[Dovecot] Mbox corruption - Inbox beginning with 'FFrom' or 'FrFrom'

[Stan Hoeppner]

Erik Kratzenberg put forth on 7/27/2010 8:32 AM:
>> If you delete all messages from mailbox, INTERNAL DATA message doesn't
>> show up there? The mbox file size becomes zero? If so, it doesn't sound
>> like you're really using Dovecot v1.x..
> 
> It looks like if I'm starting without the folder existing (whether it's
> a new delivery rule or you delete the folder from IMAP), deliver doesn't
> create the FOLDER INTERNAL DATA so it will just start appending messages
> to it.
> 
> Once that first message is received, IMAP won't create the FOLDER
> INTERNAL DATA message until I delete all the messages from the folder.
> 
> When I delete all the messages from the folder, they are not actuall
> removed until I restart my mail client.  If new messages are received to
> that folder before I restart my mail client, then it also won't create
> the FOLDER INTERNAL DATA message.
> 
> I'm not sure if that's directly related to this issue, but I know the
> corrupted From line is always the first message in a mailbox and is
> never the FOLDER INTERNAL DATA message.

I've only had this problem once, many months ago.  I solved it by making sure
the user was not logged in, editing the mbox file with vi, removing the
leading "F", and saving the file.  IIRC I then deleted the Dovecot index files
to be on the safe side (not sure if it was necessary) and let them auto rebuild.

-- 
Stan