Mail2.1 apparently corrupted. Now what?

TuckerdogAVL

TuckerdogAVL

Registered
Hi. For some reason, when I booted up this morning I got the message "you're opening up MAIL for the first time." (The computer no longer goes to sleep correctly, and hangs if my external drive is on, and I had to do a hard shutdown...maybe this caused the problem, but I digress).

In any event, the program opens on the laptop...and even opens in for the other LOG IN on the same computer. But now, when I try and open Mail 2.1 when logged in, it starts to launch and "unexpectedly quits."

Without losing all my current information, correspondence, etc. (and all my settings, address book and emails) how to I FIX this problem?

Can I simply insert the TIGER OS 10.4 (I'm at 10.4.10 at the moment) disk, click on custom install and click on Mail and ask it to reinstall just the mail program? Or am I going to have to do some squirrelly archive, etc. and probably lose my settings. Or worse, click the wrong thing and wipe out my hard drive?

Thanks.
 
Launch Disk Utility and repair permissions. If this does not work, then restart your computer and press the -key while it reboots. This places you in single-user mode. At the command prompt type

fsck -fy

This runs File System Check. When you get back the command prompt, read the information that fsck gave you. If everything is OK, then type

exit

If fsck indicates a problem which it can't fix, then take your computer to a qualified repair shop.
 
You're seriously telling me that as I write you this from my mail program logged on as a different user on the same computer...and it works fine...and Mail doesn't stop working...that I am to run diskrepair while logged on as the other user (where the app doesn't work...on the same computer)...and if that doesn't fix it to take the computer to a repair shop? Why does the app work on the same computer logged on as a different user? Enlighten me as to what you think is going on.
 
Well maybe if you remember your ISP email setup, deleting Mail's preferences may help. Just make sure you have what the email settings you have (you will not loose saved emails) to get your email.

To delete Mail's preferences (after you write down your email ISP settings) mosey to the folder /YourHardDrive/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/ and then delete the file: com.apple.mail.plist . Then re-launch Mail, put you email settings back in and see if that helps.

One thing bothers me about your problem. If you find other programs starting acting strange like this seriously consider getting a new hard drive. When any operating system starts forgetting it's own settings (over multiple programs) then it is an early sign of "bad sectors" on the hard disk.
 
I could try deleting the com plist.

I was noticing that when I log in as user #2 (where the program works) the user/username/library/mail/messagerules.plist has a different timestamp than when I log in as user #1. Think there may be any correlation? I was going to copy that over first, just to see.

Remember, I can access the email from the same computer (which is sharing the MAIL application!) but if I try to access as USER #1, I get the KERNEL BAD message. (I have the settings memorized by now as I've done this already about ten times so I won't lose those...unless, of course, something comes loose).

I'll try this first, then I'll try copying the com.mail.plist from the USER #2 that works on this computer and move it to the comlist to USER #1 on this computer that doesn't work. I'll move by copying to an external hard drive.
 
Well, when I did this, naturally, the welcome to the new email came up so I put the settings in for the 12th time. I can get to the email in USER #2, sharing the app (logged on as a different user on the same computer) but it crashes when logged on as USER #1.

So, back to the original question. Is there a way to reload just the MAIL program from the Tiger DVD without getting into trouble with other parts of Tiger?
 
TuckerdogAVL said:
...

So, back to the original question. Is there a way to reload just the MAIL program from the Tiger DVD without getting into trouble with other parts of Tiger?
Click to expand...
Don't fix things that aren't broken. The fact that you Mail works just fine for User #2 means that it is fine. It won't get any better by a reinstall. Your problem relates to the settings for User #1.
 
The User #1 has a corrupt file that is causing this. If you were logged into User 1 when you pulled the plug, that might have caused it. It sounds like you may have an underlying problem since sleep does not work.

Can you open Disk Utility in User 1 and repair permissions?

Log into User 1 and go to Home>Library>Preferences
Trash the following files:
com.apple.BezelServices.plist
com.apple.DirectoryService.Config.plist
com.apple.finder.plist
com.apple.LaunchServices.plist
com.apple.recentitems.plist
com.apple.scheduler.plist
com.apple.systempreferences.plist
com.apple.systemuiserver.plist

Log out, then log in and empty the trash. Give User 1 a test run and let us know what happens.
 
...as these things go, I'm in the middle of installing a ceiling fan. Truly annoying process. Yes. to your question, I was logged on with USER #1 when I had to pull the plug. And, the sleep issue, I did correct once: I think it is either a problem with the external (if I don't dismount it and leave it on accidentally) or it was the scanner (if it's in the old USB ports that came installed or the new 2.0 USB that I installed, don't remember which) or 3) it's the printer cable going into the hub....or not. I came up with some configuration that worked once, but since then I don't remember the precise thing that worked. I have to go through and remove everything one at a time again.

In any event, I will try your suggestion. So, I just remove everything and then just try to re-log on and launch mail, correct?
 
PPS....Back to the fan...but naturally I at least checked a couple things. Did the disk permission repair again (what is the difference between repair disk? and repair permissions?). But, here's the kicker. All those files exist except: com.apple.DirectoryService.Config.plist

And here's the best part: it doesn't exist under Home/Library/Preferences in USER 2 either. But that's the one that works fine.

So, haven't done anything yet. Because if it doesn't work, I'll never get back to the OTHER project...and there will be HELL to pay! ;-)
 
"If fsck indicates a problem which it can't fix, then take your computer to a qualified repair shop."

This is soooo wrong. Let us all totally ignore it.

YES, to answer your question. The utility Pacifist will allow you to inspect your original install disk and extract whatever you need.

Sometimes flaky things develop in one account that aren't worth the time to find even if you could. Make a second user account with admin rights and keep it showing in menubar for a quick switch. If second account works, you've saved yourself an Archive and Install!
 
I feel i should go ahead and back things up and do a fresh install. A couple friends of mine said they do that about once a year anyway.

So, I've always just backed up documents, folders and files and such. Should I be backing up applications? What about apps (such as my Photoshop 7) that no longer exist on CD (I had a mishap moving and a carton with program/app CDs was crushed in the move; naturally, the five CDs that got smashed weren't the stupid, old ones with stupid files on them. Nope. They were programs. And, no, I don't have the receipt anymore to ask Adobe for a replacement).

Will I be able to reinstall if I just back up the programs(s) onto the external drive?

I'm always confused on just how much and what to back up.
Naturally, I don't want to back up this mail program, for example, that I'm having trouble with right?

:-)

Thanks.
 
Don't worry about one preference file that you don't have. Did trashing those files help in any way?

Repair Disk can only be done on the start up hard drive using the OS CD. It repairs the disk, where as Repair Permissions corrects the permissions to allow you to read and write. After a major install or update to the system, doing a repair permissions corrects the ownership, read & write.

Backing up your Home folder will include your documents, etc. You can back up the Applications that you have installed (Non-Apple).

Check one thing: User 1's Home>Library>Mail Do you have folders and files there?
 
Didn't want to do anything yet as I don't have time to deal with it. I will tomorrow (Tuesday) and will get back to you. I will trash the files tomorrow sometime. Thanks so much for your help.
 
If you just back up the apps, you will need the software keys for the apps that need them. You can avoid this by backing up the preference file (/Library/Preferences or /Users/<you>/Library/Preferences)
 
Cheryl said:
The User #1 has a corrupt file that is causing this. If you were logged into User 1 when you pulled the plug, that might have caused it. It sounds like you may have an underlying problem since sleep does not work.

Can you open Disk Utility in User 1 and repair permissions?

Log into User 1 and go to Home>Library>Preferences
Trash the following files:
com.apple.BezelServices.plist
com.apple.DirectoryService.Config.plist
com.apple.finder.plist
com.apple.LaunchServices.plist
com.apple.recentitems.plist
com.apple.scheduler.plist
com.apple.systempreferences.plist
com.apple.systemuiserver.plist

Log out, then log in and empty the trash. Give User 1 a test run and let us know what happens.
Click to expand...

All it did was eliminate my Airport icon, ICHAT icon, US Palette, Bluetooth icon at the top of my display. USER 2 still fine and dandy.
 
Cheryl said:
Check one thing: User 1's Home>Library>Mail Do you have folders and files there?
Click to expand...

Yes, they are all fine. (I mean, the folders are there, all the old mail is there). I can check mail, etc. if I'm not online. When I go online to retrieve mail, it crashes. In fact, it seems I can send mail, just can't receive. Receiving causes the crash to take effect. But I can send. Weird, huh!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top