I had the same problem and I was able to use Thomas's instructions (5-step process) to get back to my mail.  Thank you.

Good day to all,
I use Pegasus version 4.4 on Windows XP
As I have for years, I click my Pegasus desktop icon than enter my username and enjoy my e-mails. Today I entered my username and nothing happened. Not one error or fault result. As soon as I enter my username both Pegasus windows close. The Pegasus logo in the background and the username screen in the foreground disappear. I have no access to my e-mail accounts! I have searched for this error and found no solutions that would help.

Thanks, Scott

If you are in an emergency, download Pmail, make a new Pmail install elsewhere on the disk, start the new Pegasus once, refuse to create an account, close Pegasus, and then copy the necessary files from your old account into the new install folders. You will find them in the old PMAIL\MAIL, and you need to copy them in the new PMAIL\PMAIL

After that, we can talk quietly of repairing the old install.

As I have for years, I click my Pegasus desktop icon than enter my

username and enjoy my e-mails. Today I entered my username and nothing

happened. Not one error or fault result. As soon as I enter my username

both Pegasus windows close.

Two guesses and a comment.

1.  The pmail.usr file is corrupted and causes the crash when read.

2.  The pmail.ini file is corrupted and causes the crash when read.

It's also possible the drive is failing and when you enter the username it's trying to read a bad sector.  

If you are in an emergency, download Pmail, make a new Pmail install

elsewhere on the disk, start the new Pegasus once, refuse to create an

account, close Pegasus, and then copy the necessary files from your old

account into the new install folders. You will find them in the old

PMAIL\MAIL, and you need to copy them in the new PMAIL\PMAIL.

Couple of comments.  

1.  Since this could be a configuration problem I would use "Add mailbox to list" to point at the old folders first to see if this works.  If it works then I'd remove the added mailbox and copy only the folders, addressbooks, etc and leave the pmail.ini.  If this works then I'd last try to rename the current pmail.ini and move in the old one.  ;-)

2.  The new installs probably will have a ..\pmail\mail\admin structure instead of ..\pmail\mail.

When I start the new Pegasus install the first screen is setting up mail boxes.
I canceled. I than copied pmail\mail to the new pmail folder.  
When I start Pegasus a second time I am at the setting up mail boxes screen.

Thanks, Scott

[quote user="Thomas R. Stephenson"]

If you are in an emergency, download Pmail, make a new Pmail install

elsewhere on the disk, start the new Pegasus once, refuse to create an

account, close Pegasus, and then copy the necessary files from your old

account into the new install folders. You will find them in the old

PMAIL\MAIL, and you need to copy them in the new PMAIL\PMAIL.

Couple of comments.  

1.  Since this could be a configuration problem I would use "Add mailbox to list" to point at the old folders first to see if this works.  If it works then I'd remove the added mailbox and copy only the folders, addressbooks, etc and leave the pmail.ini.  If this works then I'd last try to rename the current pmail.ini and move in the old one.  ;-)

2.  The new installs probably will have a ..\pmail\mail\admin structure instead of ..\pmail\mail.

[/quote]

I can not "Add mailbox to list" as Pegasus will not run even after copying the old files to the new install as suggested by arnaudherve.  Since you quoted arnaudherve I followed those instructions first before yours.  When I click on the new Pegasus desktop icon, enter my username Pegasus will not run.

I sure need help, Thanks, Scott

Sorry it did not work. You can always access your mail online in case you are in a hurry. Through the webmail interface of your provider.

On the longer term, since copying did not work, I suggest you uninstall your second installation, and empty folders if needed. Then, you install again, and create the account(s) through the Pmail interface.

That will be a good start at least.

I can not "Add mailbox to list" as Pegasus will not run even after

copying the old files to the new install as suggested by arnaudherve.

 Since you quoted arnaudherve I followed those instructions first

before yours.  When I click on the new Pegasus desktop icon, enter my

username Pegasus will not run.

I sure need help, Thanks, Scott

1.  Do a complete install of Pegasus Mail to a different directory like c:\pmailnew. 

2.  Do not move the old mail files as yet since it's probably something in your configuration that is causing the problem.  

3. Once you get the new version running you can use the "Add mailbox to list" and point at the old mailbox directory since it's only going to be looking at the folders.

4. If this works then you can exit WinPMail

5. and then copy all files except folstate.pm, state.pmj, hierarch.pm and pmail.ini  to the new installation. 

[quote user="arnaudherve"]

Sorry it did not work. You can always access your mail online in case you are in a hurry. Through the webmail interface of your provider.

On the longer term, since copying did not work, I suggest you uninstall your second installation, and empty folders if needed. Then, you install again, and create the account(s) through the Pmail interface.

That will be a good start at least.

[/quote]

Hello arnaudherve,  The rush or hurry is over as I am sending / receiving new e-mail because I did a new install of Pmail. However I need to get back to the state Pmail was before I lost use of this program.  My mail folders are important to me.

Hello arnaudherve,  The rush or hurry is over as I am sending /

receiving new e-mail because I did a new install of Pmail. However I

need to get back to the state Pmail was before I lost use of this

program.  My mail folders are important to me.

Did you try using the "Add mailbox to list" to look at your old folders?