reindex .ichat files for Messages (Yosemite)

[Hugh A]

iMac (2011), Yosemite 10.10.5

Recently moved my OS and user data from an external SSD which I was using with a Mac mini (Thunderbolt) onto an internal SSD on this iMac. I can see some Messages (SMS and iMessage) sent since the new disk (yesterday), but although all the .ichat files are present in ~/Library/Messages/Archives/, they can't be read from the Message pane, though double-clicking them opens them in a new window, message by message.

I've moved all the .db files from the original disk into ~/Library/Messages and even deleted them completely. However, though this forces an attempt at a rebuild, I still don't see the older conversations in Messages. Any ideas (permissions, etc. all look OK, but I don'tknow for sure)?

 

[Hugh A]

Update: it seems to be to do with the fact that I temporarily used the external disk as a home directory on a system booting Sierra, which obviously uses a different DB schema. Still can't rebuild the DB, though.