unable to delete message in inbox

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efagent
Posts: 6
Joined: August 24th, 2010, 12:49 pm

unable to delete message in inbox

Post by efagent »

I continually get the error message "unable to delete message inbox folder because file is in use by some other operation". This makes it impossible to keep a clean inbox. I am so feed up with these last releases of TB. So many bugs. Would much prefer to pay for a stable em client. Really like TB but this is getting way too time consuming....

Also, several times all message in my inbox simply disappear. I have been fortunate that I can close TB and restart and the message reappear but a friend lost all of his inbox and was unable to recover.
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DanRaisch
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Re: unable to delete message in inbox

Post by DanRaisch »

Moving to Thunderbird Support as no bug has been identified here.

* Which version of Thunderbird? Check Help>About for the version number.
* What kind of mail - POP, IMAP?
* Is your mail service from an ISP, corporate e-mail system or Web-based?
* Are you using an antivirus and/or a firewall program? Which ones?
* Do you regularly compact your folders? Weekly or more often is strongly recommended. Check http://kb.mozillazine.org/Compacting_folders for more information on compacting folders.
efagent
Posts: 6
Joined: August 24th, 2010, 12:49 pm

Re: unable to delete message in inbox

Post by efagent »

Using 3.1.2 but I have had this same issue since 3.0 (I have experienced both these problems with 3.0; 3.0.3; 3.0.4; 3.0.5; 3.1; 3.1.1) The last version that I ran without problems was 2.0.0.19.

I have downloaded the newest version when available hoping that this issue would be resolved in the newer release.

I have both a POP and IMAP account. My main account is POP and this is the account that I have the problem with. I don't get enough email in the IMAP account to really know if it is an issue.

Mail service for the POP account is from and ISP. Incoming server is pop.hmc1.comcast.net

Antivirus is Symantec AntiVirus. Full Version 9.0.0.338

I have TB set to automatically compact folder when it will save 100 KB
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DanRaisch
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Re: unable to delete message in inbox

Post by DanRaisch »

How recently have you compacted your folders? Compacting is something that needs to be done regularly in any email program. We recommend weekly, but many of us do it daily. When done often enough, it can be an extremely fast process. Not doing so can lead to problems like those you are experiencing. See this about how to and why it's so important: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Compacting_folders

If you haven't been doing that before, first back up your Thunderbird Profile -- http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_backup then compact all folders. If 'compacting' them (and leaving a long enough time for the process to complete) doesn't fully resolve the problem then do the following on each account:

Close Thunderbird. Find and delete all of the files with the .msf file extension in your profile folder/Mail http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Folder#Thunderbird including your Local Folders, especially if you are using the global inbox. You must have "View hidden files and folders" on http://spywarewarrior.com/viewtopic.php?t=272 and you need to set "hide extensions for known file types" off (just below View Hidden) if you are using Windows. These are your mail summary files and do not hold any messages themselves. They will be rebuilt the next time you open each folder in Thunderbird. Compact all your folders when you have completed this.

To avoid this happening again, see the tips in these articles:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Keep_it_worki ... derbird%29
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Performance_%28Thunderbird%29
Neville
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Joined: April 7th, 2008, 1:14 am

Re: unable to delete message in inbox

Post by Neville »

I auto-compact at 20 kB. After earlier complaints about giving this advice I changed it to 50 kB but noticed a few delays so I have returned to 20 kB. This works for me.

Windows virus checking can also cause delays. I use a Mac and don't have virus software permanently running.

Try to keep Inbox and Trash as small as practical - I Archive the previous days messages every day - Archive is one of TB's faster operations.

Try turning off all indexing.
efagent
Posts: 6
Joined: August 24th, 2010, 12:49 pm

Re: unable to delete message in inbox

Post by efagent »

I was so hopeful. I did everything recommended by DanRaisch. I have my folders set to compact when it will save 25KB. TB is running faster and I was able to successfully delete about 20 messages then up comes another error message producing the same result... I have gotten this error message before...

Alert:
The operation failed because an other operation is using the folder. Please wait for that operation to finish and then try again.

I walked away from the computer and came back after 20 minutes and tried again and it worked. (not a very practical solution....) The next message I tried to delete I got the old dreaded error "unable to delete message inbox folder because file is in use by some other operation"

Any further suggestions... Thanks for your assistance.
Neville
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Joined: April 7th, 2008, 1:14 am

Re: unable to delete message in inbox

Post by Neville »

Try turning off all virus checking and indexing.
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Daifne
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Re: unable to delete message in inbox

Post by Daifne »

First time compacting, if you have been using TB for a while and have never compacted, can take a while. That's not unusual. That had nothing to do with virus checking or indexing for search. From now on, compacting will be very quick.

Try closing Thunderbird and reopening.
Neville
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Re: unable to delete message in inbox

Post by Neville »

Try not to quit TB in the middle of compacting - it can cause corruption.
efagent
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Joined: August 24th, 2010, 12:49 pm

Re: unable to delete message in inbox

Post by efagent »

I still continue to have the problem. I have done everything suggested. I am compacting at 20KG automatically. I never quit an application in the middle of a process unless there is no other choice.
efagent
Posts: 6
Joined: August 24th, 2010, 12:49 pm

Re: unable to delete message in inbox

Post by efagent »

Somewhere in the process of doing all these fixes I managed to change a setting somewhere so that now all my messages are going to the "Outbox" on my "Local" folder instead of sending immediately.....

AND NO I did not check "work offline". Messages are downloading fine, just sending outgoing to the outbox instead of "sending now". I am simply clicking the "Send" icon to send. I see that there is a send now command if I go to the file command but I have always just clicked "send"....

Anyone know what I did to create this newest irritation???
Neville
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Joined: April 7th, 2008, 1:14 am

Re: unable to delete message in inbox

Post by Neville »

After I have composed a new message I click the 'Send' button at the top of the new message window. Is this the button you are using?
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Daifne
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Re: unable to delete message in inbox

Post by Daifne »

efagent,
For your original problem try this next:

If compacting and deleting didn't work, you will need to try the sledge hammer approach:

1. Move any mail in your Inbox - that you want to retain - to subfolders of Local Folders. Backup your profile. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_backup You really shouldn't be storing them there anyway. The inbox is too busy in any email program and is therefore more prone to corruption. If you cannot see the messages to move them, close Thunderbird and rename the effected inbox file with no extension to something like InboxOld

2. Close down Thunderbird

3. Navigate to your Thunderbird Profile Folder on your system and DELETE the 'Inbox' and 'Inbox.msf' files for this account, or for Local Folders if you are using the global inbox. They will be rebuilt when you relaunch Thunderbird. If you have more than one account, make sure you do this in the proper account. All messages left in the inbox will be deleted in this process. If you do make a mistake, I hope you made the backup I suggested in step 1.

4. If InboxOld does not show at this point, let me know.

To avoid this happening again, see the tips in these articles:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Keep_it_worki ... derbird%29
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Performance_%28Thunderbird%29
snowyowl13
Posts: 3
Joined: September 6th, 2010, 8:57 am

Re: unable to delete message in inbox

Post by snowyowl13 »

I too was having trouble deleting messages so I took the advice on here and compacted my folders. My In Box promptly disappeared. I figured out how to get an In Box but all the messages in it have gone. How do I get my messages back? I will say that now I seem to be able to delete messages. I'm using v3.12 but wish I wasn't.
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LIMPET235
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Re: unable to delete message in inbox

Post by LIMPET235 »

snowyowl13...
Please start your own thread, as these can get rather involved & confusing, if answering more than one person.
Many ta's.
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