Mail - Can't trace mail.plist

F.Y.I.

The second part wording relates to folders located in the 'Library - Mail' section. I get these folders which won't open:

- not the second image above (in the original post) which is the preferences folder which doesn't show the mail.plist file

Thanks Linc.

I've now found the plist. Thanks for your help. I'm presuming it was a hidden file?

As previously stated, I'm trying to return my previously set up folders, subfolders and emails back to my mail app.

I've not created any folders under the new mail app now running and all emails received since the new HD was put in are located in the inbox. Do you know how I can achieve what I want to achieve? What do I do with the plist now I've copied it on to my desktop?

I'm sorry for all the questions but I'm not very experienced in all of this.

Thanks again.

Sorry.

I'll try and explain a little better.

I'm one of those people who, sadly, have always planned to make a back-up of things but never have.

The situation is that I was simply using my mail app one day (which had created folders and subfolders for emails) and the next my HD was corrupted in some way.

I am therefore (if possible) trying to get back to where I was before - namely being able to use my mail app with the folders I'd previously created. Not sure if any of the emails I'd housed in these folders are recoverable from this plist or not.

Does this explain it better?

Sorry. Could you explain all this a little clearer so that a 'simpleton' like me can understand?

Firstly - Can I re-instate the folders I'd previously created by doing something with the plist I've just copied across to my desktop from my old HD?

Secondly - You mention that I can't recover my old emails but show the location of these old emails in the ~/Library/Mail folder. Can I retrieve them somehow from there?

As I say, sorry for so many questions, but I need it explaining a little more simply on all points so I know what to do, what I can do and what I can't do.

Thanks

There was some sort of corruption on the hard-drive and the Mac wouldn't boot up at all. Having tried to repair under disk utility it said it was unrepairable (or words to the effect) and that was that.

I then removed and replaced the internal HD in my iMac.

I've since been given access to a SATA Hard Drive USB Docking Station which seems to allow me to at least view (and clearly in a couple of cases, access) folders and files on the old HD.

I want to get off what I need to get off this old drive before then doing an updated backup of my new HD with these 'bits' included.

I'm not asking for advice on backups. Simply if and how I can utilise this plist file.

Can you help?

Ok. But what do I need to do once I've got database and mail plist file? They're sitting on my desktop. What now?

I'm not convinced I'm looking at anything other than the same folder in library.

This is what I've done so far:

Accessed my OLD HD, gone in to Library and then option-clicked 'Go' and clicked library. The mail folder has shown up and, on double clicking it I am shown a folder called 'V2'. On accessing this folder I am presented with the following image:

It has the mail plist and a selection of blue folders. On checking the blue folders (each relating to different email accounts we have) I have noted that the email copies stored in there are ones we have sent / received since the new HD was put in. I just cannot understand what I am looking at but it appears to be the files and folders for Mail on the NEW HD. I presumed, having gone in to the OLD HD library and carrying out the instruction to option-click on 'Go' and then library that I would be looking at folders relating to emails etc that were sent and received on the OLD HD - not the NEW HD.

I have repeated the exercise on the NEW HD and they are indeed one and the same! I'm more baffled than when I started.

In a nutshell I simply want to extract the mail plist and, if possible, any stored emails from the old HD and merge with the newly set up Mail on the new HD.

My problems are as follows:

1) I can't find the mail plist on the the old HD. What I seem to be viewing after Linc's kind help above is the NEW plist for the Mail set up post new HD.

2) I cannot locate the folder(s) housing my historic emails (sent/received). A similar issue to above I seem to be viewing only the NEW folders housing copies of emails since the new Mail was set up on the new HD.

3) if someone does give answers to my queries, what I then do with the plist and folder(s) I've extracted from the old HD? Is it a case of simply placing these files in a particular folder? Do I need to action anything?

I'm not particularly 'technically-minded' so responses in plain, concise language would be appreciated.

What am I doing wrong?

Anybody.