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

Cuireadh an snáithe seo sa chartlann. Cuir ceist nua má tá cabhair uait.

Local Folder Compact Fails. Compact starts, "Folder ... could not be compacted because writing to folder failed. Verify that you have enough disk space..."

  • 8 bhfreagra
  • 1 leis an bhfadhb seo
  • 25 views
  • Freagra is déanaí ó Matt

more options

I have been running Thunderbird for years and just recently I have a problem with one of my LOCAL email folders.

Thunderbird starts to compact it and then the attached message pops up. I had deleted a lot of messages awhile ago, but I think it compacted after those deletions. I have "175,877,668,864 bytes free" on the hard drive.

And do a DIR on the containing folder:

09/19/2018 01:15 PM 728,439,328 AGM 09/19/2018 01:02 PM 684,678 AGM.msf

Al Nims

I have been running Thunderbird for years and just recently I have a problem with one of my LOCAL email folders. Thunderbird starts to compact it and then the attached message pops up. I had deleted a lot of messages awhile ago, but I think it compacted after those deletions. I have "175,877,668,864 bytes free" on the hard drive. And do a DIR on the containing folder: 09/19/2018 01:15 PM 728,439,328 AGM 09/19/2018 01:02 PM 684,678 AGM.msf Al Nims

Athraithe ag Wayne Mery ar

Réiteach roghnaithe

Sorry, but folder repair did not work.

What I did to solve my problem was this:

  1. 1. Create a new local folder.
  2. 2. Moved email messages in groups to the new folder until I hit the email message that was causing a problem.
  3. 3. The message in error I had to leave behind, I could not copy it or move it.
  4. 4. Renamed the bad folder and renamed the new one to the name I wanted.
  5. 5. Fixed any message filters that used the bad folder, renaming the folder causes message filters to change.
  6. 6. I could not delete the folder from within Thunderbird, so I had to exit and delete it by hand.

So far, that appears to have fixed the problem.

Al Nims

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (8)

more options

The error message attachment did not happen in the original post.

more options

That sort of error is usually due t the file being locked when thunderbird tries to write to it, or the disk. The primary cause of this contention is an anti virus product that is either poorly coded, slow or overloaded on a slow machine.

Try disabling your anti virus and then see if there is enough disk space.

more options

Disabling my Anti-Virus software does not help, I had also fixed that problem a long time ago.

more options

Are you using: (A) 'File' > Compact Folders' OR (B) right click on the specific folder and use 'Compact' ?

suggest you use (B) method

Try repairing the index first and then using method (B) above. Right click on folder and select 'Properties' click on 'Repair folder' click on 'OK (B) right click on the specific folder and use 'Compact' ?

more options

Réiteach Roghnaithe

Sorry, but folder repair did not work.

What I did to solve my problem was this:

  1. 1. Create a new local folder.
  2. 2. Moved email messages in groups to the new folder until I hit the email message that was causing a problem.
  3. 3. The message in error I had to leave behind, I could not copy it or move it.
  4. 4. Renamed the bad folder and renamed the new one to the name I wanted.
  5. 5. Fixed any message filters that used the bad folder, renaming the folder causes message filters to change.
  6. 6. I could not delete the folder from within Thunderbird, so I had to exit and delete it by hand.

So far, that appears to have fixed the problem.

Al Nims

more options

Can you retrieve the bad folder?? (backup, recycle bin, etc)

It would be nice to see the message that was causing the problem.

more options

I was never able to do a backup, it got an I/O error.

more options

ajnims said

I was never able to do a backup, it got an I/O error.

That would indicate the physical media you are storing your data in is probably failing. Total loss will probably be the end result. It might be time to upgrade or pay a technician.