Re: the Application Mail Quit Unexpectedly

Question

Hello David,
I'm also having problems with Mail.app, but I am sure it is not a file system issue. In short, it's been a couple of months that Mail is quitting on me when it is synchronizing the mailboxes. I tried to follow most of the solutions in this list to no avail.
In short:
1) Hard drive passes both Repair permissions and Verify disk tests (many times).
2) Used TechTool Pro and DW on it (also many times) and the HD is quite healthy.
3) Mail doesn't quit when I am offline.
4) Mail doesn't quit as soon as it opens, but quits in the middle of the synchronization.
5) I don't have any Bundles installed (I had, but removed trying to solve the issue).
6) When I try to just reopen the app, it keeps quitting. When it finally stops, I get some messages misplaced (subject of message A, body of message B). To solve that, I just erase the offending messages and then get them back from the IMAP server via Webmail.
7) After such long ordeal, my Mail log is a huge (4.1 mb) laundry list of crash reports with no specific thread being the unique or most consistent offender. In other words, sometimes the crash occurs in thread 10, sometimes in thread 11, sometimes in thread 13, and so on. I have no clue of what anything written there means.
8) I don't think it is a specific message being corrupted, since the very same mailboxes (and their respective messages) are working fine in my desktop.
9) I have disabled the option for displaying pictures in HTML from remote servers.
Here is an extract of the latest crash report (from ~/Library/Logs/CrashReport/Mail.crash.log):
Host Name: PCPowerbook
Date/Time: 2007-04-28 23:40:17.793 -0300
OS Version: 10.4.9 (Build 8P135)
Report Version: 4
Command: Mail
Path: /Applications/Mail.app/Contents/MacOS/Mail
Parent: WindowServer [69]
Version: 2.1 (752)
PID: 606
Thread: 8
Exception: EXCBADACCESS (0x0001)
Codes: KERNINVALIDADDRESS (0x0001) at 0x087cff3b
..... all Threads ok up to track 7 ....
Thread 8 Crashed:
0 <<00000000>> 0xfffeff20 objcmsgSendrtp + 32
1 com.apple.Foundation 0x92bbb908 NSPopAutoreleasePool + 536
2 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x9afa46f4 -[MessageStore(MessageFrameworkOnly) updateMessages:updateColor:updateNumberOfAttachments:] + 1496
3 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x9afb04a0 _unlockIfDidCacheMessages + 2084
4 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x9afa9c5c -[IMAPMailboxSyncEngine(Internal) _go] + 464
5 libobjc.A.dylib 0x90a461f4 objc_msgSendv + 180
6 com.apple.Foundation 0x92bdac94 -[NSInvocation invoke] + 944
7 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x9af8e800 -[MonitoredInvocation invoke] + 144
8 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x9af97e80 -[InvocationQueue _drainQueue] + 416
9 com.apple.Foundation 0x92bdf1a0 forkThreadForFunction + 108
10 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9002c0a8 pthreadbody + 96
..... thread 9 is fine ......
Thread 8 crashed with PPC Thread State 64:
srr0: 0x00000000fffeff20 srr1: 0x000000000200f030 vrsave: 0x0000000000000000
cr: 0x44444444 xer: 0x0000000000000007 lr: 0x0000000092bbb908 ctr: 0x0000000000000002
r0: 0x0000000000000001 r1: 0x00000000f0212df0 r2: 0x00000000087cff3b r3: 0x000000000567bbc0
r4: 0x0000000090aaa904 r5: 0x0000000001800000 r6: 0x00000000ffffffff r7: 0x0000000005cba000
r8: 0x0000000000000001 r9: 0x0000000005705000 r10: 0x000000000000001f r11: 0x000000006f54a904
r12: 0x00000000000d592b r13: 0x0000000000000001 r14: 0x0000000005d0e9f0 r15: 0x0000000005610780
r16: 0x0000000000000000 r17: 0x0000000005692c30 r18: 0x000000000566b6c0 r19: 0x000000000047ea20
r20: 0x000000000568ed50 r21: 0x0000000000467940 r22: 0x000000000045a0c0 r23: 0x0000000000000002
r24: 0x00000000aaf9385c r25: 0x00000000aaf9090c r26: 0x0000000000000000 r27: 0x00000000056439f0
r28: 0x00000000056ca9e0 r29: 0x000000000567bbc0 r30: 0x00000000aaf90908 r31: 0x0000000092bbb704
Binary Images Description:
0x1000 - 0x199fff com.apple.mail 2.1 (752) /Applications/Mail.app/Contents/MacOS/Mail
0x54e3000 - 0x54f6fff com.apple.Mail.Syncer 1.0.8 (749.3) /System/Library/Frameworks/Message.framework/Versions/B/Resources/Syncer.syncsc hema/Contents/MacOS/Syncer
0x8fe00000 - 0x8fe52fff dyld 46.12 /usr/lib/dyld
0x90000000 - 0x901bdfff libSystem.B.dylib /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib
0x90215000 - 0x9021afff libmathCommon.A.dylib /usr/lib/system/libmathCommon.A.dylib
0x9021c000 - 0x90269fff com.apple.CoreText 1.0.3 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ CoreText.framework/Versions/A/CoreText
0x90294000 - 0x90345fff ATS /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ ATS.framework/Versions/A/ATS
0x90374000 - 0x9072ffff com.apple.CoreGraphics 1.258.61 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ CoreGraphics.framework/Versions/A/CoreGraphics
0x907bc000 - 0x90895fff com.apple.CoreFoundation 6.4.7 (368.28) /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreFoundation.framework/Versions/A/CoreFoundation
0x908de000 - 0x908defff com.apple.CoreServices 10.4 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/CoreServices
0x908e0000 - 0x909e2fff libicucore.A.dylib /usr/lib/libicucore.A.dylib
0x90a3c000 - 0x90ac0fff libobjc.A.dylib /usr/lib/libobjc.A.dylib
0x90aea000 - 0x90b5afff com.apple.framework.IOKit 1.4 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/IOKit.framework/Versions/A/IOKit
0x90b70000 - 0x90b82fff libauto.dylib /usr/lib/libauto.dylib
0x90b89000 - 0x90e60fff com.apple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 681.10 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CarbonC ore.framework/Versions/A/CarbonCore
0x90ec6000 - 0x90f46fff com.apple.CoreServices.OSServices 4.1 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/OSServi ces.framework/Versions/A/OSServices
0x90f90000 - 0x90fd1fff com.apple.CFNetwork 4.0 (129.20) /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CFNetwo rk.framework/Versions/A/CFNetwork
0x90fe6000 - 0x90ffefff com.apple.WebServices 1.1.2 (1.1.0) /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/WebServ icesCore.framework/Versions/A/WebServicesCore
0x9100e000 - 0x9108ffff com.apple.SearchKit 1.0.5 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/SearchK it.framework/Versions/A/SearchKit
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0x9174b000 - 0x91802fff com.apple.QD 3.10.24 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ QD.framework/Versions/A/QD
0x9183f000 - 0x9189dfff com.apple.HIServices 1.5.3 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ HIServices.framework/Versions/A/HIServices
0x918cc000 - 0x918edfff com.apple.LangAnalysis 1.6.1 /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ LangAnalysis.framework/Versions/A/LangAnalysis
0x91901000 - 0x91926fff com.apple.FindByContent 1.5 /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ FindByContent.framework/Versions/A/FindByContent
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0x91997000 - 0x919abfff com.apple.speech.synthesis.framework 3.3 /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ SpeechSynthesis.framework/Versions/A/SpeechSynthesis
0x919b9000 - 0x919fffff com.apple.ImageIO.framework 1.5.4 /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/ImageIO
0x91a16000 - 0x91addfff libcrypto.0.9.7.dylib /usr/lib/libcrypto.0.9.7.dylib
0x91b2b000 - 0x91b40fff libcups.2.dylib /usr/lib/libcups.2.dylib
0x91b45000 - 0x91b63fff libJPEG.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libJPEG.dylib
0x91b69000 - 0x91c20fff libJP2.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libJP2.dylib
0x91c6f000 - 0x91c73fff libGIF.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libGIF.dylib
0x91c75000 - 0x91cddfff libRaw.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libRaw.dylib
0x91ce2000 - 0x91d1ffff libTIFF.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libTIFF.dylib
0x91d26000 - 0x91d3ffff libPng.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libPng.dylib
0x91d44000 - 0x91d47fff libRadiance.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libRadiance.dylib
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0x91e49000 - 0x91f2efff com.apple.vImage 2.4 /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vImage.fr amework/Versions/A/vImage
0x91f36000 - 0x91f55fff com.apple.Accelerate.vecLib 3.2.2 (vecLib 3.2.2) /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vecLib.fr amework/Versions/A/vecLib
0x91fc1000 - 0x9202ffff libvMisc.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vecLib.fr amework/Versions/A/libvMisc.dylib
0x9203a000 - 0x920cffff libvDSP.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vecLib.fr amework/Versions/A/libvDSP.dylib
0x920e9000 - 0x92671fff libBLAS.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vecLib.fr amework/Versions/A/libBLAS.dylib
0x926a4000 - 0x929cffff libLAPACK.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vecLib.fr amework/Versions/A/libLAPACK.dylib
0x929ff000 - 0x92aedfff libiconv.2.dylib /usr/lib/libiconv.2.dylib
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0x92bb9000 - 0x92de4fff com.apple.Foundation 6.4.8 (567.29) /System/Library/Frameworks/Foundation.framework/Versions/C/Foundation
0x92f11000 - 0x92f2ffff libGL.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/OpenGL.framework/Versions/A/Libraries/libGL.dylib
0x92f3a000 - 0x92f94fff libGLU.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/OpenGL.framework/Versions/A/Libraries/libGLU.dylib
0x92fb2000 - 0x92fb2fff com.apple.Carbon 10.4 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Carbon
0x92fb4000 - 0x92fc8fff com.apple.ImageCapture 3.0 /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageCapture. framework/Versions/A/ImageCapture
0x92fe0000 - 0x92ff0fff com.apple.speech.recognition.framework 3.4 /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/SpeechRecogni tion.framework/Versions/A/SpeechRecognition
0x92ffc000 - 0x93011fff com.apple.securityhi 2.0 (203) /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/SecurityHI.fr amework/Versions/A/SecurityHI
0x93023000 - 0x930aafff com.apple.ink.framework 101.2 (69) /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/Ink.framework /Versions/A/Ink
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0x930d3000 - 0x93100fff com.apple.openscripting 1.2.5 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/OpenScripting .framework/Versions/A/OpenScripting
0x9311a000 - 0x93129fff com.apple.print.framework.Print 5.2 (192.4) /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/Print.framewo rk/Versions/A/Print
0x93135000 - 0x9319bfff com.apple.htmlrendering 1.1.2 /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/HTMLRendering .framework/Versions/A/HTMLRendering
0x931cc000 - 0x9321bfff com.apple.NavigationServices 3.4.4 (3.4.3) /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/NavigationSer vices.framework/Versions/A/NavigationServices
0x93249000 - 0x93266fff com.apple.audio.SoundManager 3.9 /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CarbonSound.f ramework/Versions/A/CarbonSound
0x93278000 - 0x93285fff com.apple.CommonPanels 1.2.2 (73) /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CommonPanels. framework/Versions/A/CommonPanels
0x9328e000 - 0x9359cfff com.apple.HIToolbox 1.4.9 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/HIToolbox.fra mework/Versions/A/HIToolbox
0x936ec000 - 0x936f8fff com.apple.opengl 1.4.7 /System/Library/Frameworks/OpenGL.framework/Versions/A/OpenGL
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0x93792000 - 0x93792fff com.apple.Cocoa 6.4 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/Cocoa.framework/Versions/A/Cocoa
0x93794000 - 0x93dc7fff com.apple.AppKit 6.4.7 (824.41) /System/Library/Frameworks/AppKit.framework/Versions/C/AppKit
0x94154000 - 0x941c6fff com.apple.CoreData 91 (92.1) /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreData.framework/Versions/A/CoreData
0x941ff000 - 0x942c3fff com.apple.audio.toolbox.AudioToolbox 1.4.5 /System/Library/Frameworks/AudioToolbox.framework/Versions/A/AudioToolbox
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0x94317000 - 0x944d7fff com.apple.QuartzCore 1.4.12 /System/Library/Frameworks/QuartzCore.framework/Versions/A/QuartzCore
0x94521000 - 0x9455efff libsqlite3.0.dylib /usr/lib/libsqlite3.0.dylib
0x94566000 - 0x945b6fff libGLImage.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/OpenGL.framework/Versions/A/Libraries/libGLImage.dyl ib
0x945bf000 - 0x945d3fff com.apple.CoreVideo 1.4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreVideo.framework/Versions/A/CoreVideo
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0x9471f000 - 0x94763fff com.apple.securityinterface 2.2 (27692) /System/Library/Frameworks/SecurityInterface.framework/Versions/A/SecurityInter face
0x94787000 - 0x94796fff libCGATS.A.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ CoreGraphics.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libCGATS.A.dylib
0x9479e000 - 0x947abfff libCSync.A.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ CoreGraphics.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libCSync.A.dylib
0x947f1000 - 0x9480afff libRIP.A.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ CoreGraphics.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libRIP.A.dylib
0x94db6000 - 0x94ee6fff com.apple.AddressBook.framework 4.0.4 (485.1) /System/Library/Frameworks/AddressBook.framework/Versions/A/AddressBook
0x94f78000 - 0x94f87fff com.apple.DSObjCWrappers.Framework 1.1 /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/DSObjCWrappers.framework/Versions/A/DSObjCWra ppers
0x94f8f000 - 0x94fbcfff com.apple.LDAPFramework 1.4.1 (69.0.1) /System/Library/Frameworks/LDAP.framework/Versions/A/LDAP
0x94fc3000 - 0x94fd3fff libsasl2.2.dylib /usr/lib/libsasl2.2.dylib
0x94fd7000 - 0x95006fff libssl.0.9.7.dylib /usr/lib/libssl.0.9.7.dylib
0x95016000 - 0x95033fff libresolv.9.dylib /usr/lib/libresolv.9.dylib
0x95bb0000 - 0x95c3efff com.apple.WebKit 419 /System/Library/Frameworks/WebKit.framework/Versions/A/WebKit
0x95c9a000 - 0x95d30fff com.apple.JavaScriptCore 418.3 /System/Library/Frameworks/WebKit.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/JavaScriptCor e.framework/Versions/A/JavaScriptCore
0x95d6d000 - 0x96079fff com.apple.WebCore 418.21 /System/Library/Frameworks/WebKit.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/WebCore.frame work/Versions/A/WebCore
0x96202000 - 0x9622bfff libxslt.1.dylib /usr/lib/libxslt.1.dylib
0x96233000 - 0x962affff com.apple.syncservices 2.5 (194) /System/Library/Frameworks/SyncServices.framework/Versions/A/SyncServices
0x96577000 - 0x965a9fff com.apple.PDFKit 1.0.3 /System/Library/Frameworks/Quartz.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/PDFKit.framew ork/Versions/A/PDFKit
0x96b30000 - 0x96b32fff libLatin2Converter.dylib /System/Library/CoreServices/Encodings/libLatin2Converter.dylib
0x97527000 - 0x97546fff com.apple.vecLib 3.2.2 (vecLib 3.2.2) /System/Library/Frameworks/vecLib.framework/Versions/A/vecLib
0x97bb7000 - 0x97bdcfff com.apple.speech.LatentSemanticMappingFramework 2.2 /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/LatentSemanticMapping.framework/Versions/A/La tentSemanticMapping
0x985de000 - 0x985ecfff com.apple.DMNotification 1.0.4 (37) /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/DMNotification.framework/Versions/A/DMNotific ation
0x987fd000 - 0x988cefff com.apple.QuartzComposer 1.2.4 (32.22) /System/Library/Frameworks/Quartz.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/QuartzCompose r.framework/Versions/A/QuartzComposer
0x9894b000 - 0x9894bfff com.apple.quartzframework 1.0 /System/Library/Frameworks/Quartz.framework/Versions/A/Quartz
0x98b14000 - 0x98b2cfff com.apple.slideshow 1.0.4 (1.0) /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Slideshow.framework/Versions/A/Slideshow
0x99051000 - 0x99094fff com.apple.ISSupport 1.0.3 (16) /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/ISSupport.framework/Versions/A/ISSupport
0x990ba000 - 0x990e1fff com.apple.DotMacSyncManager 1.0.4 (155) /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/DotMacSyncManager.framework/Versions/A/DotMac SyncManager
0x99770000 - 0x997b3fff com.apple.PAPICommon 2.5 (131) /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/DotMacLegacy.framework/Versions/A/DotMacLegac y
0x9af68000 - 0x9af73fff com.apple.IMFramework 3.1.4 (429) /System/Library/Frameworks/InstantMessage.framework/Versions/A/InstantMessage
0x9af7e000 - 0x9b0d7fff com.apple.MessageFramework 2.1 (752.2) /System/Library/Frameworks/Message.framework/Versions/B/Message
The next one in the list had the same initial information, but crashed in thread 6 (thread 8 was fine). Looking at the latest 20 crashes, it seems that no specific thread is safe.
Thanks in advance for any hint you can give me.
Cordially,
Paulo
Powerbook 12" G4   Mac OS X (10.4.9)   1.25 RAM, 1.5 GHz

Answer 1

> I just wanted to piggyback in another thread because it just
seemed closely related to my problem.
Mail may crash for a number of totally unrelated reasons. The way to solve the problem is completely different in each case. There is no universal way of solving those problems that works in all cases.
Discussing “similar” but not quite the same problems in the same thread can become extremely confusing for everyone. If your problem is really the same, the solution provided should work for you as well and there should be no need to post there except maybe to ask for clarification. If the solution provided doesn’t work for you, then your problem is probably not the same and you’re better off starting a new topic to properly discuss your problem in a separate thread.
how can I categorize the post as a question?
You can’t. Whether a topic is a question or not can only be chosen when the thread is started and cannot be changed afterwards (or maybe only for a short period of time). The Host that detached your post from the original thread left it that way and there is nothing you can do about it now.
I will try to see whether any of the system-wide potential problems
you listed above can be detected in my machine.
Not sure what you mean. I haven’t provided any list of potential system-wide problems. What I provided is a common procedure to determine whether the problem is system-wide by trying to reproduce it on a pristine user account, including additional instructions to take into consideration the possible side effects of doing so, but that’s useful only if you know how to reproduce the problem.
If Mail only crashes occasionally and for no apparent reason, it may very well not crash at all when trying to reproduce the problem in another user account, without that allowing you to conclude anything...
<hr>
At this point, rather than trying to identify the problem, it’d probably be better to set up Mail again from scratch, as follows:
1. If you have a .Mac account and .Mac synchronization of Mail data is enabled either in Mail > Preferences > General or in System Preferences > .Mac, disable it before proceeding.
2. Quit Mail if it’s running.
3. In the Finder, go to ~/Library/. Move (not copy) the entire Mail folder out of there, to the Desktop.
4. In the Finder, go to ~/Library/Preferences/. Locate com.apple.mail.plist and move it to the Desktop.
5. Open Mail and set it up again from scratch. If given the option to import existing mailboxes or something like that, don’t. Just enter the account information and check that everything works fine.
6. You’ll have to re-configure all your settings in Mail > Preferences. For spam-related security reasons, the first thing you should do is go to Preferences > Viewing and disable Display remote images in HTML messages if it’s enabled.
7. If Mail works fine now and you had any messages stored in local mailboxes, do File > Import Mailboxes, choose Mail for Mac OS X as the data format, and follow the instructions to import your mail from the old Mail folder that’s now on the Desktop. Import the Mailboxes folder first, then each of the POP-username@mailserver account folders.
8. If .Mac synchronization of Mail data was enabled at the beginning, enable it again, go to System Preferences > .Mac > Advanced, click Reset Sync Data, and choose the appropriate options to reset the Mail data stored on the .Mac server with the data locally stored on the computer, i.e. sync data must flow from the computer to the .Mac server.
As a result of doing the above, some messages may be duplicated. Andreas Amann’s Mail Scripts has a Remove Duplicates script that you may find useful.
Do with the imported mail whatever you wish. You may move the messages anywhere you wish and get rid of the imported mailboxes afterwards.
If all is well and you don’t miss anything, the files on the Desktop can be deleted, although you may want to keep them for a while, just in case.
Note: For those not familiarized with the ~/ notation, it refers to the user’s home folder. You can easily locate any of the folders referred to in this post by copying the folder path here, doing Go > Go to Folder in the Finder, and pasting the folder path there.