---
name: "cyrus-mbexamine"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "cyrus-common"
version: "3.10.2-1+deb13u2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/cyrus-mbexamine"
---

# cyrus-mbexamine(8)

Cyrus IMAP documentation Examine a cyrus-format mailbox

## NAME

mbexamine - Cyrus IMAP documentation

Examine a cyrus-format mailbox

## SYNOPSIS

```
mbexamine [ -C config-file ] [ -u uid ] mailbox...
mbexamine [ -C config-file ] [ -s seqnum] mailbox...
mbexamine [ -C config-file ] -q mailbox...
mbexamine [ -C config-file ] -c mailbox...
```

## DESCRIPTION

**mbexamine** *will examine the header, index, and cache files of a* *cyrus format mailbox and dump the information contained therein.  It* *can also limit its output to a specific uid or sequence number, through* *use of the* **-s** *and* **-u** *switches.*

**mbexamine** *reads its configuration options out of the [imapd.conf(5)](/imapd.conf/5.md) file unless specified otherwise by* **-C***. It uses* *\<configdirectory\>/mailboxes.db to locate the mailbox on disk.*

## OPTIONS

- **-C config-file**

  *Use the specified configuration file config-file rather than the default [imapd.conf(5)](/imapd.conf/5.md).*

- **-u uid, --uid=uid**

  *Dump information for the given uid only.*

- **-s seqnum, --seq=seqnum**

  *Dump information for the given sequence number only.*

- **-q, --check-quota**

  *Compare the quota usage in cyrus.index to the actual message file* *sizes and report any differences.  If there are differences, the* *mailbox SHOULD be reconstructed.*

- **-c, --check-message-files**

  *Compare the records in cyrus.index to the actual message files* *report any differences.  This can help detect issues if messages* *files were manipulated manually and/or restored incorrectly.*

## EXAMPLES

```
mbexamine user.jsmith
```

*Examine the mailbox hierarchy rooted at user.jsmith.*

```
mbexamine -u 00000004 user.jsmith
```

*Examine the mailbox hierarchy rooted at user.jsmith looking* *for messages with UID = 00000004.*

```
mbexamine -q user.jsmith
```

*Examine the mailbox hierarchy rooted at user.jsmith checking* *quotas.*

```
mbexamine -c user.jsmith
```

*Examine the mailbox hierarchy rooted at user.jsmith comparing* *index records to the actual message files in the mailbox directory.*

## FILES

*/etc/imapd.conf,* *\<configdirectory\>/mailboxes.db*

## SEE ALSO

*[imapd.conf(5)](/imapd.conf/5.md)*

## AUTHOR

*The Cyrus Team, Nic Bernstein (Onlight)*

## COPYRIGHT

*1993–2025, The Cyrus Team*