Phantom Mail in mail.app

[superleccy]

Hi

My Dad has been complaining for a while that mail.app sometimes makes the "new mail sound" when there's no new mail. I investigated and assumed there'd be a simple answer... but I can't find one. I've also now heard the problem myself whilst using his machine. What can it be?

He's using a 17" Core Duo iMac running Tiger. All his mail accounts (4 of them) are POP, and mail.app checks for new mail every 15 mins. He has changed the "new mail sound" from the default to something louder (the "Old Telephone Ringing Sound" from iLife).

First I checked the mail rules and spam blocker to see if mails were incomming but being automatically deleted or moved somewhere else. But this is not the case.

Then I set up an autoforward on his accounts at server level to copy all incoming mail to another POP account, to see if that would pick up any mails that were being "eaten" by mail.app. But that's not identified any discrepancies.

So what's going on? Is mail.app just making the new mail sound every now and again just for a laugh?

Cheers
SL

 

[NAG]

Are you sure the sound isn't set for some other action on the computer or even another rule in mail?

 

[superleccy]

Are you sure the sound isn't set for some other action on the computer or even another rule in mail?

I'd presumed it was, but I can't find anything. Thought maybe it was Skype, but that makes different noises. The only other apps he uses are the basics (Firefox, iLife etc). What else makes such a noise?

I've set it to a completely different (and brand new) noise now so we'll see what happens.

Cheers
SL

 

[superleccy]

I've set it to a completely different (and brand new) noise now so we'll see what happens.

Weird. It's still making the sound... the old sound, not the new one. I've double-checked the mail rules and every other process/program I can think of (including iCal) and I'm none the wiser.

I've deleted the offending .aif file now and emptied the trashcan. Let's see it try and make the noise now! Although of course I may now never know what the problem was.

SL