Mail Crashes upon opening - redux

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Level 1

8 points

Mail Crashes upon opening - redux

Around November 2020 I open Mail as per usual only to have it immediately crash.

That was almost 18 months ago.

I found an answer at that time, but didn't quite understand as the phrase "delete Mail" seem to jump out at me the most:

"Then he had me delete my email account from Internet Accounts and then reinstall that email account. I had to have my email password at hand (I had i

t). As soon as I had reinstalled that email account, Mail would open and remain open. He had me test a few of the moving of email folders to verify that that did no cause a new crash. Mail has been working without crashing since then."

It was late, I was tired, so I decided to not do anything further. I have my iPhone, and, if needs be, I could just use Gmail on the MacBook Pro. That said, I'd like very much to try again to get Mail working. I'd rather be using it when I do have the MacBook Pro up and running. It just make sense.

From reading the above it seems like I have to go into System Preferences and remove (delete) the Gmail account from the list of Internet Accounts, and then re-establish it. Apparently that resets access and Mail works as expected. Is that really the "fix"? I might be competent enough to pull that off, althoughI think updating 18 months of emails is probably gonna take some time. I may have to do this in spurts over the next few days!

Am I on the right track?

FYI...

I'm still using my trusty MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2008) running El Capitan 10.11.6. In case you're wondering is purely about finances: the money hasn't been there to upgrade. However, I may be starting a new job in a few days at the pay I was making. I have no idea how soon that means I can upgrade my system, so I'll still be using the one I have for the foreseeable future. Well....unless I can establish some kind of relationship with Apple! ;)

Thanks!

MacBook Pro, 10.11

Posted on Mar 13, 2022 10:40 AM

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Answer 1

my ginger

Level 5

4,910 points

Mar 13, 2022 2:05 PM in response to xpaddy01

If your email server works like mine, then the problem email is most likely not on your server. Only in your Mac email. Is it safe to say you probably don't need any of the email that's in your Mac mail account on your computer? You can in bulk delete the emails in your mail account.Delete emails in Mail on Mac - Apple Support You can also, while holding down the command key elect and click on each email to delete and then delete it by clicking on the trash icon top menu bar.

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Answer 2

my ginger

Level 5

4,910 points

Mar 13, 2022 11:35 AM in response to xpaddy01

Sounds like you have corrupted email in your email folder. Could be in you spam or junk box. If you hold down the shift key when opening mail you should be able to get in.Or if you know what email it is, you can go to your mail server thru your browser and delete the corrupt email there. If you have this email account on other devices and you delete emails, then they should be also deleted from your mail server as well. So if you did delete and reinstall you email on your Mac you should not get showered with tons of emails. The other way to fix mail in Mac OS is to slick on the email account in Mail then go to top menu Mailbox and rebuild.

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Answer 3

my ginger

Level 5

4,910 points

Mar 13, 2022 2:11 PM in response to my ginger

If you use the rebuild in Mac mail, it deletes all emails stored on you Mac. It will cause you email server to re-download them.Rebuild mailboxes in Mail on Mac - Apple Support (CA) The reason I say this is that your mail server should have deleted any mail that you have delete on other devices that are tied to that email account.

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Answer 4

xpaddy01 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 13, 2022 1:30 PM in response to my ginger

@my ginger: Well that's certainly the closest I've ever come to a solution! Following your advice I held down the shift key while opening Mail. It worked! After a couple of false starts I learned not to click on the Inbox right away. I have a few smart folders set up so I'm able to determine roughly the time frame. Since it's 18 months ago, I'm guessing I'l have to enquire of the mail server how to search around that time to see which email might be the problem one.

Hopefully I'll be able to delete it and get Mail working again!

I'll keep you posted!

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Answer 5

xpaddy01 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 13, 2022 4:01 PM in response to my ginger

There are two mailboxes in Inbox: Icloud and Gmail. Apparently the offending email is in the Gmail inbox. I can access the Icloud one, and, surprisingly, it's up-to-date including today! The Gmail is asking me to login to the server. Unfortunately it seems that any time you try to access the Gmail mailbox, it crashes Mail.

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Answer 6

xpaddy01 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 13, 2022 4:21 PM in response to my ginger

Update: By using the Search option in the "Delete emails..." link above, I've narrowed it down to a specific date: 11/16/2020. I can search and see email before that date, if I search for email after that date, say 11/17/2020-12/31/2020, then nothing appears. All email terminates with 11/16. I'm not quite sure I understand how to select that date to delete without it showing what I'm trying to delete.

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Answer 7

xpaddy01 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 13, 2022 5:47 PM in response to my ginger

Final Update: I think I got the offending email(s) deleted. I had to read the part in starting Mail in Safe Mode where you close the email viewer to only show the list. Then I was able to delete the emails left after 11/14. I can now open Mail in normal mode without it crashing.

Now a new rub: the login to Gmail fails as it can't verify the login. And Google has blocked the login attempt.

That may be the part where I have to remove (delete) access to Gmail from Internet accounts and re-setup access to Gmail.

Oy vey!

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Answer 8

my ginger

Level 5

4,910 points

Mar 13, 2022 5:47 PM in response to xpaddy01

Is your Gmail account an IMAP or POP account? if an IMAP account, then deleting them in your Mac mail app will solve the problem. If you are able to go to top menu in mail - Mailbox click on it and go to rebuild. It will delete your email from that account and on your Mac. When you open by using shift key, you should be able to click on the inbox and then use mailbox and rebuild. If you can that should solve your problem.

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Answer 9

my ginger

Level 5

4,910 points

Mar 13, 2022 5:54 PM in response to xpaddy01

Good. Deleting and re-adding you gmail account is a good start. If you run into authenticating Problems I have this.https://appletoolbox.com/gmail-login-and-authentication-problems-with-apple-mail-try-these-tips/

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Mail Crashes upon opening - redux

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