How did you mix the fuel? One can/bottle of 2 cycle oil to one gallon of gas or two gallons. What are the instructions on the oil; container?

Was there gas in the saw when it sat?

Was the gas 100% gas or was it gasohol(10% alcohol)?

Several months is how long?

What were the temperatures during the sitting period?

Sounds like there is varnish in the carburetor or there is a problem with the carb adjustment. There probably are no user adjustments on the carb, so a professional has to make any adjustments(legally). Those adjustments can be made if a person knows how and has the proper tools.

I repaired chain saws for 22 years. All those questions are necessary to have answered to have any chance of long distance advice being any good.

I used 3.2 oz (measured with a cup) of quality 2-cycle oil in a gallon of regular gas from Shell station. not sure if it had ethanol in it. I use the same gas for other 2-cycle motors, no problem. Chainsaw sat in garage over winter with average Central Florida temperatures. I tried spraying starting fluid in the intake as well, no luck. I don't think its a fuel problem. As I mentioned the motor is hard to turn with pull rope after first pull. Feels like too much compression building up!

Take off the muffler, put the plug back in and test. Maybe something moved in during that time.

I am also having a problem starting my saw when I put gas in the spark plug hole it will run for a minute any ideas what this could be

Does your chainsaw have a compression release button to press prior to starting?

Message: I have a chain saw model #358-350600 Craftsman 18 in. / 42cc bought the saw about
2002 used it satisfactorily for some time and it does not have many
hours on it, however in cutings some trees in the yard in about 2008 it
quit for no apparent reason an it has not cranked since, I have had
local shops to work on it, fuel lines have been redone,carb. replaced
with new, it has good spark (blue) still not even a pop using starter
fluid. I have search the web for help and I see some others having the
same problem as myself. I went to the Sears shop but for them to check
it out was almost as much as a new saw and I noticed while I was
there they had lots of the 18in 42cc saw on the shelf that had been
reconditioned, but I still can't find where Sears is giving us a
solution for this problem and why so many are having the( will not crank
problem). Does it have a printed circuit board that we can't find. I can
buy a new saw but that does not fix this one. Can you give me some help,
I have a problem with a motor that looks as good as this will not run
and it is still in the original box. Thanks Herman Hill

Two things to try.

Remove the flywheel and inspect the key that fits in the crankshaft slot. If it is sheared or bent, the motor is out of time. A new key will be a buck or so.

Second thing is to remove the muffler and inspect the cylinder wall and piston. Any marks means the compression is wrong and the cylinder/jug need to be replaced. A new piston/jug will cost almost as much as a new saw.

Unless the problem is a crank key, don't waste money fixing the saw and buy a real saw---Stihl, Husqvarna, or Echo.