User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.8.1.7) Gecko/20071018 BonEcho/2.0.0.7 Build Identifier: 2.0.0.19 (20081209) Thunderbird 2.0.0.19 on XP and Puppy 4.1.2 Thunderbird 2.0.0.17 on Puppy 4.0 Accessing my messages from Linux (Puppy 4.1.2 and Puppy 4.0) partitions and XP partition on one PC Profile folder located on separate, dedicated, data only partition (FAT32) All new messages - no problem Most (but not all) imported (from MS Outlook 2003) messages are being reset to "unread" status, despite deleted .msf, compacted folders, using importing addons etc (see [url]http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=1060645[/url]) This problem only occurs when moving from one OS to another (ie from XP to Linux or from Linux to XP) If I remain within one partition or OS the problem doesn't occur When I open T-bird in Linux (after using it in XP) and I click one of the folders, rather than open immediately it goes through "building summary file" message before openning the folder . . . Same happens when I open it in XP after using Linux and folders with new summary file (some of them, but always the same ones) return to "unread" status Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1.mark all folders as read 2.compact folders 3.open again - everything fine 4.reboot in another OS 5.T-bird goes through "building summary file" and marks them as "unread" again Actual Results: T-bird doesn't retain "unread" status when switching from Linux to XP and vice verse Expected Results: Once marked "read" should remain as such regardless of me switching OS Bog standard T-bird with no addons, filters etc, just imported messages plus new ones that have arrived since (these are fine)

Since reporting this bug I have performed additional test, by switching the from one Linux (Puppy 4.1.2, using T-bird 2.0.0.19) to another Linux, using different version of T-bird (Puppy 4.0 with T-bird 2.0.0.17) Despite different versions of both Linux and T-bird there was no problem - the "read/unread" status remained as set and correct without any changes. This confirms my suspicion (at least in my mind)that the problem occurs on the boundary between Linux and XP

> Most (but not all) imported (from MS Outlook 2003) messages are being reset to "unread" status, > despite deleted .msf, compacted folders, Imported with which utility? By Tb's import feature? When local mail folder, mail status is held in X-Mozilla-Status:/X-Mozilla-Status2: headers in local mail folder file, in addition to ".msf". Does X-Mozilla-Status:/X-Mozilla-Status2: headers exist in mail source? If X-Mozilla-Status:/X-Mozilla-Status2: doesn't exist, it's impossible to restore mail's status if you delete ".msf", even after fix of Bug 392704. > Bug 392704 modify rebuild index to not lose tags Mail with MSG_FLAG_EXPUNGED bit=ON in X-Mozilla-Status: exists? > http://www.eyrich-net.org/mozilla/X-Mozilla-Status.html?en If there is no deleted_but_not_expunged_yet mail, "Compact Folder" will do nothing, because nothing will be gained by compaction. If X-Mozilla-Status:/X-Mozilla-Status2: is not found, see Bug 377986 Comment #6 for forcing "Compact" and forcing creation of required X-Mozilla-xxx: headers.

Imported using standard T-bird feature "...Does X-Mozilla-Status:/X-Mozilla-Status2: headers exist in mail source?..." I am afraid (sorry) I am unable to answer authoritatively - but afaik I couldn't find anything like this? "...it's impossible to restore mail's status if you delete ".msf" ..." I have been told the same by the moderator on T-bird halp forum and yet it is actually happenning in front of my eyes, so I am sorry, but (unless I misunderstand you) I have to disagree. BTW, I am not using tags and the folders in question are not kept in the Local Mail Folder but in a Profile folder. "..."Compact Folder" will do nothing, because nothing will be gained by compaction..." you could be right, but since the standard first answer to any problem with T-bird is the recomendation to compact, I did this, just to eliminate this as a possibility. "...see Bug 377986 Comment #6 for forcing "Compact" and forcing creation of required X-Mozilla-xxx: headers..." thanks I will have a look at this one in detail and report back later

> BTW, I am not using tags and the folders in question are not kept in the Local Mail Folder but in a Profile folder. I never talk about mail folder under pseudo account named "Local Folders". I simply talked about local file to hold mail data, a file for "mail folder" of POP3 or pseudo account named "Local Folders". Each file for mail folder is kept in local directory which is pointed by "Local Directory:" field of "Server Settings" of each account's settings.

Thanks for the clarification - we are talking about the same thing than. All my messages are in the local directory as described by you. This directory is on FAT32 partition, which is separate from either XP or Linux partitions.

I now understand your earlier comment (did a bit of homework): "...Does X-Mozilla-Status:/X-Mozilla-Status2: headers exist in mail source?..." and you are indeed correct! The "faulty" folders have these headers missing Ones that behave fine (ie keep their "read/unread" status) there these headers present! For the folders containing a mixture of imported and new messages, the same holds true - ie new messages have Mozilla-Status headers. So it would appear that you have found what the problem is - Thanks! Now the only thing I need is the solution :-)

(In reply to comment #6) > (did a bit of homework): In UK, it sounds that students still do homework in earnest daily... :-) > Now the only thing I need is the solution :-) You are absolutely right. We need to find a way not to produce victims like you by this bug's issue any more. However, it's tough work, because Tb(Fx & Seamonkey too) is developed with "Bazaar model". > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bazaar_(software) We, including you and me, know why victims due to this bug will be produced repeatedly. But you & me can't stop it, because you & me can't change/improve Mozilla's code. I think it's always one(and topmost one) of biggest problems in development with "Bazaar model".

it is not a new problem indeed! I found first reports of it on T-bird support forum in 2005: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=310708&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a unfortunately no solution was offered :-( One of the reason I suspect it is not reported often it would appear is the fact that I one remains within one OS (either XP or Linux) the problem does not manifest itself. It is only when one uses T-bird to access messages from within one OS and than uses T-bird from another OS, that Mozilla status seems to come into play. Definitely a bug (in my book) I appreciate your assistance

I have opened one of the folder files in my profile mail directory (chosen simple one with just five messages), that imported incorrectly, and manually edited it by adding "X-Mozilla-Status: 0001" line immediately after "From" and hey presto everything works OK - I can switch between Linux and XP and the message remains "unread" Now I just need to find a way of doing it for another few thousands messages . . .

(In reply to comment #9) > Now I just need to find a way of doing it for another few thousands messages . . . Do procedure I wrote in my Bug 377986 Comment #6. If number of mail folders you have to compact is no to huge, you can do it easily. If you have to compact "thousands of local mail folders", I can say nothing... :-)

Luckily I was talking about many hundreds or thousands of messages rather than folders, so the job is not too daunting :-) And! I don't know why? or how? but the procedure you have described works 100% Many thanks !! BTW what would happen if I were to do this procedure to all folders, even those that appear to be OK, or those that have a mixture of corrupted messages and new messages that are fine?

I am halfway through all my folders (including those that are a mixture of new and old messages) and everything is doing fine :-) So another day and my personal T-bird problem will be sorted out. That still leaves the "import from Outlook-Mozilla, headers missing" bug, but that's another story - let's hope it will get addressed one day?

(In reply to comment #12) > That still leaves the "import from Outlook-Mozilla, headers missing" bug, > but that's another story - let's hope it will get addressed one day? AFAIR, I didn't met bug for the problem yet at bugzilla.mozilla.org. Open bug for it, please.

thanks, would I be better re-naming this bug report to better reflect the problem (now that we know what it is) or is the correct procedure to raise another bug and cross refer to this one? And yes I searched bugzilla and don't seem to be able to find anything resembling my problem

(In reply to comment #14) I think new bug for "no X-Mozilla-Status: by import" is better, because this bug is slightly messy already by comments for recovery procedure from the problem.

I think this is getting fixed in bug 160027 which has a patch in progress.

thanks for pointing to this one and let's hope it gets fixed, although https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=160027 is about Outlook Express rather than MS Outlook?

Setting dependency to Bug 160027, for ease of tracking.

I met Bug 315069. DUPing to it probably appropriate action. > Bug 315069 mail imported from outlook return to unread status after rebuilding folder msf file

At least, the original message in 2005 starts with exactly the same description of the problem. Don't know about the solution though "...delete a message from folder and compacting it after deletion,this add TB headers to mail imported and resolve the problem..." I seem to remember having tried same thing and it didn't work for me. I'll see if I can replicate?

Bug 219269 Comment #17 says Bug 160027 is O.E only fix. And patch for Outlook is proposed to Bug 315069. Removing dependency to Bug 160027, and adding dependency to Bug 315069.

So is it a dupe?