Can't open new Lion Mail? - Try delete the file "Envelope index"!

I have a similar problem as this and I've seen several suggestions for fixing in multiple threads. However, none works.

I just upgraded from Snow Leopard to Lion on my MBP. When starting the new maill.app in Lion, I first get the option to import all my old mail. That appears to work. However, I am not able to view the mail windows -- I get the menu bar across the top. I can select Windows/Message Viewer or other windows and they will pop up. I can even select File/New Message and create a new message.

However, I am never able to see the standard message window with all my mailboxes, the folders, and the messages (or conversations). Nothing.

I have deleted the Envelope files, emptied the trash, and started the mail.app from the applications folder, but the same I still get the same problem.

Any other suggestions? What am I doing wrong?

Thanks.

I'm having the exact same problem and i have also tried all of those fixes with no luck...does anyone know how to fix this 😟

Same here. Nothing works.

I have the EXACT same problem after upgrading from Snow Leopard to Lion. When I search for the envelope files, they are not even there. Mail won't close unless I force quit it.

FIXED! My case was just successfully closed with Apple and I am now able to see my mail in Lion. It took 2 days for Apple to come up with the resolution, and I was told that there were other cases of a siimilar nature reported.

Here's what fixed it for me. The problem had something to do with smartmailboxes, which I use in my mail.

1. Close the Mail app and confirm it is closed.
2. Open a Finder window. Hold down the Option key while clicking Go along the top menu bar in the Finder window and click on Library.
3. Navigate to the mail library under your user name. In one of the subfolders, you will find 1 or more files named smartmailboxes.plist. There may be a file name similar to that with "backup" in the name, as well.
4. Drag each of those files to your desktop and ensure they are no longer in your mail library folders.
5. Restart Mail. (Those .plist files will be re-built automagically.)
6. This fixed my problem and I was then able to delete those plist files from my desktop. It did take a little while for the .plist files to regenerate, though.

Good luck with your fix.

Thank you dnew!

That worked. Great!

Thanks will try that.

None of that worked for me. Bedtime here (New Zealand) so will try again tomorrow.

Well, thanks for trying... I did that and still nothing... just a spinning pinwheel...

This worked for me!

THANKS! This Worked!

Thanks to dnew its all got working!

Thank you! Worked great for me.

Minor clarifications on the capitalization in your filenames: the files to delete are

~/Library/Mail/SmartMailboxes.plist

and

~/Library/Mail/SmartMailboxes.plist.backup

where ~ indicates that it is in your own home directory. This is different than the system-wide Library directory.

Ok, I tried that and now my mailbox won't open at all.

dnew - thanks, worked perfectly.