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

Hi, All my message in Inbox disappeared in Thunderbird. Everything else works. Please help.

  • 11 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by enjoylifee

more options

Hi,

I have over 12 email accounts configured on my Thunderbird and all the emails stays in the Inbox folder. Suddenly (I guess while compacting), all my Inbox was deleted. I have over 7000 emails and I am worried how can I get this back.

I tried deleting Inbox.msf but it didnt help. I tried to look into other solutions on the Internet but it didnt work too.

If anyone can help on this, I would really appreciate that.

Thanks, Vik

Hi, I have over 12 email accounts configured on my Thunderbird and all the emails stays in the Inbox folder. Suddenly (I guess while compacting), all my Inbox was deleted. I have over 7000 emails and I am worried how can I get this back. I tried deleting Inbox.msf but it didnt help. I tried to look into other solutions on the Internet but it didnt work too. If anyone can help on this, I would really appreciate that. Thanks, Vik

All Replies (11)

more options

Please read this article and check everything is says: Disappearing mail

more options

Thank You. Let me look. Will get back. Thanks again. Vik

more options

None of it helped. I checked these before and now I am lost. I dont know what to do. Its really strange how I lost all of my emails..

Vik

more options

Am I correct in assuming that you are using POP with all 12 e-mail accounts, and they all use the same Inbox?

Please post here your Troubleshooting Information from Thunderbird:

Press the Alt key or F10 key on your keyboard to show the Thunderbird menu. Thunderbird menu: Help: Troubleshooting Information Click the "Copy text to clipboard" button. Paste (Ctrl-V), the text into your response here.

more options

Application Basics

   Name: Thunderbird
   Version: 45.6.0
   User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; WOW64; rv:45.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/45.6.0
   Profile Folder: Show Folder
             (Local drive)
   Application Build ID: 20161222195647
   Enabled Plugins: about:plugins
   Build Configuration: about:buildconfig
   Memory Use: about:memory
 Mail and News Accounts
   account1:
     INCOMING: account1, , (pop3) mail.esigners.in:110, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , mail.esigners.in:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true
   account2:
     INCOMING: account2, , (none) Local Folders, plain, passwordCleartext
   account4:
     INCOMING: account4, , (pop3) mail.esigners.co:110, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , mail.esigners.co:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true
   account6:
     INCOMING: account6, , (pop3) mail.esigners.in:110, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , mail.esigners.in:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true
   account7:
     INCOMING: account7, , (pop3) mail.headerguru.com:110, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , mail.headerguru.com:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true
   account9:
     INCOMING: account9, , (pop3) mail.esigners.in:110, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , mail.esigners.in:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true
   account13:
     INCOMING: account13, , (imap) hp88.hostpapa.com:993, SSL, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , hp88.hostpapa.com:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true
   account14:
     INCOMING: account14, , (pop3) mail.stunningworks.co.uk:110, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , mail.stunningworks.co.uk:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true
   account15:
     INCOMING: account15, , (pop3) mail.stunningworks.com:110, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , mail.stunningworks.com:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true
   account16:
     INCOMING: account16, , (pop3) mail.stunningworks.com:110, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , mail.stunningworks.com:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true
   account17:
     INCOMING: account17, , (imap) zebrafever.com.au:993, SSL, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , zebrafever.com.au:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true
   account18:
     INCOMING: account18, , (pop3) mail.esigners.ca:110, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , mail.esigners.ca:25, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true
   account19:
     INCOMING: account19, , (pop3) mail.esigners.ca:110, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , mail.esigners.ca:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true
   account21:
     INCOMING: account21, , (pop3) mail.mithakhatta.com:110, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , mail.mithakhatta.com:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true
   account22:
     INCOMING: account22, , (pop3) mail.mithakhatta.com:110, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , mail.mithakhatta.com:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true
   account25:
     INCOMING: account25, , (pop3) mail.esigners.us:110, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , mail.esigners.us:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true
 Crash Reports
   http://crash-stats.mozilla.com/report/index/bp-3f8c099c-8fd9-4568-8a93-896382161130 (30-11-2016)
   http://crash-stats.mozilla.com/report/index/bp-20923cc5-9db4-46fc-92ff-ae4dd2161122 (22-11-2016)
   http://crash-stats.mozilla.com/report/index/bp-ee490db9-6eb6-44e5-bc8a-da5812160127 (27-01-2016)
   http://crash-stats.mozilla.com/report/index/bp-874c967b-12d2-41f4-b46a-709ca2150926 (26-09-2015)
 Extensions
   Lightning, 4.7.6, true, {e2fda1a4-762b-4020-b5ad-a41df1933103}
 Important Modified Preferences
   Name: Value
     accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar: 0
     browser.cache.disk.capacity: 358400
     browser.cache.disk.filesystem_reported: 1
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value: 358400
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run: false
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max: false
     dom.apps.reset-permissions: true
     extensions.lastAppVersion: 45.6.0
     font.internaluseonly.changed: false
     font.name.monospace.el: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.tr: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.x-baltic: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.x-central-euro: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.x-cyrillic: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.x-unicode: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.x-western: Consolas
     font.name.sans-serif.el: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.tr: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.x-baltic: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.x-central-euro: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.x-cyrillic: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.x-unicode: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.x-western: Calibri
     font.name.serif.el: Cambria
     font.name.serif.tr: Cambria
     font.name.serif.x-baltic: Cambria
     font.name.serif.x-central-euro: Cambria
     font.name.serif.x-cyrillic: Cambria
     font.name.serif.x-unicode: Cambria
     font.name.serif.x-western: Cambria
     font.size.fixed.el: 14
     font.size.fixed.tr: 14
     font.size.fixed.x-baltic: 14
     font.size.fixed.x-central-euro: 14
     font.size.fixed.x-cyrillic: 14
     font.size.fixed.x-unicode: 14
     font.size.fixed.x-western: 14
     font.size.variable.el: 17
     font.size.variable.tr: 17
     font.size.variable.x-baltic: 17
     font.size.variable.x-central-euro: 17
     font.size.variable.x-cyrillic: 17
     font.size.variable.x-unicode: 17
     font.size.variable.x-western: 17
     gfx.crash-guard.glcontext.appVersion: 45.6.0
     gfx.crash-guard.glcontext.deviceID: 0x0166
     gfx.crash-guard.glcontext.driverVersion: 10.18.10.4358
     gfx.crash-guard.glcontext.gfx.driver-init.direct3d11-angle: true
     gfx.crash-guard.glcontext.gfx.driver-init.webgl-angle: true
     gfx.crash-guard.glcontext.gfx.driver-init.webgl-angle-force-d3d11: false
     gfx.crash-guard.glcontext.gfx.driver-init.webgl-angle-force-warp: false
     gfx.crash-guard.glcontext.gfx.driver-init.webgl-angle-try-d3d11: true
     gfx.crash-guard.status.glcontext: 2
     gfx.direct3d.last_used_feature_level_idx: 0
     mail.openMessageBehavior.version: 1
     mail.winsearch.firstRunDone: true
     mailnews.database.global.datastore.id: 3bdf8afa-7c71-4426-ae52-40b9040b084
     mailnews.database.global.views.conversation.columns: {"threadCol":{"visible":true,"ordinal":"1"},"flaggedCol":{"visible":true,"ordinal":"3"},"attachmentCol":{"visible":false…
     network.cookie.prefsMigrated: true
     network.predictor.cleaned-up: true
     places.database.lastMaintenance: 1484308010
     places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages: 104551
     plugin.disable_full_page_plugin_for_types: application/pdf
     plugin.importedState: true
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_bgcolor: false
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_bgimages: false
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_colorspace:
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_command:
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_downloadfonts: false
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_duplex: 1515870810
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_edge_bottom: 0
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_edge_left: 0
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_edge_right: 0
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_edge_top: 0
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_evenpages: true
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_footercenter:
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_footerleft: &PT
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_footerright: &D
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_headercenter:
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_headerleft: &T
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_headerright: &U
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_in_color: true
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_margin_bottom: 0.5
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_margin_left: 0.5
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_margin_right: 0.5
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_margin_top: 0.5
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_oddpages: true
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_orientation: 0
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_page_delay: 50
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_paper_data: 9
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_paper_height: 11.00
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_paper_name:
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_paper_size_type: 0
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_paper_size_unit: 1
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_paper_width: 8.50
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_plex_name:
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_resolution: 1515870810
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_resolution_name:
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_reversed: false
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_scaling: 1.00
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_shrink_to_fit: true
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_to_file: false
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_unwriteable_margin_bottom: 0
more options

print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_unwriteable_margin_left: 0

     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_unwriteable_margin_right: 0
     print.printer_HP_LaserJet_1020.print_unwriteable_margin_top: 0
     print.printer_Microsoft_Print_to_PDF.print_bgcolor: false
     print.printer_Microsoft_Print_to_PDF.print_bgimages: false
     print.printer_Microsoft_Print_to_PDF.print_duplex: 1515870810
     print.printer_Microsoft_Print_to_PDF.print_edge_bottom: 0
     print.printer_Microsoft_Print_to_PDF.print_edge_left: 0
     print.printer_Microsoft_Print_to_PDF.print_edge_right: 0
     print.printer_Microsoft_Print_to_PDF.print_edge_top: 0
     print.printer_Microsoft_Print_to_PDF.print_evenpages: true
more options

You have 13 POP e-mail accounts and 2 IMAP e-mail accounts. You didn't answer my question as to whether the POP accounts all use the same Inbox or not. I will assume that they do.

Your problem is that the single file that holds all the e-mail for your Inbox has become corrupted, or the .msf file has been corrupted. Or perhaps the global database needs to be rebuilt.

The Inbox is the most used folder in Thunderbird with messages going in and out of it constantly. So it is the folder that is most likely to have problems. If you keep thousands of e-mails in it also, that makes it exponentially more likely for problems with the folder.

It is recommended (Keep it working - Thunderbird), that:

Keep the Inbox empty. Move new messages that you want to keep to another folder after you've read them. This may help avoid corrupting your Inbox folder, and will help maintain best performance.

Regularly compact your Inbox folder and any folders from which you delete messages in or move messages. Once a week is a useful rule of thumb, though...

Regularly back up your profile

No on to recovering your Inbox.

If you haven't already, backup your Thunderbird Profile.

Make sure that Thunderbird is not running, then find that Inbox file, delete the .msf file (yes I know you already did this, do it again now). Then delete the global-messages-db.sqlite file as instructed in Rebuilding the Global Database. Don't restart Thunderbird yet.

One more step, to maximize the possibility of success.

Go get that Inbox file from the backup you made of the Profile Folder, and make a copy of it with a different name, in the same location as the Inbox file in your Profile. Now you will have two copies of the Inbox file, so two possibilities of recovery.

Then restart Thunderbird.

If the original Inbox is still unusable, then the file for it is probably corrupted on the hard drive, but hopefully the copy of the Inbox will be usable.

Run a Check Disk. How to run a "Check Disk" in Windows. You are running Windows 10, so follow the instructions for running a "proper" Check Disk for Windows 10.

Perhaps that will fix the original Inbox.

Once your issue is solved, then move all those e-mails out of the Inbox to other folders. Read all of Keep it working - Thunderbird and make use of its advice.

more options

Apologies for my delayed response. I will try this today and revert.

more options

Looks like nothing works for me. I have index.msf in each individual mail folders. Hope thats the right file I deleted from each folders and then after taking the backup of profile, I copied the index.msf files in respective folders with "indexbkup.msf" and deleted the global-messages-db.sqlite file as instructed.

While restarting Thunderbird, I see "Downloading 89/503 in old emails. But thats not the right emails I was wanting. I have had around 1 years email in my inbox which was not segregated in respective folders and I guess were more than 3000 emails. I dont know but it looks like I have lost my earlier emails. Any other help is much appreciated.

Thanks, Vik

more options

If the old e-mails were not permanently gone before, your delay in trying to recover them ensured that they are probably permanently gone now.

I don't think there is any way you are going to get them back, unless you had backed them up.

As a computer technician, I always say, "If you don't back it up, expect to lose it". That and, "If it was important, you would have backed it up."

Moving forward:

Read and follow the advice in the article: Keep it working - Thunderbird

more options

Thanks for your time. A lesson well learnt. I will still try and see is anything works out.

Have a fantastic evening ahead. Vik