Can't copy or move folders from InBox on server to local folder.
Hi, I have been receiving constant messages form my e-mail provider saying I am out of space. I figured out that the inbox is located on the e-mail service's server. I need to free up space but want to keep my e-mail, on my local computer. I tried copying from the inbox to a folder in the local folders by selecting e-mails and then right-clicking and selecting copy, then LocalFolders, and then Inbox. After this, there was nothing in the local inbox folder. I tried moving one e-mail by right-clicking and selecting move, then local, then Inbox. The original message disappeared from the InBox, but is not in my local inbox folder. What is happening ?
Also, how can I set Thunderbird to always put my mail onto my local computer, and delete it from the server ?
I am using Thunderbird on a Ubuntu Linux computer.
Thank you for your help.
All Replies (4)
The solution to your question is to use POP.
Is using POP something I can simply change in a Thunderbird setting ? Or do I need to talk to my E-mail provider ? Will doing that endanger the two years of e-mail I have that I don't want to lose ? Will that change allow me to copy and move folders ?
clandon1 said
I tried copying from the inbox to a folder in the local folders by selecting e-mails and then right-clicking and selecting copy, then LocalFolders, and then Inbox. After this, there was nothing in the local inbox folder. I tried moving one e-mail by right-clicking and selecting move, then local, then Inbox. The original message disappeared from the InBox, but is not in my local inbox folder. What is happening ?
This is working for me. Maybe you are not downloading the full mail from the server in the Imap settings ? Is there an error logged in the Error Console (Tools / Dev tools) ?
clandon1 said
Also, how can I set Thunderbird to always put my mail onto my local computer, and delete it from the server ?
As answered already, Pop3 is the way to go for that. You will need to create a new account, you can't turn the existing Imap account into Pop3. By default a Pop3 account will download all emails and delete them after having downloaded. You can turn this behaviour off in the Pop3 account settings if you want to be sure that everything is all right before turning it on to make available space on the server.
When you will have done that, Thunderbird as a Pop3 client will look periodically the server and as soon it finds new mails, it will download and remove them from the server. You can then of course delete the Imap account.
Once the mails are on your system, there is no restriction on what you can do to them. You can also lose them if you don't do backups of course. Usually ISP have more secure (mirrored) disks.
You can set up a POP account alongside your IMAP account. Once all the messages have downloaded, you can safely delete the IMAP account. In setting up the POP account, be sure to set accountsettings>serversettings to NOT leave messages on server. (There is a box "leave messages on server" - UNtick it.)