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Level 1

16 points

Mail sent is missing - how can it be recovered from backup into the program

I've been using two POP accounts in my Mail program for the last few years, one with Virgin Media and one with 123-Reg. In upgrading my account with 123-Reg yesterday, all the messages in the Virgin SENT MAILBOX disappeared! There's a backup of them but I don't know how to recover them into the program. Can someone help?

I was naturally mystified as to why this happened. How were the two accounts connected? Is this a possible explanation?...

My deal with 123-Reg was what they call a 'pophost account', which meant I could receive mail via their server but not send - return mail went via Gmail. (The setting in the Mail program showed Outgoing Mail Server as 'smtp.gmail.com'). Yesterday's upgrade with 123-Reg means mail can now be received and sent via their server. I deleted the old account in Mail Preferences and created a new one with new settings (showing Outgoing Mail Server as 'smtp.123-reg.com').

I had no idea this would have any effect on the Virgin Media account and result in the disappearance of all mail in the SENT mailbox! (All mail in the Virgin INBOX is intact). Then I remembered that I'd changed the Mail Preferences setting on this account too, with Outgoing Mail Server also as 'smtp.gmail.com'. (This was because when working outside the UK the Virgin server wouldn't accept my outgoing mail). Could it be when the connection between 123-Reg account and Gmail was cut this also affected the connection between the Virgin account and Gmail?

I'm truly puzzled by what's happened. Mail SENT on the Virgin account continues to go via the Gmail server, so the link is still there. But all the mail SENT up to yesterday is missing. How can I recover this mail back into the program from the backup?

Your help would be appreciated!

iHope

G5 Dual 2GHz PowerPC; MacBook 2GHz Intel, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Mar 30, 2011 2:09 AM

52 replies

BDAqua

Level 10

239,363 points

Apr 18, 2011 9:58 AM in response to iHope

I believe DW only checks for Disk Hardware problems, could still be RAM, Logic Board, etc.

>In your experience is this unusual?

Unusual, but not unheard of.

>Was this a large hint that something wasn't right?

I think it must be, but what!?

iHope Author

Level 1

16 points

Apr 18, 2011 11:28 AM in response to BDAqua

>In your experience is this unusual?

Unusual, but not unheard of.

So what to people do?

As I wrote before: Setting up the account again actually involves creating a POP account and two IMAP accounts and importing many mailboxes (with many sub-folders) covering 10 years! Is this the only option?

You didn't say.

What if I got another email client such as Outlook, imported the 10 years' worth of email into it and then tried to import the emails from Outlook into Mail? Could that be quicker than converting thousands of emix files into mbox? Is it even feasible?

I believe DW only checks for Disk Hardware problems, could still be RAM, Logic Board, etc.

Is there a way of finding out if it's a RAM or Logic Board issue?

Thanks,

iHope

BDAqua

Level 10

239,363 points

Apr 18, 2011 12:21 PM in response to iHope

Boot off your *original* Install Disk while holding down the Option key at bootup to select AHT then run the extended Apple Hardware Test. Some models have a separate AHT CD.

Some AHTs are available online, but I forget which exact Mac you have.

Here's the list and downloads for AHT for some G4 models if you don't find yours, some G4s only have it on the Original Install Disc...

http://www.info.apple.com/support/aht.html

The Memory test can really only be trusted if it finds a problem, not if it doesn't find a problem. 😟

Memtest OS X...

http://www.memtestosx.org/joomla/index.php

Rember is a freeware GUI for the memtest ...

http://tech.kateva.org/2005/10/rember-freeware-memory-test-utility.html

>What if I got another email client such as Outlook, imported the 10 years' worth of email into it and then tried to import the emails from Outlook into Mail?

I was thinking of another eMail client, like

Thunderbird...

http://www.mozilla.com/thunderbird/

I seem to recall Outlook having big problems with many eMails.

iHope Author

Level 1

16 points

Apr 19, 2011 10:00 AM in response to BDAqua

Both the Apple Hardware Test and Memory test were done and no problems were reported.

Thunderbird has been downloaded. Two IMAP accounts and one POP account have been created.

The emails from the POP-only era (that is the 10 years to the end of March 2011) now have to be imported, but I'm not really confident about how to do it? If I navigate to User>Library>Mail and import the various mailboxes will Thunderbird organise them in the GUI in the same way that Mail did?... Somehow I don't think so... which could be confusing for me.

Do you have any advice?

iHope

BDAqua

Level 10

239,363 points

Apr 19, 2011 12:51 PM in response to iHope

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Import_from_Mail.app

iHope Author

Level 1

16 points

Apr 22, 2011 2:53 AM in response to BDAqua

BDAqua,

Thanks for the link.

I've not proceeded cos there was something wrong with the downloaded Thunderbird program. I deleted it and tried again. Still not right. I've now reached the end of my patience! For the moment I'm going to walk away from the whole thing. I'll have to live without an email client for the first time in 10 years... it's gonna be inconvenient, but healthier than all this time-consuming madness that the technology puts you through...

Thanks for your help. Unfortunately for the time being the post will have to indicate it's "not solved."

iHope

BDAqua

Level 10

239,363 points

Apr 22, 2011 12:26 PM in response to iHope

OK, tough nut to crack I guess, good luck! 🙂

Mail sent is missing - how can it be recovered from backup into the program