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question everything

(48,797 posts)
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 12:29 PM Jan 2019

Puzzles with Mac Mail

I used to have very few addresses in the address book. Most of the addresses, once used, remained in the memory. So much so, that if I'd have several addresses for one person, all would show for me to select, once I started typing a name.

Some years ago I remember reading about how to fix this, never worked. But I think that it went away with the new Mac or new OS (High Sierra).

Anyhow, several months ago I got a new iMac. As soon as I set it up I could not get into my email. So I called Apple, with permission to get into my computer the rep found that I had to addresses: one for comcast.net, the other called High-Speed something. The rep deleted the high speed one (with about 300 emails, not a major loss, really), and everything has been fine.

All of a sudden, within the past two weeks, I realized that I can no longer contact people with whom I communicated just weeks ago. So I thought that until now the memory worked but no longer. And now I have to find them.

But I think that there is a different reason. On my dock there is an icon for Apps and on occasions I get a note for an update which I usually ignore, choosing something like "turn on notification," or something.

A few weeks ago I thought what the hell, let it update.

The next day, when I turned on my iMac (I always turn it off at the end of the day, including the power strip), I had to wait for an"update" which took forever. Spouse, with the MacBook says it happens all the time.

And whatever that update was, I think that it erased the memories of addresses which were not in the address book.

Does this sound crazy?



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Puzzles with Mac Mail (Original Post) question everything Jan 2019 OP
Your address book is a database that Mac Mail uses. Dr Hobbitstein Jan 2019 #1
Thanks. That application opened the address book which is also on the dock question everything Jan 2019 #2
Doubtful you need av software for Mac. Dr Hobbitstein Jan 2019 #3
 

Dr Hobbitstein

(6,568 posts)
1. Your address book is a database that Mac Mail uses.
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 12:37 PM
Jan 2019

Either your database has become corrupted or somehow deleted, but an update should not do this.

From finder, hit shift+command+a to open the applications folder. From there, open the Contacts app. You should see a list of all your email contacts there. If it’s empty, then your database is corrupted/gone. If it’s full of contacts, then it’s an easy fix.

Let me know which and maybe I can be of fuether assistance.

question everything

(48,797 posts)
2. Thanks. That application opened the address book which is also on the dock
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 12:45 PM
Jan 2019

It had several names and I am rebuilding it now.

Thus, somehow I lost many contacts. Really surprising. Some of them - family members - I wished happy birthday just last November.

Perhaps I do need to get an anti virus program. I have the free Malwarebytes but perhaps I need something stronger.

 

Dr Hobbitstein

(6,568 posts)
3. Doubtful you need av software for Mac.
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 12:53 PM
Jan 2019

Very few Mac virus/malware out there, and none of it is self-replicating. Virus software for the Mac is a waste of money/processes. Here is a complete list of Mac viruses and what they do.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.macworld.co.uk/feature/mac-software/mac-viruses-malware-security-3668354/%3famp

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