Closed Bug 221386 Opened 21 years ago Closed 11 years ago

Mail not saved, "Copies and Folders" not correct in "Mail and Newsgroups Account Settings" often due to antivirus and spam programs

Categories

(MailNews Core :: Composition, defect)

Product:
MailNews Core
Component:
Composition
Platform:
x86
Windows 98
Type:
defect
Priority:
Not set
Severity:
normal

Tracking

(Not tracked)

Status:
RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

People

(Reporter: mg, Unassigned)

References

Details

Attachments

(1 file)

prefs.js file
15.05 KB, text/plain
Details 
User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; de-AT; rv:1.5) Gecko/20030925
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; de-AT; rv:1.5) Gecko/20030925

When I open the Copies and Folders part of the Mail and Newsgroups Account
Settings, all Radiobuttons and Checkboxes are not checked, other things are on
default values. When I set some values, then click OK and open the settings all
Radiobuttons and Checkboxes are not checked again, other things are still on
default values.

Also, when I compose&send messages, they are not saved to my Sent folder. I
think it happens because of the problem about the settings.



M. Gaukler

--
sorry for my terrible english

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
>see details
Actual Results:  
>see details

Expected Results:  
It should have saved my values
I have encountered this same problem.  In my case, there was an issue with my 
prefs.js file being incorrectly set up (my own fault).

This is complicated.

Each mail account as an 'id' section and a 'server' section in prefs.js.  
Typically, the first mail account is associated with 'id1' and 'server2' -- 
'server1' is typically the 'Local Folders' account, which has no id.  You can 
determine exactly which ID is assocated with which server by examining the 
'mail.account' preferences:
  mail.account.account1.identities  =  id1
  mail.account.account1.server      =  server2


The ID section has the preferences that refer to folder names, such as:
  mail.identity.id1.draft_folder  =  mailbox://mcow@mail.well.com/Drafts
The server section has the preferences that refer to the username:
  mail.server.server2.userName    =  mcow

When I saw this problem, one of the userName preferences had been changed.  Note 
that the 'draft_folder' preference includes the username in its value:
  mailbox://mcow@mail.well.com/Drafts
            ~~~~

That username string must EXACTLY match the associated 'userName'.  If the 
username is set to 'Mcow' instead of 'mcow' then the folder preference will not 
match.  If there is a mismatch, then the Preferences page behaves as described 
in this bug report.
A user in the newsgroups reports:

I was seeing "mailbox://127.0.0.1/Sent" 
instead of "mailbox://username@mail.server.com/Sent".  
(The same for Templates and Drafts.)  
Changing the 127.0.0.1 to the full address did the trick.
Mike Cowperthwaite, hostname change to 127.0.0.1 in prefs.js(comment #2 case) is
possibly done by mail scan function of anti-virus software.

New versions of some anti-virus softwares automatically change
hostname("mail.server.serverN.hostname") and/or
username("mail.server.serverN.userName") in Mozilla's prefs.js to scan mail
before Mozilla receives.
However, they does not change other related prefs.js entries.
This inconsistency in prefs.js causes many problems.
See Bug 213300 for Trendmicro's PC-cillin(Virus Buster in Japan) family case. 
See Bug 192119 Comment #12 for Nortin's Ainti-Virus family case(probably).
Issue described in Bug 213300 and Bug 192119 is damage on "Junc Mail Control".

According to your comment #1, a sort of inconsistency in prefs.js is one of the
causes of this "Copies&Folders" settting problem.
And anti-virus software seems to be the criminal of inconsistency in comment #2
case.
Do you know anti-virus software name used in newsgroup report case?
I am the person referenced from the newsgroup (comment #2), and I was (briefly)
using McAfee's SpamKiller, included with the McAfee Internet Security Suite 6.0.
Chuck Stevens, thank you for posting.

What is your current hostname/username settings in prefs.js?
Same as your initial set up or changed?
Are there any mismatch between hostname/username and <username>@<hostname> part
 in folder pathnames?
(You can view them through acbout:config at URLbar)
 
(Hostname,Username)
> mail.server.serverN.hostname
> mail.server.serverN.userName
(Folder path)
> mail.identity.idN.fcc_folder (Sent) 
> mail.identity.idN.draft_folder (Drafts)
> mail.identity.idN.stationery_folder (Template)
Right now there is no mismatch, as I have corrected it based on Mr.
Cowperthwaite's instructions (Comment #1).  I never saw my initial set up, as I
never had reason to look in prefs.js (or about:config) before the malfunction. 
Since correcting the problem originally, it has not returned.
*** Bug 216831 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Attached file prefs.js file — 
How can I modify this file to work around this bug?
Bug will not let me save sent messages in sent folder.
Options are not saved in prefs.js for any "copies & folder settings"
Using MS 2000 5.00.2195 service pack 3.
Your settings are as follows
>mail.server.server1.userName="kent%axisnetcsi.com"
>mail.server.server1.hostname="mail.axisnetcsi.com"
>mail.server.server1.spamActionTargetAccount="mailbox://kent%25axisnetcsi.com@mail.axisnetcsi.com"
>mail.server.server1.spamActionTargetFolder="mailbox://kent%25axisnetcsi.com@mail.axisnetcsi.com/Trash")

"%" is included in username.

My settings("@" in username) are as follows and works well.
>mail.server.server1.userName="id@domain.name"
>mail.server.server1.hostname="pop3.mail.server"
>mail.server.server1.spamActionTargetAccount="mailbox://id%40domain.name@pop3.mail.server"
>mail.server.server1.spamActionTargetFolder="mailbox://id%40domain.name@pop3.mail.server/Trash")

Mozilla fails to escape "%" in username when it is used in checking consistency
between userName/hostname and pamActionTargetAccount/spamActionTargetFolder.

Since "%" in userName works well in mail receive, Bug 185731(old and stil
UNCONFIRMED) seems no to occur with your newer build.   
> Bug 185731 error checking POP account on startup when % in login name

Workaround is forcing realuserName/realhostname in login to server.
(1) Change your user name to dummy("XXXX") through "Server Setting" of account
definition.
  --> realuserName of "XXXX" is created
(2) Edit prefs.js and change your userName from kent%axisnetcsi.com to
kent%25axisnetcsi.com to avoid inconsistency.
(3) Change your user name from dummy("XXXX") to real one(kent%axisnetcsi.com)
through "Server Setting" of account definition.
  --> realuserName becomes kent%axisnetcsi.com (used in login)

Ken Tisdale, I recommend you to open separate bug because your case(Junk Control
failure when "%" in user name) is apparantly caused by Mozilla itself.

Please be carefull also on next bug.
> Bug 93666  Can't get MsgHeader when trying to access mail in a folder named
test%25test
*** Bug 231020 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
To Comment #1 From Mike Cowperthwaite :

Mike Cowperthwaite, who changed user name of "mcow" to uppercase, "Mcow"?
If you edited prefs.js manually, it is user error which causes this bug.
But if you changed user name from UI(Account settings), 
and if Mozilla did not create realuserName for new id of "Mcow",
and if your mail server accepts both "mcow" and "Mcow" as valid user name,
this is a new problem of Mozilla like problem when "%" in username.

To Comment #2 From Mike Cowperthwaite & Comment #4 From Chuck Stevens  

Same question as above.
Chuck Stevens, can you identify who changed
"mailbox://username@mail.server.com/Sent" to "mailbox://127.0.0.1/Sent"?
If changed by McAfee's SpamKiller, this is McAfee's fault.
But if you changed prefs.js manually, it is user error which causes this bug.

To Comment #0 by bug reporter :

Max Gaukler, what inconsistensy do you find in your prefs.js?
*** Bug 231942 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
re: comment 11: WADA, I had changed prefs.js myself, and inadvertantly failed to 
match case when I tried to revert to the original settings.

I'm confirming this bug, altho I'm not sure what should be changed to prevent 
this problem.  I do think the scheme for defining folders under an account -- 
for defining accounts, period -- in prefs is unnecessarily complex.

Also dropping the platform down to Win98, as the recent dupe is from a Win9x 
system.  The basic issue of failing to save settings when the prefs.js file is 
incorrect is probably on all platforms, but the Windows systems seem to run into 
this a lot, doubtless due to anti-virus programs over-aggressively installing 
their mail proxies.
Status: UNCONFIRMED → NEW
Ever confirmed: true
OS: Windows XP → Windows 98
Additional information about this problem, gleaned from a newsgroup posting:
 ====
Moz 1.6 does not like it if you name the account with the same name as 
registered in the profile.

E.g,  In setup, when asked for userid I would enter myuserid%mydomain.net.  This 
creates myuserid%mydomain.net@pop.mypopserver.net.
If you use that as the name of the account, you are in for trouble. You can name 
the account anything you want except myuserid%mydomain.net@pop.mypopserver.net.
 ====
I have not verified this information.
(In reply to comment #9) - Test result of "%" in username case

> "%" is included in username.

> Mozilla fails to escape "%" in username when it is used in checking consistency
> between userName/hostname and pamActionTargetAccount/spamActionTargetFolder.

> Workaround is forcing realuserName/realhostname in login to server.

I tested with dummy username which includes "%" with 2004020208-trunk/Win-Me(SP4).
After new definition of username includes "%", all mail related functions worked
well(except automatic Junk deletion. It could not be comfirmed in short time).
After "workaround"(adding of realusername with "%" and modifiyng username to
"%25"), Mozilla displayed blank as account name in "Junk folder for:" in Junk
Mail Control dialog.

This test reslut indicates that Mozilla can handle "%" in username properly.
"%" is placed in username without escaping and escapes it to "%25" in internal
mail path name such as spamActionTargetAccount as Mozilla do on "@" in username.
(Since this works properly, Bug 93666 exists when filename contains "%25".)

So, my assumtion in comment #9, "%" in username, was invalid and there is no
need of my inproper "workaround" in Comment #9.
(Poster of Comment #8 does not open new bug yet. This also indicates that
Mozilla works well on "%" in username.)

To Comment #14 From Mike Cowperthwaite :

What entry of prefs.js is "the name of the account of
myuserid%mydomain.net@pop.mypopserver.net"?
What is the trouble? Junk Mail control related problem?
Isn't it a "Evangelism" bug?
If user modified prefs.js and created inconsistency in prefs.js, what Mozilla
can do?
Also I was using McAfee's SpamKiller (during 1 day and then stopped to use... 
and deinstalled it !) and have the same effect about what is described here...

In my case, here is what the soft change in my "prefs.js file " :

mail.server.server4.hostname", "mail.server.com
--- changed to---
mail.server.server1.hostname", "pop.server.com

So I edit my prefs.js file with "about:config" in Mozilla url bar and replace 
the string "pop" by "mail" for every 'mail.server.server"n".hostname'.
Then now, everything is fine again.

My inability to save outgoing messages to the sent folder, as well as 
templates/drafts to their respective folders was caused by McAfee SpamKiller. 
I installed and it changed all of my server and folder configs to 127.0.0.1 as 
opposed to pop.server.com so all messages could run through the spamkiller 
software. Since SpamKiller is a piece of **** I uninstalled it and was left 
with the prefs.js pointing to the wrong folders. I had to manually change 
mail.identity.id1.fcc_folder back to mailbox://josh@pop.server.com/Sent . Same 
for templates/drafts. You can also access this by about:config


My inability to save outgoing messages to the sent folder, as well as 
templates/drafts to their respective folders was caused by McAfee SpamKiller. 
I installed and it changed all of my server and folder configs to 127.0.0.1 as 
opposed to pop.server.com so all messages could run through the spamkiller 
software. Since SpamKiller is a piece of **** I uninstalled it and was left 
with the prefs.js pointing to the wrong folders. I had to manually change 
mail.identity.id1.fcc_folder back to mailbox://josh@pop.server.com/Sent . Same 
for templates/drafts. You can also access this by about:config


*** Bug 235214 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
To Comment #17 , Comment #18 , Comment #19 :

I think prefs.js inconsistency caused by anti-virus or anti-spam software is
different problem from prefs.js corruption by hand, and Bug 235124 is
appropriate for "Copies & Folder" problem caused by anti-virus softwares.
*** Bug 237993 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
*** Bug 230009 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
*** Bug 235124 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
*** Bug 228164 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
*** Bug 224369 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
*** Bug 225430 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
My wifes PC was showing the same error (not storing the Folder preferences
permanently), running several Mozilla releases up to (IIRC) 1.6.x. Yesterday I
updated to Mozilla 1.7.3 and immediately the settings get stored! :-) And they
work as well!

Actually, the cause here was most probably a different one from the one
discussed here (I only today found this bug report, so I wasn't able to
check before upgrading), no spam killer was installed and the Anti-Virus tool is
F-Secure, which doesn't install as a mail proxy AFAIK. There were no manual
changes to prefs.js either (at least not in this section).

Whoever changed whatever in the code, many thanks on behalf of my wife!

Michael
*** Bug 243573 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
*** Bug 267239 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Since I had this problem, I now use F-Secure Internet Security and also upgrade
to new Mozilla releases regularly. My observation of this issue is, that all
programs that make use of the localhost (127.0.0.1) for their Antispam and
Antivirus activitities, can create this malperformance. I could also observe,
that the antivirus software was not deleting attachments that contained viruses.

I personally am not totally sure, whether this is not due to a specific
interaction between the OS (Windows XP) and the security software.  I just feel
it is far less an issue of Mozilla.

I observed certain programms to malfunction (defragmentation programme) when a
certain anonymisation program (Internet Anonym) was used. It also uses the
localhost for its actions. 

Anyway, I can only recommend an internet security software, that filters the
traffic at the interface and does not operate via plugins or the localhost.
Since this change, I at least have peace of mind.
Product: MailNews → Core
*** Bug 274818 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
*** Bug 235214 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
*** Bug 173793 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
*** Bug 171685 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
*** Bug 222196 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
is this still not OS=All per comment 13?
improving summary
(approaching 20 dups)
Assignee: sspitzer → nobody
QA Contact: esther → composition
Summary: Mozilla doesnt save the " Copies and Folders " page in the " Mail and Newsgroups Account Settings " → Mail not saved, "Copies and Folders" not correct in "Mail and Newsgroups Account Settings" often due to antivirus and spam programs
Product: Core → MailNews Core
I hope this is the right place for  my question (how do I know if you reply to this?) Anyway, my Netscape 7.2 works fine to send  plain text messages from this computer, which is my Desktop. That is, the copy shows up in the Sent folder like it should and everything.

 But as soon as I try to add a Microsoft Word file, I get the error message: "The message was sent successfully, but could not be copied to your Sent Folder. Would you like to return to the compose window?" And the message does *not* get sent. By contrast, Thunderbird will send it successfully (but I want to stick with Netscape as I know it much better than T-Bird.)

For comparison, my Laptop computer, that sits beside me with( as far as I know) all the same settings as my desktop, can send the message myDesktop cannot, that is, with the same Microsoft Word attachment. So, it's not a mail server problem with ATT, or a problem with the Microsoft Word attachment, but something that has changed within my Netscape 7.2, which has two Mail Accounts in it. Is there a way I can delete one of the two Accounts?

Any ideas or pointers would be really great.

Thank you, Simon
OT but using obsolete software like Netscape 7.2 which doesn't get any kind of security updates is not very wise. If you don't want to use thunderbird but the suite you're familiar with, that's seamonkey nowadays - http://www.seamonkey-project.org/

And no, this is not the place for such questions - try e.g. http://forums.mozillazine.org/ 
An account can be deleted by using the button on the lower left side under account settings.
Just want to say thank you. Never understood what SeaMonkey was, and seems to be just right for me. Still can't figure out why all of a sudden I get warnings about HTML and Plain Text, and will try the forum you suggest.

But mostly wanted to say thank you.

Simon
(In reply to comment #13)
> re: comment 11: WADA, I had changed prefs.js myself, and inadvertantly failed
> to 
> match case when I tried to revert to the original settings.
> 
> I'm confirming this bug, altho I'm not sure what should be changed to prevent 
> this problem.  I do think the scheme for defining folders under an account -- 
> for defining accounts, period -- in prefs is unnecessarily complex.

no new reports for almost 2 years...
still a potential problem?  (or seen problem)
Is anybody seeing this problem in any recent versions?
Flags: needinfo?
Whiteboard: [CLOSEME-2013-04-01]
Resolved per whiteboard
Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 11 years ago
Flags: needinfo?
Resolution: --- → INCOMPLETE
Whiteboard: [CLOSEME-2013-04-01]
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