Mail.app won't delete certain messages

February 4, 2008 7:29 AM

Mail.app does not remove / delete certain messages from my Inbox view. How can this be overcome?

On December 14th I deleted several messages from my Inbox using the highlight + delete key method. The messages disappeared temporarily but then returned in a greyed out font (indicating slated for deletion status). Subsequent attempts to delete them were / are unsuccessful. I'm using POP3 and not leaving copies of messages on the server. I've checked using my ISP's webmail client and the messages are not on the server. If I restart Mail.app the messages' status is changed from slated for deletion to read.

Until today it was only these four messages. This morning I attempted to delete several more and they ended up with the slated for deletion status. I couldn't get them to disappear / move to Trash / what-have-you. I restarted the application and today's messages have subsequently been deleted. Still, this has motivated me to seek a permanent solution lest I end up with an Inbox chock-full of persistently undeletable messages.

posted by Fezboy! to computers & internet (4 comments total)

Try rebuilding the mailbox. Mailbox --> Rebuild
posted by nathan_teske at 8:01 AM on February 4, 2008

Tidbits has a thread dealing with a similar problem. I'm not at my mac right now, so I can't try, but check the View//show/hide deleted messages setting.
posted by nightwood at 8:14 AM on February 4, 2008

I remember looking at that option before but had focused "Inbox" so the option was greyed out. Your answer got me to revisit this idea. Once I expanded the Inbox, the individual accounts dumping in to it were exposed. Bringing focus on these individual accounts enables the Rebuild option for that specific account mailbox.

Huh. I feel somewhat embarrassed for having not tried that before...

A quick rebuild later on the two accounts presenting problems looks to have cleared this issue. If they come back today, however, I'm revoking your best answer, nathan_teske! ;)
posted by Fezboy! at 8:29 AM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]

If Nathan's answer should fail, quit Mail.app and then delete "/Users/yourusername/Library/Mail/Envelope Index." When you relaunch Mail.app, it will reimport all of your mail from scratch, effectively rebuilding every index for every mailbox.
posted by Mo Nickels at 10:53 AM on February 4, 2008