[Evolution] Maildir messages not found by EVO, but files are there

[Jeff Nelson <jnmnus yahoo com>]

Environment: Ubuntu 08.10 (Intrepid), Evolution 2.24.3-0ubuntu1

I have an email account set up using the maildir protocol. The root 
folder is /home/jnelson/Mail. This account is 8 years old and contains 
email messages going back to 2002.

Evolution has trouble displaying certain "older" messages, even though 
it seems that the file it's looking for is right there.

Here's an example. I've created a (virtual) search folder from a search 
query. The folder's list of messages correctly displays the message 
fields: From, Subject, Date and Attachment (paper clip icon). If I 
select one of the messages, however, I get this in the message preview pane:

  Unable to retrieve message
  Cannot get message: 1206678826.6638_8.jen from folder 
/home/jnelson/Mail/INBOX/XYZ/People/McQuay No such file or directory

But there is a file whose name matches in 
/home/jnelson/Mail/INBOX/XYZ/People/McQuay/cur:

  $ ls /home/jnelson/Mail/INBOX/XYZ/People/McQuay/cur/1206678826.6638_8*
  /home/jnelson/Mail/INBOX/XYZ/People/McQuay/cur/1206678826.6638_8.jen:2,S
  $

My system name at the time this message was received was in fact "jen". 
However, the system name has changed several times over the years. Could 
this be the problem?

What can I do to try to find out why this is failing and how do I fix it?

Thanks.

-Jeff