Cannot Open/Delete Mail •• Mail Disappears

Cannot Open/Delete Mail •• Mail Disappears
(Updated 06/24/03)

If you can no longer access Netscape mail, or if closing and restarting the program does not help:

Go to your Mail Preferences:
Edit | Mail & Newsgroups Account Settings | Server Settings

Disable: Empty Trash on Exit
If not enabled then empty the Trash folder

If you are using a Theme other than the Default Modern Theme, revert back to the Modern Theme. This is one of the most likely causes of inaccessible or disappearing Mail.

Compact your Mail Folders
Open the Mail Window
Select: File | Compact Folders

Check the port setting for POP3 mail. (It is normally set to 110.)
Edit | Mail & Newsgroup Accounts Settings | POP3 | Server Settings
Disable: Use secure connection (SSL)

Close Netscape:
Open Windows Explorer
Browse to the Mail Account Folder
(OS Profile Locations)
Delete all files with an MSF extension Do NOT delete any files WITHOUT the MSF extension.

Check the File Attributes in the Mail file Properties. Ensure they are not set to "Read Only". (See File location above)
Close Netscape
Browse to the Mail folder
Right click the files
Select: Properties
Remove the tick beside "Read Only" (if necessary)

Back up your Inbox file (without the MSF extension)

Open the Inbox file with Notepad, and delete the offending message
Click on File | Save
Close Notepad
If Netscape has rebuilt the Inbox.msf file, delete it

If this is the only message in your Inbox:
Delete the Inbox file and the Inbox.msf file
Netscape will rebuild it when restarted

Open Netscape - has this helped?

This may be pointing to a profile corruption. As a last resort, Create a New Profile and see if the problem remains.

If none of the above workarounds prove to be a solution for your Mail problems, please post on the:

Netscape Navigator Forum - WindowsBBS.com

Netscape Browser Archive - SillyDog701 Message Center

I'm a Moderator on these Forums, and post as "Ramona"

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06/24/03