Mac Mail Menu Items not available on MacBook Pro

[milansaha1977]

The program opens, but none of the menu items are available so i can't do anything. I can't open a new viewer winder, start a new message or really anything else.

The accounts are fine as I've been using them on my phone and iPad without any issues.

Help! so much of my work is email communications and sending documents.

 

[honestone]

Need to know the following:

1. What exact Mac model do you have?

2. What exact Mac OS are you running?

3. Are you making backups to an external device? That is so, so critical!

4. Have you ever done any disk cleanup/maintenance/repairs, from a software perspective? You can actually do a lot of disk cleanup on your own, and there are some excellent programs available (both free and commercial) that can help you with those tasks.

 

[milansaha1977]

Thanks for your help.

This is my model: MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2013)
I am using the OS it came with, whichever was the latest operating system in Sept. 2013
I have not made a backup recently.
I have not done any disk cleanup.

It sounds like disk cleanup and backing up my files is what I need to do.

 

[honestone]

From what I can gather, your Mac came with Mountain Lion, OS 10.8.x. You can use a more recent version of the Mac OS on your machine, if you want. Did you purchase the machine brand new? Or was it used?

By the way, you state "I have not made a backup recently.". This would imply that you have an external device, correct? If so, 1) when did you last do the backup, 2) what software did you use for that, and 3) what is the make and model of the external device/drive?

Given that you have never done any disk cleanup/maintenance/repairs, it might be best to do the following:

1. Use Disk Utility to determiner the "health" of the internal drive inside your Mac (there are actually a couple of commercial products that are better than Disk Utility).

2. Assuming the drive is OK, use Disk Utility to Erase and Format the drive. (Depending on your answers to questions below, a backup might need to be made first of your current system).

3. Do a fresh, clean, "virgin" installation of a Mac OS.

Now, all of that needs to be accomplished in an "isolated" manner. But, another important question is whether or not you are using any third-party (ie, non-Appel) software. If you need to retain any such programs, and also if you need other documents. etc. from your internal drive, that will determine how to proceed.

So, if you can provide definitive answers to the following questions, we can better help you:

1. When did you last do your backup?

2. What software did you use for that?

3. What is the size, make and model of your external device? Is it partitioned?

4. Do you use any third party software? If so, which ones, exactly?

5. How much information/data do you need from your internal drive?

 

[milansaha1977]

I bought machine brand new and yes Mountain Lion rings a bell as the OS it came with.

I did Disk Utility - it was not in good health and then I did first aid and now my mail program is working again ! woo hoo !!

so crisis averted, but it sounds like I should definitely do the rest of these things to keep my mac working well.

I have a boat load of work to do now that I got my mail functioning again, but I will circle back to them later and report back.

Thank you so much.

From what I can gather, your Mac came with Mountain Lion, OS 10.8.x. You can use a more recent version of the Mac OS on your machine, if you want. Did you purchase the machine brand new? Or was it used?

By the way, you state "I have not made a backup recently.". This would imply that you have an external device, correct? If so, 1) when did you last do the backup, 2) what software did you use for that, and 3) what is the make and model of the external device/drive?

Given that you have never done any disk cleanup/maintenance/repairs, it might be best to do the following:

1. Use Disk Utility to determiner the "health" of the internal drive inside your Mac (there are actually a couple of commercial products that are better than Disk Utility).

2. Assuming the drive is OK, use Disk Utility to Erase and Format the drive. (Depending on your answers to questions below, a backup might need to be made first of your current system).

3. Do a fresh, clean, "virgin" installation of a Mac OS.

Now, all of that needs to be accomplished in an "isolated" manner. But, another important question is whether or not you are using any third-party (ie, non-Appel) software. If you need to retain any such programs, and also if you need other documents. etc. from your internal drive, that will determine how to proceed.

So, if you can provide definitive answers to the following questions, we can better help you:

1. When did you last do your backup?

2. What software did you use for that?

3. What is the size, make and model of your external device? Is it partitioned?

4. Do you use any third party software? If so, which ones, exactly?

5. How much information/data do you need from your internal drive?

 

[honestone]

On the one hand, it's good you got things working again. But, I suspect this is only a temporary fix. You really need to get going on doing disk cleanup/maintenance/repairs, from a software perspective. I suspect there is still quite a lot of extra, unneeded "stuff" on your machine, just taking up space and hence degrading performance.

By the way, how did you repair the internal drive with Disk Utility? For that to actually work, you would have needed to boot your Mac "externally", and run Disk Utility form there.