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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Applications > When Mail cannot find an email frustrating

When Mail cannot find an email frustrating
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kevs
Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2003
Status: Offline
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Dec 31, 2018, 08:34 PM
 
Mail is usually good, but sometimes cannot find a clients email, even though I'm entering exact email or name, very annoying. Any ideas why this happens. (my reference client is David S.)

So I'm on phone with client and cannot find quickly his email, but find later manually..
     
reader50
Administrator
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: California
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Dec 31, 2018, 09:26 PM
 
Mail search index is handled by Spotlight. Check Spotlight prefs:

System prefs -> Spotlight -> Search Results (tab) -> [x] Mail & messages (checkbox)

Make sure this box is checked. If unchecked, email searches will find nothing.

System prefs -> Spotlight -> Privacy (tab) -> is your boot drive listed here? If so, Search will find nothing on your boot drive. Likewise if your user folder is listed.

If Spotlight prefs are OK, you can try two things to force a rebuild of the mail search index:

1) in Mail, select the mailbox in question. Then go to menubar Mailbox -> Rebuild.
2) if that doesn't do the trick, close Mail. Go back to System prefs -> Spotlight -> Search Results (tab) -> [x] Mail & messages. Uncheck the box, close System Prefs. Reopen Sys Prefs, recheck the box. Spotlight should delete Mail entries from its indexes, then rebuild them from scratch. Might take awhile. You can watch in Activity Monitor, sorted by CPU %, until the various "mds" processes vanish.
     
kevs  (op)
Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2003
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Dec 31, 2018, 10:00 PM
 
Spotlight prefs are ok, for more extreme rebuild options, what are the cons/ downsides to doing this.

Note, search is mail is working 95% ok.. but some email etc are not working great.
     
   
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