This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Contents of previously received messages do not appear anymore.

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by jkap

more options

Suddenly the contents of messages that are already in Inbox (as in received in the past and already read) do not appear anymore! When I open the messages I get a blank screen.

The messages are there, when I view the Inbox, listed with their "from", "subject", "date" and the rest of the columns.

Also messages in all other subfolders of Inbox are ok, so are other folders (sent etc). This problems appears only in Inbox parent folder.

Suddenly the contents of messages that are already in Inbox (as in received in the past and already read) do not appear anymore! When I open the messages I get a blank screen. The messages are there, when I view the Inbox, listed with their "from", "subject", "date" and the rest of the columns. Also messages in all other subfolders of Inbox are ok, so are other folders (sent etc). This problems appears only in Inbox parent folder.

All Replies (3)

more options

You can see here a screenshot. I've opened the message and this is all I get. The tab reads the subject, but the contents are gone.

Modified by jkap

more options

Thunderbird uses two files for mail. One to store the mail and another to populate the user interface. It is a sort of cache so a small file can be read instead of a large one.

What happens when the actual mail file becomes corrupt, or far more frequently is deleted for some reason by security software (anti virus) is what you describe. The display file still exists, but when your select the email nothing displays.

Right click the folder, select properties and then the repair button. That will force a refresh of the index/display file from the main mail store. The probable result is all your mails will cease to be listed. But that is the reality of what you have now. no mail and a spurious list.

You might want to look through the logs of your anti virus program and see if they deleted or quarantined a file called inbox.

more options

Thank you Matt.

I was thinking that was the case. My antivirus did detect suspicious attachments and the log shows attempt to disinfect > failed > then deleted.

At least the number of messages lost is small, and I keep a backup.

Thanks