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Address book cannot be accessed. Have read previous and doesn't work

  • 1 reply
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by Toad-Hall

AChausmer
AChausmer
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I get an error that impab.mab is locked or used by another program.

Unable to load address book file impab.mab. It may be read-only, or locked by another application. Please try again later.

I read previous questions and followed instructions, but did not work. This is new having used Tbird for many years and happened suddenly, perhaps after the most recent update. Have checked and both history.mab and impab-1.mab and other numbers are not locked. Copied these 2 files from another working computer and still no joy with same error. Cannot import saved addresses or anything else. Have reloaded Tbird several times with each iteration of test changes. I would make another profile and make that default, but not clear to me how to do that. Help please. ABC

I get an error that impab.mab is locked or used by another program. Unable to load address book file impab.mab. It may be read-only, or locked by another application. Please try again later. I read previous questions and followed instructions, but did not work. This is new having used Tbird for many years and happened suddenly, perhaps after the most recent update. Have checked and both history.mab and impab-1.mab and other numbers are not locked. Copied these 2 files from another working computer and still no joy with same error. Cannot import saved addresses or anything else. Have reloaded Tbird several times with each iteration of test changes. I would make another profile and make that default, but not clear to me how to do that. Help please. ABC

All Replies (1)

Toad-Hall
Toad-Hall
  • Top 10 Contributor
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re : error that impab.mab is locked or used by another program. .....Have checked and both history.mab and impab-1.mab and other numbers are not locked.

You say error relates to 'impab.mab', but then discuss 'impab-1.mab and other numbers'.

In Thunderbird

  • Help > TRoubleshooting Information
  • click on 'Open Folder' button

a new indow open showing contents of profile name folder.

  • Exit Thunderbird now.

Q: Can you see the 'impab.mab' file? (not 'impab-1.mab' or any other number.) If yes, right click on file and select 'Properties' 'Attributes:' 'Read-Only' and 'Hidden' should not be selected.

Can you see a 'impab.mab.bak' file?


Restart Thunderbird Go into Offline mode. you do not need any synchronising or checking for new mail whilst doing the following.

Do this for each folder, one at a time, testing address book. eg: 'Inbox' Create a new folder called 'TempHold' Move all good emails from 'Inbox' to 'TempHold' Right click on 'Inbox' and select 'Compact folder' You could move those emails back into Inbox if only a few, but ideally advise you put them into suitable folders for organising/storage.

Empty Junk/spam folder and compact that folder. Empty 'Trash' or 'Deleted' folder.

click on 'Address Book' do you still get error message? If no, then folder was corrupted and the procedure fixed issue.

If yes, still a problem Do same procedure on next folder. Move emails to 'TempHold' and when folder is empty, compact that folder. Retest Address Book.