can't set up mail

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I am trying to set up mail accounts. I open mail as instructed, yet most of my options are grayed out. I am trying to follow gmail instructions. I am supposed to open mail, and click preferences. Preferences, however, is grayed out. I can't seem to figure out how to access. Whether I open the mail program from the dock, or from the applications section the result is the same.
Thanks for any input.
 

dtravis7


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What Mac do you own and which version of OSX are you running?
 
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oops..

brand new Imac 20" with Tiger. I am new to macs, so there is a learning curve here.
 

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Just wanted to be sure it was not an older machine with a different version of OSX and Mail. So if you make Mail the active window and go to the tool bar and click on Mail Preferences is Grayed out? If so I have never seen that happen in my years of OSX, and on a new machine that is strange.

Below is what I get.

Picture 1.jpg
 
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not only is preferences grayed out, but most other options including help are grayed out.
 
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not only is preferences grayed out, but most other options including help are grayed out.

OK, I'm trying to figure this one out ... you wrote:

I am trying to set up mail accounts.

I open mail as instructed, yet most of my options are grayed out
.

For someone launching Mail.app for the 1st time ever and attempting to create accounts, the second statement is normal as the program will walk you through the configuration steps and it's not until a certain point in the configuration process that the Preferences option stops being 'greyed out'.

So can you confirm whether this is the first time you have launched Mail.app or do you already have your email account/s set up?

You also write:

I am trying to follow Gmail instructions. I am supposed to open mail, and click preferences. Preferences, however, is greyed out.

If you hadn't already configured Mail.app adding an email address and relevant server info, but instead are trying to first create Gmail account access through Mail.app, then I'd imagine the options would be greyed out.

So, as you can see, there's some specific info that's needed here ...
 

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Spawn, I think you hit it right on the head. It's been so long since I set up a New copy of Mail I forgot about that Wizard. Use it and answer all the questions and then you can change things if you need to.

Edit: I just set up Mail on my old iMac G3. When the Wizard is on the screen the options are all grayed out. Finish the Wizard and it will let you change the settings.
 
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thanks for all the input. That sort of solved the issue. After entering a mac mail account (even though I did not have one), it allowed me to get to preferences.
When I follow the gmail instructions, they don't match up to the Apple mail options.
The google instruction screen shot shows the add account screen with instructions to complete the form. When I click add account, however, I get the pop-up screen like the first account. There after I enter the email address and pop account info, and click continue, I get an error unable to log in message. I do not get a pop-up add server option as Gmail describes.
 
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thanks for all the input. That sort of solved the issue. After entering a mac mail account (even though I did not have one), it allowed me to get to preferences.
When I follow the gmail instructions, they don't match up to the Apple mail options.
The google instruction screen shot shows the add account screen with instructions to complete the form. When I click add account, however, I get the pop-up screen like the first account. There after I enter the email address and pop account info, and click continue, I get an error unable to log in message. I do not get a pop-up add server option as Gmail describes.

vince0501, there are a few things that remain unclear .... I can appreciate you wanting to access your Gmail account using Mail.app, and this is perfectly achievable ... but you do have an email account tied to your ISP?

Before you do the Gmail thing, you need to configure Mail.app by creating account/s using the email address given to you by your ISP and entering the correct Server info.

Until you do this, I think you will always have errors with the Gmail thing.

Can you confirm any of the above?
 
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Spawn, I do have a comcast account which I do not use. If I understand correctly, I need to contact them and get the settings (server, type mail, etc.) first? Can I then delete the comcast account from mail after adding the gmail account?
Also I need to create accounts for both my wife and daughter, they only have web based mail accounts. How would that work in the set up? Could I just use my comcast info again?
Sorry to be so clueless. I never used outlook on my PC, as I was worried about viruses. The only reason I even wanted to set up the apple mail is that we could not figure out how to attach a photo or document to a gmail or yahoo mail account using the mac.
Thanks again to all for your advice.
 
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It's interesting to finally get to know what the underlying issue was that motivated you to come here for advice in the first place ....

The only reason I even wanted to set up the apple mail is that we could not figure out how to attach a photo or document to a gmail or yahoo mail account using the mac.

Ok, this is my advice on what I've learnt from you as to what your needs are and what I think would work best for you ....

I think you should have a Comcast email address, the one Comcast would have given you when you joined up ... and you mentioned having one but not using it ... you will actually need this for online shopping etc where they don't accept free email account addresses for security reasons.

I have my ISP given email address and a few Hotmail addresses and also a Gmail one too ... I never give my genuine ISP email address out to just anyone. If I'm unsure about giving out my real email address to someone, I feel it's best to give either a Gmail or Hotmail address.

So, you should consider looking at it like this; having a secure email account and then the other Server account/s that you use when you're unsure.

I would give them [Comcast] a ring and see if they will help you set up the account/s in Mail.app ... it's not hard but if you haven't done this before it may be confusing, I know how I felt the first time I needed to configure Mail.app.

I suggest also that you create IMAP accounts (IMAP refers to the *type* of account you are using). IMAP keeps a copy of your mail on the Comcast Server whereas POP mail accounts download the message from the server to your Mac. The reason I prefer IMAP over POP3 is that if something goes wrong on your MAC and your email accounts are POP3 based, then it's possible to lose all your mail .... it's happened to me and it sucks! So having the original mail stored on the Server is good ~!

Regarding Gmail ... it's possible to retrieve your G-email using Mail.app and here's a how-to link:

Enable POP in your Gmail account.

So I suggest you ring up Comcast and get them to help you set up some IMAP accounts and if they won't then I will. When that's done we'll tackle the Gmail issue if it's still a problem ....

Finally, don't think yourself clueless cos you're not ....


.
 
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Spawn thanks for your input. I was able to get throught to Apple support last evening. We finally managed to get it taken care of, although he was stumped for awhile.
It appears that I may have messed something up when I first tried to set up the accounts. Wrong ports and servers kept coming up. He finally had me remove the mail.com plist folder to the desktop. I restarted the Imac, and set up fresh. Then trashed the original file. Lo and behold e-mail.

My gmail is the account I use for most stuff. Never had a problem purchasing anything. I may start to use the comcast one if I can get in the mail app. I do have a couple of other "junk" e-mail addresses for those uncertain situations.
Thanks again for taking time to think about my situation, and offer your help.
 
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thanks for all the input. That sort of solved the issue. After entering a mac mail account (even though I did not have one), it allowed me to get to preferences.
When I follow the gmail instructions, they don't match up to the Apple mail options.
The google instruction screen shot shows the add account screen with instructions to complete the form. When I click add account, however, I get the pop-up screen like the first account. There after I enter the email address and pop account info, and click continue, I get an error unable to log in message. I do not get a pop-up add server option as Gmail describes.

I have Gmail...you have to go to Gmail preferences and select the POP mail option before your Mac mail will be able to get your mail....
 
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Spawn__Dooley;507228 said:
vince0501, there are a few things that remain unclear .... I can appreciate you wanting to access your Gmail account using Mail.app, and this is perfectly achievable ... but you do have an email account tied to your ISP?

Before you do the Gmail thing, you need to configure Mail.app by creating account/s using the email address given to you by your ISP and entering the correct Server info.

Until you do this, I think you will always have errors with the Gmail thing.

Can you confirm any of the above?

I have not set up my ISP email on my Mac and it works fine....I started out with Yahoo only which worked great and than a couple months later I added .mac...
 

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