Mail opens 17 (!) windows on start-up.

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I'm running Mac OSX 10.5.8 on a 13" MacBook. Mail is version 3.6. One day Mail just started opening 17 windows whenever I open the program, and has been doing it ever since. Every time, and always 17. 16 remain minimized in the dock, with the 17th opening maximized as usual. Any ideas on what could be causing this, and how I can go about fixing it?

Many thanks,

J.
 

bobtomay

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The main window of Mail does not have the function of opening multiple windows. You can open multiple 'New Message' windows or multiple individual messages.

If this is the case, you need to open those windows and close those windows prior to quitting Mail using the red button on the individual messages.

If you're talking about the Mail icon showing the number 17 on it in the Dock, that number indicates you have 17 unread emails.
 
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Thanks for the response. But in fact, the problem is precisely that Mail is opening 17 main windows. Yes, MAIN windows. I know it isn't supposed to have this functionality, which is what makes this so bizarre. But I have 17 main windows that can be maximized or minimized at any moment.

However, your answer has inadvertently solved my problem. I just tried closing each of the windows individually before shutting down the program. When I re-opened it after doing that, only one window opened. So, it seems as though the problem is solved for the moment. But the fact that it did this in the first place is a bit disconcerting as it seems like a drastic step outside of what Mail is supposed to do, which suggests a major glitch, or perhaps even a virus...

Anyway, thanks.

J.
 

bobtomay

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Let us know, catch a screen shot if it happens again showing more than one primary window. I'd like to see it just out of my own curiosity. Have a couple of ideas if you do see it again.
 
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Apologies for bringing up this oldish thread,

I discovered yesterday that with my Mail app, pressing command+option+N will open another main window.


Click for large size - LittleSnapper
 

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