Replies

Thanks Hans, that’s a good link.

That procedure worked when we used a local address book, but not for the national one.
The frustrating thing is that, with fewer settings to set, outlook express’s address book works. It must be compensating behind the scenes somehow.

A new tack might be to find out what OE is doing. Any suggestions?

Nick,

The *.msf files are (or should be) in your profile folder. The profile folder (on windows 2000) is C:Documents and Settings_yourusername_Application DataThunderbirdProfiles_yourprofile_mail (or IMAPmail if you’re using IMAP)

The msf files are rebuilt by Thunderbird if you delete them.

Are your folders real folders or are they “saved search” folders? Clutching a a straw here, but if they are saved searches, they may be trying to refresh themselves on an empty search. Else I don’t know, have you tried the “delete your .msf file” trick and compacting your folders?

Have you tried going to your profile->mail folder and hunting down and deleteing *.msf files? TB should replace these when you restart.

As for archiving, I’ve heard that the mozbackup extension is useful for this. You could also try the mozillazine forums.

John

Thanks for replying Mark,

Yup I’ve tried online help, no joy. Maybe I’ll email Copernic support.

I’ve used Protext since it came on ROM for my Amstrad CPC. It’s highly scriptable and my wife uses it (with lots of ProMerge scripts) to track our finances. It’s proving to be irreplacable!

Right, that worked. In case anyone else needs this, this is what I did.

Problem — User “recycled” files that she never uses — including system files. PC refuses to boot to Windows (95).

Solution —

1. boot to DOS with a boot disk (I used a windows 95 one — less baggage)
2. change to c:recycled (this apparently changes in XP – not sure about 2000)
3. run a:attrib -h *.* to unhide all the files in the recycle bin.
   ( if you dir now you’ll see files of the format Dc12.txt where the c is the drive deleted from the 12 is the index of the file and the .txt is the original suffix.)
4. find the file INFO or INFO2 and copy it to floppy, then sneakernet it to a pc which will boot to windows…
5. obtain rifiuti from the addresses above (the foundstone address supplies a zip, sourceforge a GZed tar..tricky) and unzip to a place of your choosing
6. open a DOS box and run the command rifiuti a:INFO > INFO.txt This creates a tab delimited file with a numbered list of files and their real names and locations
7. nicely format your file and print out the bits that you’re interested in
   go back to the sick PC and using DOS copy the system files back where they came from ( copy c:recycledDc12.sys c:config.sys etc)
   ( I did the bare minimum to get me going again, but if you’re keen you can do the whole lot…)
8. Reboot the PC, restore any other files from the recycle bin that you need (so that you can properly uninstall them…)
9. slap user and tell them not to do it again — bask in glory

Right, that worked. In case anyone else needs this, this is what I did.

Problem — User “recycled” files that she never uses — including system files. PC refuses to boot to Windows (95).

Solution —

1. boot to DOS with a boot disk (I used a windows 95 one — less baggage)
2. change to c:recycled (this apparently changes in XP – not sure about 2000)
3. run a:attrib -h *.* to unhide all the files in the recycle bin.
   ( if you dir now you’ll see files of the format Dc12.txt where the c is the drive deleted from the 12 is the index of the file and the .txt is the original suffix.)
4. find the file INFO or INFO2 and copy it to floppy, then sneakernet it to a pc which will boot to windows…
5. obtain rifiuti from the addresses above (the foundstone address supplies a zip, sourceforge a GZed tar..tricky) and unzip to a place of your choosing
6. open a DOS box and run the command rifiuti a:INFO > INFO.txt This creates a tab delimited file with a numbered list of files and their real names and locations
7. nicely format your file and print out the bits that you’re interested in
   go back to the sick PC and using DOS copy the system files back where they came from ( copy c:recycledDc12.sys c:config.sys etc)
   ( I did the bare minimum to get me going again, but if you’re keen you can do the whole lot…)
8. Reboot the PC, restore any other files from the recycle bin that you need (so that you can properly uninstall them…)
9. slap user and tell them not to do it again — bask in glory

OK, found it.
program called rifiuti at http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=78332%5B/url%5D or http://www.foundstone.com/index.htm?subnav…esc/rifiuti.htm%5B/url%5D parses out the info file, at least it tries to, I’ll know more when I try it at work tomorrow.

Thanks anyway guys.

OK, found it.
program called rifiuti at http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=78332%5B/url%5D or http://www.foundstone.com/index.htm?subnav…esc/rifiuti.htm%5B/url%5D parses out the info file, at least it tries to, I’ll know more when I try it at work tomorrow.

Thanks anyway guys.

The recycle bin contains a hidden file (INFO or INFO2) which is an index of the files in it. If you explore in DOS the “recycled” files all have a filename like Dc1.txt, (the c is the drive and the suffix is…well, the suffix..) The info file tells you the “real” names of these files, which is vital to know if you want to replace all the files that a well-intentioned but clued-down user dumped there to tidy, resulting in Windows not loading…

Thanks

The recycle bin contains a hidden file (INFO or INFO2) which is an index of the files in it. If you explore in DOS the “recycled” files all have a filename like Dc1.txt, (the c is the drive and the suffix is…well, the suffix..) The info file tells you the “real” names of these files, which is vital to know if you want to replace all the files that a well-intentioned but clued-down user dumped there to tidy, resulting in Windows not loading…

Thanks

Try the free chaos manager from http://home4.inet.tele.dk/mbresson/cm/index.html%5B/url%5D
I’ve used this for a while now and it’s size, simplicity and price appeal to me…

Hans,

That’s fantastic! Now to go and demonstrate my omniscience…

Do the same for you someday (he said, hoping to stumble on an obscure feature that will astound a guru someday…)

Problem solved, after a bit of assistance from the win2000 forum…

Adding NETBUI did the trick

Thanks all..

“You may want to consider NETBUI if you aren’t using it already”

You win the coconut, joe!!!

Adding NETBUI did the trick

Thanks all..