Mail Spam Folder acting wierd.

Question

Mail Spam Folder acting wierd.

My main email account's Mail Application Spam Folder all of a sudden is not allowing me to actually see any of the emails in it but the number counter display is reading they are in there.

Also odd is my other email account's spam folder is acting normal.

Anyone have any suggestion that doesn't require me deleting my preferences and re setting up all my rules and folders?

Thanks,

Robert

P.S. I should add an arrow showed up next to the main email account's SPAM folder but when I click it nothing happens as one would expect from such an arrow next to such an email folder.

iMac G5, Mac OS X (10.5.8), 20" Aluminum w/ Aluminum Wireless keyboard & Mighty Mouse

Posted on Sep 20, 2012 10:31 PM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

239,177 points

Sep 21, 2012 10:07 AM in response to Robert Andrews

Hi Robert,

Have you highlighted it & chose Rebuild from Mail's Mailbox menu?

Might want to do the below first...

"Try Disk Utility

1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc, then restart the computer while holding the C key.

2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu at top of the screen. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)

*Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.*

3. Click the First Aid tab.

4. Select your Mac OS X volume.

5. Click Repair Disk, (not Repair Permissions). Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

Then try a Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, reboot when it completes.

(Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive.)

If perchance you can't find your install Disc, at least try it from the Safe Boot part onward.

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Answer 2

Sep 21, 2012 10:27 AM in response to BDAqua

Hey BDAqua,

Yes I have tried choosing it and trying to rebuild it but the Rebuild function is grayed out.

I will try the the other suggestion(s) and get back to you.

Thanks,
Robert

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Answer 3

Sep 22, 2012 10:49 PM in response to BDAqua

Hey BDAqua, It has been a REALLY long time since I safe booted. Once it initiates can I let go of the C key or do I have to hold it down the entire time? I seriously forget.

I did a reboot from the start up disk and all was fine. I had a few permission problems and they were fixed, nothing major.

But the Junk Folder is acting the same. However the on My Mac and secondary email account Junk Folder did let me rebuild them but to no avail and the main account Junk Folder is still grayed out for Rebuilding.

I'll wait to do the Safe Boot at this point until I hear back from you, as I really can't be held to the keyboard for crazy long periods as you suggested it might take.

Thanks,

Robert

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Answer 4

BDAqua

Level 10

239,177 points

Sep 23, 2012 12:30 AM in response to Robert Andrews

Once it initiates can I let go of the C key or do I have to hold it down the entire time? I seriously forget.

Safe boot is the Shift key, c key is boot fron a CD/DVD.

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Answer 5

Sep 23, 2012 11:46 AM in response to BDAqua

Yes that was a typo and for some reason it wouldn't let me edit it. I meant the shift key for safe booting.

How long do I have to hold it down, until it actually reboots or once it is initiated in the gray radiant?

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Answer 6

BDAqua

Level 10

239,177 points

Sep 23, 2012 11:54 AM in response to Robert Andrews

Just until you see the gray radian.

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Answer 7

Sep 23, 2012 3:03 PM in response to BDAqua

Hey BDAqua, while it didn't fix it, my machine appears to be running more smoothly.

At this point I would assume it is either trash the mail prefs and give that ago or just re-install Apple's Mail Application ... I wonder if I can do JUST that sort of re-install?

Thanks for hanging in there with me *)

Peace,

Rob

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Answer 8

BDAqua

Level 10

239,177 points

Sep 23, 2012 11:15 PM in response to Robert Andrews

Try re-installing the big 1.05.8 combo, that often replaces the Mail App...

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399

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Answer 9

Sep 24, 2012 5:45 AM in response to BDAqua

I tried finding a link for 10.5.8 but to no avail.

You wouldn't happen to know where I might find that sort of thing for my OS would you?

Also when I empty my Junk Mail Folder there are 4 messages that never get deleted but because I can't see the emails I don't know what they are or who they are from.

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Answer 10

BDAqua

Level 10

239,177 points

Sep 24, 2012 11:03 AM in response to Robert Andrews

What OS are you on, if not 10.5.8?

On those unseen ones...

Make a new Smart Mailbox that only includes Unread Mails, do they show in that Smartbox?

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Answer 11

Sep 24, 2012 7:43 PM in response to BDAqua

Yes 10.5.8

And no they do not show in the Smart Mail Box either.

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Answer 12

Sep 24, 2012 8:01 PM in response to BDAqua

FYI, Under the Smart Mail set up (Not in Mailbox) my main Mail account that I am having this issue with is grayed out when I go to select it's corresponding Junk Mail Folder to pull from.

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Answer 13

BDAqua

Level 10

239,177 points

Sep 24, 2012 8:25 PM in response to Robert Andrews

Log into your WebMail using a browser, see if the Junk folder there is OK, if it's called JUnk, junk, Spam, or soething else.

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Answer 14

Sep 25, 2012 5:40 AM in response to BDAqua

I am not seeing anything odd or strange.

At this point I guess I neeed to re install the Mail App for this OS.

So I will try and find the combo updater for it. Odd it is not anywhere on Apple's website.

Thanks again,

Rob

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Answer 15

Sep 25, 2012 6:06 AM in response to BDAqua

Here is what was happening.

The mbox extension was missing for some reason from the junk.mbox folder.

/Library/Mail/POP-username@mailserver/

I added the extension while the Mail app was closed and relaunched the program.

The grey arrow dissapeared, the rebuild function is no longer grayed out and all the messages are viewable now.

Peace out,

Robert

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