Apple Removed Mail Search by Message Content in Lion 10.7.2

Question

Apple Removed Mail Search by Message Content in Lion 10.7.2

Just got off the phone with Apple Support. As usual, they are very helpful. However, I was disappointed to learn that Apple silently removed the ability to search mail by content in the latest update to OSX.

I have OSX Lion 10.7.2, and when I type anything into the search field in Mac Mail (or, interestingly, onwww.me.com), there are options to search only by subject or sender or recipient, not by message content as there used to be.

According to Emily at Apple Support, Apple intentionally removed the search by content feature because "it wasn't working right". They are or MAY be working to add it back in to the next update. No commitments.

Sadly, there was no mention of this DOWNGRADE at the time I installed 10.7.2. And, the knowledge base article herehttp://support.apple.com/kb/DL1458 makes no mention of Mail changes either.

Sad. Confused. And a little bit angry. Apple can and should do better.

Mac Mail on OSX Lion-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.7.2), Can't search mail by content

Posted on Dec 30, 2011 11:34 AM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Dec 30, 2011 1:22 PM in response to kenfrompark city

Please don't retype the log messages. Copy and paste them in their entirety into a reply.

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Answer 2

Dec 30, 2011 1:24 PM in response to Linc Davis

For mdworker:

12/30/11 1:01:27.034 PM com.apple.mdworker.isolation.0: FlateDecode: decoding error: incorrect data check.

12/30/11 1:01:27.233 PM com.apple.mdworker.isolation.0: FlateDecode: decoding error: incorrect data check.

For mds:

12/30/11 12:53:32.416 PM mds: (Error) Volume: Could not find requested backup type:2 for volume

12/30/11 1:55:16.362 PM mds: (Error) Volume: Could not find requested backup type:2 for volume

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Dec 30, 2011 4:21 PM in response to kenfrompark city

Those messages, although they look bad, are innocuous.

Please run the following shell command and post the output:

mdutil -as

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Answer 4

Dec 30, 2011 4:27 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks for your continued help!

mdutil -as

/:

No index.

/:

No index.

/Volumes/Apps:

Indexing enabled.

/Volumes/C:

Indexing disabled.

/Volumes/CCC Apps Backup:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/CCC Data Backup:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/CCC Mac HD Backup:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/CCC Media Backup:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Data:

Indexing enabled.

/Volumes/LREXCHANGE1:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/LREXCHANGE2:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Lightroom Backup:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Lightroom Backup/Backups.backupdb:

No index.

/Volumes/Lightroom Ext1:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Macintosh HD (Bootable):

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Media:

Indexing enabled.

/Volumes/Seagate SW:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Time Machine Backups:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Time Machine Backups 2:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Time Machine Backups 2/Backups.backupdb:

Indexing enabled.

/Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb:

Indexing enabled.

/Volumes/USB 4GB:

Indexing enabled.

/private/tmp/22486/C:

No index.

/private/tmp/22486/C:

No index.

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Dec 30, 2011 4:54 PM in response to kenfrompark city

Please post the output of this command:

sudo mdutil -i on /

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Answer 6

Dec 30, 2011 4:56 PM in response to Linc Davis

sudo mdutil -i on /

/:

Error: unable to perform operation. (-407)

No index.

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Answer 7

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Dec 30, 2011 5:17 PM in response to kenfrompark city

Please read this whole message before doing anything.

This procedure is a diagnostic test. It’s unlikely to solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.

The purpose of this exercise is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login. Boot in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. First, disconnect all wired peripherals except keyboard, mouse, and monitor, if applicable, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:

Be sure your Mac is shut down.
Press the power button.
Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold the Shift key. The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone, but not before the tone.
Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple icon and the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).

The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.

Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including your login items.

Launch the Terminal application and repeat the last command. Same output?

After testing, reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode.)

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Answer 8

Dec 30, 2011 5:42 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks, Linc ... dinner time now. Will do this later or tomorrow.

Thanks again!

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Answer 9

Dec 31, 2011 10:45 AM in response to kenfrompark city

Not quite the same result in safe mode ...

sudo mdutil -i on /

/:

Indexing and searching disabled.

and

mdutil -as

/:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Apps:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/CCC Apps Backup:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/CCC Data Backup:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/CCC Mac HD Backup:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/CCC Media Backup:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Data:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Lightroom Backup:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Lightroom Ext1:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Macintosh HD (Bootable):

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Media:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Seagate SW:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Time Machine Backups:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Time Machine Backups 2:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Time Machine Backups 2/Backups.backupdb:

Indexing and searching disabled.

/Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb:

Indexing and searching disabled.

Searching by content in Mail has not changed (though I wasn't expecting it to, since this is only a diagnostic test).

Thanks

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Answer 10

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Dec 31, 2011 12:03 PM in response to kenfrompark city

I don't know what's causing this issue, so rather than continuing to screw around, I'll fall back on the AppleCare standard all-purpose advice: boot from your recovery partition and reinstall Lion.

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Answer 11

Dec 31, 2011 12:17 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thank you ever so much, Linc, for all your help. I'm not eager to reinstall Lion (though that's not nearly as bad as reinstalling Windows!). I will try to get help from Apple Support, telling them about all this info, and maybe they can help.

Happy New Year, and thanks again!

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Answer 12

Dec 31, 2011 1:39 PM in response to kenfrompark city

Strangest darn thing. It's now working. I had rebooted several times and we didn't change anything, so this is one of those strange things that we'll just have to chaulk up to the Grinch. Thanks again for your help.

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Answer 13

Jan 1, 2012 12:42 PM in response to kenfrompark city

I have not been able to search in Mail for months, but I just solved it. Go into Mail>Prefernces>Viewing and then check Classic Mail. Then quit Mail.

Open Mail back up and try searching something. I could do a search like the olden days. Yippppeeeee.

Then I went to Mail>Preferences>Viewing and unchecked Classic Mail again and it still/now works.

I'm so happy. Hope this works for you all too.

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Answer 14

Jan 1, 2012 1:35 PM in response to ColleenFromAtlanta

Thanks, Colleen. There is still some mystery around all this ... the ability to seach by content seems to come and go.

I created a second Mail account corresponding to the same Mobile Me account (though they had diffferent emails defined in the first page of the account preference ... one was an alternate/alias). In one account the search worked fine, and in the other, a search by content didn't find all the right messages.

I've deleted the bad account and now hope that my ability to search mail by content is going to be reliable.

It does seem, with the issues you and others have had, and all the other postings I've seen in these support forums that there is something amiss with Mac mail search. Let's hope Apple figures it out ...

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