Huge inbox file 2k inbox.msf
dlreich
has an inbox file that is almost 2GB but the inbox.msf is just 2K. No
emails show in the inbox when Thunderbird is opened and there do not
appear to be any error messages. How can we find out what is in the
inbox file?
Thanks, David
Vic Moz Garcia
Ron Hunter
When you delete messages from the inbox (or other TB folders), the
message data remains with a status changed to 'delete'. The actual
removal of the data does not take place until you compact the database.
dlreich
Thanks for the reply. I right clicked on the inbox and left clicked
on Compact. There was no obvious response and no message. Task
Manager showed no significant Thunderbird activity and the file size
of the inbox did not change. Is there anything else I can do to
determine if this is really an empty inbox or if it actually contains
current emails?
David
clay
Compacting can be very fast. Blink and you miss it.
Check the date modified on the 2 gig file to see if it's changing as you
receive and delete new mails? Maybe it's a stale inbox...
Try clicking on the account then select File>Compact Folders?
Ron K.
Mailbox files are text files with no file extension. They can be viewd
with a text editor.
--
Ron K.
Who is General Failure, and why is he searching my HDD?
Kernel Restore reported Major Error used BSOD to msg the enemy!
Greywolf
I've read the other replies. Here are my comments, which I hope will
help. For completeness sake, I do repeat what others have said.
a) TB uses the "mbox" system (mbox == mailbox). The Inbox is a file, not
a folder, even though TB displays it as a folder. Inbox.msf is the index
file (hashed/compressed, so 2KB is enough to point to many hundred of
messages.)
b) Whenever you d/l new messages, they are added to the Inbox, and
Inbox.msf is updated.
c) When you Delete or Move a message from Inbox, it is marked "deleted"
(== "do not display header"), but the message is not removed until you
Compact the file.
d) to compact the "folders", you have two options:
d1) right click on the folder name, then on Compact.
d2) highlight the account name, then Files > Compact Files.
Compacting can take a long time. TB apparently deletes messages one at a
time, and rewrites Inbox before deleting the next one. You should see
the HDD light flicker.
e) To see what's happening when you Compact, make the status bar visible
(View > Status bar).
f) Set TB to Compact folders for you:
Tools > Options > Advanced > Network and Disk Space tab > check "Compact
Folders when..." You can change the default number if you like; I've set
mine to 300.
Note that when folders are Compacted, the messages are lost forever. Be
sure you have some way of archiving important messages outside TB. (TB
3.x has some sort of "archives" folder, which I don't use. I use Save As
to archive messages outside TB.)
HTH
wolf k.
Ken Whiton
*-* In Article <UaGdnSYVMKynFELW...@mozilla.org>,
*-* Greywolf wrote
*-* About Re: Huge inbox file 2k inbox.msf
> On 03/05/2010 16:27, dlreich wrote:
>> I'm helping a friend clean up her Thunderbird accounts. One of
>> them has an inbox file that is almost 2GB but the inbox.msf is just
>> 2K. No emails show in the inbox when Thunderbird is opened and
>> there do not appear to be any error messages. How can we find out
>> what is in the inbox file?
>
> I've read the other replies. Here are my comments, which I hope will
> help. For completeness sake, I do repeat what others have said.
>
> a) TB uses the "mbox" system (mbox == mailbox). The Inbox is a file,
> not a folder, even though TB displays it as a folder. Inbox.msf is
> the index file (hashed/compressed, so 2KB is enough to point to many
> hundred of messages.)
TB isn't *THAT* efficient. One of my mail folders is just over
1.8 GB (approximately the same size as the one the OP is dealing
with), and the associated .msf file is 2.55 MB (and that's *after*
compacting).
Ken Whiton
--
FIDO: 1:132/152
InterNet: kenw...@surfglobal.net.INVAL (remove the obvious to reply)
Greywolf
> *-* On Mon, 03 May 2010, at 22:41:00 -0400,
> *-* In Article<UaGdnSYVMKynFELW...@mozilla.org>,
> *-* Greywolf wrote
> *-* About Re: Huge inbox file 2k inbox.msf
>> a) TB uses the "mbox" system (mbox == mailbox). The Inbox is a file,
>> not a folder, even though TB displays it as a folder. Inbox.msf is
>> the index file (hashed/compressed, so 2KB is enough to point to many
>> hundred of messages.)
>
> TB isn't *THAT* efficient. One of my mail folders is just over
> 1.8 GB (approximately the same size as the one the OP is dealing
> with), and the associated .msf file is 2.55 MB (and that's *after*
> compacting).
>
> Ken Whiton
Interesting observation, prompted me to do some double checking. I found
that the MSF files are all under 100KB, while the mbox files range from
800KB to 49MB. There is no obvious ratio, eg A at 43MB, A.msf at 157 KB,
B at 49MB, B.msf at 92KB. Odd.
Is it worth further research? Only if I get grant.... ;-)
cheers,
wolf k.
Greywolf
I've reread your message, and I think we all missed something - "no
emails show ..."
If no emails show in the Inbox, then either all messages have been
"deleted", or View (in the toolbar menu) is set to Unread. Since Inbox
is 2GB, it looks like View is set to Unread.
Set View to All. The both read and unread messages will show. NB this
View is on the toolbar, not the menu bar. If you can't see it, click on
the toolbar, then Customize, and follow the instructions.
HTH
wolf k.
Keith Nuttle
> how in the Inbox, then either all messages have been "deleted", or View
> (in the toolbar menu) is set to Unread. Since Inbox is 2GB, it looks
> like View is set to Unread.
One of the things that I would like to see in Thunderbird is the
movement of the button to "rebuild the index" from the folder properties
(right click on the individual newsgroup and select properties) to some
where in the "tools" in the main menu.
I got caught in the McAfee upgrade diabolical and had to restore to my
computer to factory condition, reinstall all software, and recover all
data. I spent over a week thinking I had lost the messages in one very
valuable folder, until I found the properties and re indexed the folders.
Contrary to what is indicated by the contextual positioning of this
reindex button, it reindexes all of the folders in the account.
I am glad to say I now have all of those valuable messages.
Rebuild your indexes and your problem will probably be resolved