Simple Ways to Recover .MSF Files on Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS

Have files been deleted due to a user’s error or software error? Have you formatted a disk by accident and need to know how to recover the files? Read our .MSF file recovery guide for Windows, MacOS, Android and IOS in 2024.

Simple Ways to Recover .MSF Files on Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS
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What is a .MSF file?

Index of mail messages stored in various e-mail programs' mailboxes; contains mail headers and summaries but not complete messages.

What Are Common Causes of ".MSF" Files Lost or Failure?

There are several common causes of ".MSF" (Mozilla Summary Format) files lost or failure:

  1. Accidental deletion: Users may accidentally delete the ".MSF" files while trying to clean up their computer or storage devices.
  2. Software or hardware issues: Problems with the operating system, software conflicts, or hardware failures can cause ".MSF" files to become lost or corrupted.
  3. Virus or malware attack: Malicious software can infect and damage ".MSF" files, making them inaccessible or causing them to be deleted.
  4. Power outages: Sudden power outages or improper shutdowns can interrupt the saving or accessing process of ".MSF" files, leading to data loss or corruption.
  5. File system errors: Issues with the file system, such as corruption or errors, can result in the loss or failure of ".MSF" files.
  6. Application crashes: If the application associated with ".MSF" files crashes or freezes while accessing or modifying them, it can lead to file loss or corruption.
  7. Storage media failure: Physical damage or malfunction of the storage device where the ".MSF" files are stored can cause data loss or corruption.
  8. Human error: Mistakes made by the user, such as accidentally formatting the storage device or performing incorrect operations on the files, can result in ".MSF" file loss.

It is important to regularly back up important ".MSF" files to prevent data loss and to use reliable antivirus software to protect against malware attacks.

How to recover lost ".MSF" files?

Sometimes while working with a computer, laptop or other stationary or mobile devices, you may encounter various bugs, freezes, hardware or software failures, even in spite of regular updates and junk cleaning. As a result, an important ".MSF" file may be deleted.

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🧺 How to Recover Files and Folders After Sending Them to the Recycle Bin and Deleting? (Windows 11)

🧺 How to Recover Files and Folders After Sending Them to the Recycle Bin and Deleting? (Windows 11)

By no means should you think that the only way to recover a ".MSF" file is always to create it once more.

Use programs for recovering ".MSF" files if a file was lost after accidental or deliberate deleting, formatting the memory card or the internal storage, cleaning the storage device, after a virus attack or a system failure.

Programs to recover ".MSF" files

Looking for a way to get files back? In cases when files were deleted and they cannot be restored by using standard operating system tools, use Hetman Partition Recovery.

Partition Recovery™ 4.9
The tool recovers data from any devices, regardless of the cause of data loss.
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Follow the directions below:

  1. Download Hetman Partition Recovery, install and start the program.

  2. The program will automatically scan the computer and display all hard disks and removable drives connected to it, as well as physical and local disks.

    File Recovery Software

  3. Double-click on the disk from which you need to recover ".MSF" files, and select analysis type.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Analysis Type

  4. When the scanning is over, you will be shown the files for recovery.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Files that Can be Restored

  5. To find a file you need, use the program’s interface to open the folder it was deleted from, or go to the folder "Content-Aware Analysis" and select the required file type.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Deep Scan

  6. Select the files you have been looking for and click "Recovery".

    File Recovery Software - Files List for Recovery

  7. Choose one of the methods for saving the files and recover them.

    Saving recovered files in Hetman Partition Recovery

How to open file with ".MSF" extension?

Looking for how to open a stereo mail Summary File image file file?

Programs that open ".MSF" files

Windows
Mozilla SeaMonkey Mozilla SeaMonkey
Mozilla Thunderbird Mozilla Thunderbird
Mac
Mozilla SeaMonkey Mozilla SeaMonkey
Mozilla Thunderbird Mozilla Thunderbird
Linux
Mozilla SeaMonkey Mozilla SeaMonkey
Mozilla Thunderbird Mozilla Thunderbird

Additional Information

  • File type: Mail Summary File

  • File extension: .MSF

  • Developer: N/A

  • Category: Misc Files

  • Format: Binary

  • HEX: 2F 2F 20 3C 21 2D 2D 20 3C 6D 64 62 3A 6D 6F 72 6B 3A 7A 20

  • ASCII: // <!-- <mdb:mork:z

  • File types that use the extension .MSF:

    • Mail Summary File

    • Miranda IM Skin File

    • Blue Card Manager Merit Badge Mastersheet File

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Comments (1)

  • Hetman Software: Data Recovery
    Hetman Software: Data Recovery 18.12.2019 12:06 #
    Leave a comment if you have any questions about Recovering lost .MSF files after deleting, cleaning or formatting!
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Vladimir Artiukh

Author: Vladimir Artiukh, Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Oleg Afonin

Editor: Oleg Afonin, Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

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Questions and answers

  • What does the file extension .MSF typically represent, and what is its purpose?

    The file extension .MSF typically represents the Mail Summary File used by Mozilla Thunderbird, an email client.

    The purpose of the .MSF file is to store summary information about the messages in a specific mailbox folder. It contains index data such as the subject, sender, date, and status of each email in the folder. This index allows Thunderbird to quickly search and display information about the emails without having to read the entire message file. The .MSF file is automatically generated and updated by Thunderbird as new emails arrive or existing ones are modified.

  • How can I open a .MSF file and access its contents?

    A .MSF file is typically associated with Mozilla Thunderbird email client and is used for storing email folder indexes. To access the contents of a .MSF file, you can follow these steps:

    1. Ensure that Mozilla Thunderbird is installed on your computer. If not, download and install it from the official Mozilla Thunderbird website.
    2. Open Mozilla Thunderbird.
    3. In Thunderbird, go to "File" and select "Open & Export" and then choose "Import/Export Tools".
    4. From the Import/Export Tools menu, select "Import mbox file".
    5. In the "Import mbox file" window, click on the "Select Folder" button and navigate to the location where the .MSF file is located.
    6. Select the .MSF file and click on the "Open" button.
    7. Thunderbird will import the .MSF file and create a corresponding mailbox folder.
    8. You can now access the contents of the .MSF file by navigating to the imported mailbox folder in Thunderbird's folder pane.

    Note: The .MSF file is not meant to be opened directly as it is an index file used by Thunderbird to optimize email access. By following the above steps, you can import the .MSF file into Thunderbird and access its contents through the Thunderbird interface.

  • Are there any specific software programs or applications required to open and view the contents of a .MSF file?

    A .MSF file is typically associated with the Mozilla Thunderbird email client. It is an index file used to store information about the folders and messages in Thunderbird's mailbox. To open and view the contents of a .MSF file, you would need to have Mozilla Thunderbird installed on your computer. Once Thunderbird is installed, you can import the .MSF file into Thunderbird, and it will be able to read and display the emails and folders contained within the .MSF file.
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