Error Message for Messages App

[patrickboulder]

Hi,

A few days ago, I tried to open "Messages" on my computer but kept getting this error msg: “An internal Messages error occurred.”
*
Says to restart computer, that doesn’t help.
*
OS X EL CAPITAN
VERSION 10.11.4
MACBOOK PRO
LATE 2011

What should I do?

 

[nickyr]

Try updating your OS to 10.11.6 (using the combo udater) and see if that helps.

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1885?locale=en_GB

 

[patrickboulder]

Hi, thanks for the link. I did update to OS to 10.11.6. But "Message" still doesn't work.
Do you have any other ideas?
Thank you,
Lynn

 

[ferrarr]

I would sign out of Messages and then sign back in.

 

[patrickboulder]

Hi Bob,

When I click on Messages, I get the error msg. and can't do anything else. How can I sign out if I can't open it at all? Is there a way to sign out?

 

[Slydude]

Open your user folder and look inside the Preferences folder and look for a series of Messages preferences. Move those preferences somewhere else temporarily. Now try to launch Messages and see what happens. If things work then you can delete the preferences files that you moved.

You may need to unhide your library. These directions should get it done for you.

 

[patrickboulder]

Is this correct place to be?

Users>Admin>Library>Preferences

All that I found in preferences were these two folder:

com.apple.imessage.bag.plist
com.apple.messaging.expire.plist

should I delete these two files?


In the Library folder was also Messages with a folder of Archives, Attachments and files that say:

chat.db
chat.db-shm
chat.db-wai

 

[Slydude]

If Admin is the name of your user account then I think you are in the right place. Rather than delete the files I would move them out of that folder temporarily and move it somewhere like the Desktop then launch Messages. That way you can put those files back if it does not solve the problem.

 

[patrickboulder]

It worked. yay!! Thank you!!
Should I delete those two files and the Message folder. Or just the two files:

com.apple.imessage.bag.plist
com.apple.messaging.expire.plist

I'm hoping to keep some of the old messages or is it best to get rid of all of them?

 

[Slydude]

If you want to keep the messages I'd probably leave the folder intact. As for the preference files. Leave the old ones around a bit and if everything is OK then it's probably safe to delete them.

 

[skeeterdoodles]

Hello - I have been struggling with the same super frustrating problem and tried all the suggestions here and from other websites. I called Apple Support and they escalated the case but concluded they could not help me. I gave up and then . . . here's what FINALLY worked for me (by accident): I decided to clean up and delete several old text messages that I had on my iPhone and all of the sudden Messages started working on my MacBook Pro. Give it a try!

Mojave OS 10.14.6
iOS 13.5