbox anymore?

When I get my new laptop, there is no way to get my iMac Mail folders and emails in those folders back either, right?

Is it worth it to take my hard drive on the old iMac somewhere to 'repair' or retrieve Mail folders and content? Or is there anything else I can do to get those folders back from an iMac that won't start up? It does start in Recovery Mode but it doesn't complete a disk utility first aid...

Thanks.

iMac 27", macOS 10.13

Posted on Apr 3, 2020 5:11 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Apr 3, 2020 8:19 AM in response to applealias11

If your email is iCloud, try logging in to iCloud.com and see if they are still on the server. You can also try using Target Disk Mode to recover the folders when you get the new Mac.

Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode - Apple Support

Reply

Answer 2

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Apr 3, 2020 8:44 AM in response to applealias11

You need to startup your present iMac in Target Disk Mode, try that it may work.

Reply

Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Apr 3, 2020 9:18 AM in response to applealias11

Yes.

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Mail

Reply

Answer 4

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Apr 3, 2020 9:31 AM in response to applealias11

That's correct. In the file path BDA posted.

Reply

Answer 5

applealias11 Author

Level 1

11 points

Apr 3, 2020 8:35 AM in response to macjack

Hi Macjack, thanks for your message. Sadly my emails are mostly hotmail and they had problems recently with deleting all emails - was told that this was due to some iOS upgrade. I had restored the hotmails in Outlook.com but all those emails would still be on the old iMac and in mail folders. Worst comes to worst, I will go back to hotmail and see what I can salvage.

Question on target disk mode please - If I have the old iMac that will only starts in Recovery mode - would I select the target disk mode on the NEW laptop, and then connect the cables to the OLD iMac? But what would I do to the old iMac if it won't start? Even in Safe Mode, the old iMac shows the apple logo and the bar but once it goes up to 2/3 of the bar and shuts down.

Thanks.

Reply

Answer 6

applealias11 Author

Level 1

11 points

Apr 3, 2020 9:00 AM in response to macjack

Yes, it started in target disk mode. So, now, I would connect the new laptop to the old iMac and see if I can access the iMac disk. if I can, would I be able to somehow copy the contents of Mail? with Folders?

Reply