jmward14: (BenkeiSake)
Jean Marie Ward ([personal profile] jmward14) wrote2008-03-08 06:16 pm
Entry tags:

Alms for the Techno-Dummy

I've used Eudora as my mail program for ages.  I's wonderful for filtering out spam, viruses, etc.  But every so often--usually around the time they introduce a new version--it randomly dumps YEARS of my inbox.  Tonight it just took me back to 2004.  Getting in touch with Qualcom (the manufacturer) is pointless.  They'll only tell me to upload the new version, which is exactly the same as the old version and never, ever restores the old mail, so why bother?
Can anyone suggest where the dumped mails might be hiding and how I can get them back?  Thanks!
Harried hugs,
Jean Marie

[identity profile] quietselkie.livejournal.com 2008-03-09 01:09 am (UTC)(link)
I dunno how old that tip sheet is, either, so it may not help. But yeah, it's a good idea to put everything into folders...a Virgo like you isn't more organized? Fershame, fershame!

[identity profile] jmward14.livejournal.com 2008-03-09 03:05 am (UTC)(link)
It was in folders: In, Out & Trash. Why do they give you all those handy dandy organizational tools like "Name", "Date", "Subject", etc., if you're not supposed to let the machine do the sorting. I never had any trouble finding anything.
*blink*blink*
Hugs,
Jean Marie
*who just spent way too much time sorting through her Out and Trash boxes--the In box is history...again*

[identity profile] realthog.livejournal.com 2008-03-09 03:20 am (UTC)(link)

Yes, but you should be able to create *dozens* of local folders in which to file your e-mails -- a folder for each of your regular correspondents, just for starters. Have you asked Greg about this . . .?

[identity profile] jmward14.livejournal.com 2008-03-09 04:40 am (UTC)(link)
Not to worry, {{{realthog}}}, I've been creating my very own email folders for years. However, given the number of my correspondents, it would be self-defeating organize the mail that way. The sheer volume would entail a series of nested folders. Once you get to that level, you're applying organization for organization's sake--never a very efficient means of operation.
Instead, I've created a series of dated archive folders. Once my In and Out boxes reach a certain size, I'll dump the bulk in an appropriate folder.
The irritating thing is I would've done that ages ago if somebody--ANYBODY--from Qualcom had bothered to mention this little "program feature" during any of the half dozen times I called. I mean, come on, who among us keeps their inboxes below 1 MB? Our Tech Support at the Pentagon couldn't enforce a 10 MB limit five years ago.
Hugs and headshakes,
Jean Marie

[identity profile] realthog.livejournal.com 2008-03-09 05:01 am (UTC)(link)

"However, given the number of my correspondents, it would be self-defeating organize the mail that way. The sheer volume would entail a series of nested folders. Once you get to that level, you're applying organization for organization's sake--never a very efficient means of operation."

The term I used was "regular correspondents"; it'd obviously be bonkers to have a folder for each and every person who e-mailed you. That done, you could have a folder for, say, "miscellaneous artists" or "new projects" or "bills" or . . . into which you could sling whole categories of correspondents. (As example, I tend to have a separate folder for each publisher I work with to any substantial degree; I may or may not give individual staffers subfolders within those folders.)

[identity profile] jmward14.livejournal.com 2008-03-09 05:09 am (UTC)(link)
Umm, I have that many regular correspondents. :D And not to worry, I have subject folders, all up-to-date. Henceforth, everything else will be dumped in the appropriate archive folders.
Thanks for the download.com link too.
Hugs,
Jean Marie

[identity profile] realthog.livejournal.com 2008-03-09 05:06 am (UTC)(link)

As for recovering the old mail, it might make sense to go to www.download.com and see if there's any free software you can download that'll let you extract the contents of your old Eudora .mbx files.

I've been able to perform this exercise with Outlook Express files salvaged when my hard drive has collapsed. Whether such software exists for Eudora is another matter, of course!

You know what the saddest thing about this is

[identity profile] jmward14.livejournal.com 2008-03-09 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
I must've called Qualcom at six times with this problem over the years. Yet not one of their tech support people ever mentioned the program was unstable when the In, Out & Trash boxes exceed a certain size. If I'd known that, I would've set up archive files years ago.
Hugs and headshakes,
Jean Marie

Re: You know what the saddest thing about this is

[identity profile] realthog.livejournal.com 2008-03-09 04:43 am (UTC)(link)

I've found a screenshot of Eudora at http://www.eudora.com/techsupport/kb/2363hq.html (first pic).

Do you have folders like the ones called "Family Photos" and "Smith Family" in this pic? Those are the folders Selkie and I are talking about.

If you haven't created these, I might be able to talk you through the process, assuming Eudora functions much like Outlook Express (which it seems to).