Is this a pop or imap mail account?

re : move all last months emails into folders within Thunderbird, but stored on MY hard drive. If imap or pop: Do you mean you 'moved' emails into your folders in the 'Local Folders' mail account? Or if pop account, other folders in the pop mail account?

Yes, I move all the emails off of the server into my Local Folders so they are no longer on the server. It is a POP account, but I don't think this should matter once I have moved them off the server and into local folders?

Your Pop account does not synchronise with server. This means all fully downloaded emails in a pop mail account are stored on your computer whether in the pop mail account or in 'Local folders' mail account.

Only Imap mail accounts synchronise their folders with server and display exactly the same as the server. So, to ensure they are separate from server, emails fully downloaded in an imap mail account would need to be copied into the 'Local folders' account to ensure the email is fully stored on computer.

Please do the following so we can see what is stored and where in the 'Local Folders' mail account.

In Thunderbird Help > Troubleshooting Information Click on 'Open Folder' button

A new window opens showing the contents of your profile name folder.

Click on 'Mail ' folder Click on 'Local Folders' mail account name to see contents. Please tell me if you see two 'Local Folders' perhaps one with a number.

Please post an image clearly showing all the contents of the 'Local Folders' folder. You will have folders with a .sbd extension. Click on folder with .sbd extension and post an image showing the contents. Repeat posting images for each .sbd folder you see.

I can then work out what the layout should look like and determine if anything really is missing.

SO here is what I am seeing in those folders plus a screen shot of the regular interface screen on the desktop app. It seems that there is a crossover that developed somehow in the files after 2000 (2015 the actual first) and 2018, and 2019 (and 2020) have remained intact. Let me know if you can help and what more you might need

Regarding : The folder called '2000 - 2018 Previous Years Emails95a9aafb' In the Folder Pane you can see this folder, but it is currently only displaying the '2015' folder. You cannot see the folders '2016', '2017' nor '2018'.

In the supplied images, all the years from 2015 - 2018 inclusive have .sbd folders for those years, so they contain all the subfolders for those years.

However, only '2015' has a '2015' (no extension) mbox file. This is why you can see the subfolders for that year in the Folder Pane.

Thunderbird needs an mbox file for each of the .sbd folders in order to know that the relevant .sbd folder of same name exists.

see image below showing how 2015.sbd has a 2015 mbox file.

This can be fixed. Please do the following to create mbox files for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018.

In Thunderbird

• Help > Troubleshooting Information
• Click on 'Open Folder' button

A new window opens showing the contents of your profile name folder.

• EXIT Thunderbird now - this is important.

• Click on 'Mail ' folder
• Click on 'Local Folders' mail account name folder.
• Click on '2000 - 2018 Previous Years Emails95a9aafb.sbd' folder.

• Right click in blank area below the '2018.msf' index file
• select 'New' > 'Text Document'
• change the name of that new text document to say 2016 and remove the .txt part. - Make sure you get the spelling exactly the same as used in the '2016.sbd' folder.
• When you remove the .txt part it will say something like 'if you change file extension it could become unusable'. You do want to change it, so say yes.

This will create an mbox file called 2016 with no extension.

• To make sure all is completely refreshed, delete the '2016.msf' file. Do not worry, it is just an index file.

• Repeat the above instruction to create mbox files for 2017.sbd and 2018.sbd folders making sure the spelling is exactly the same and deleting the *.msf files.

When completed, Start Thunderbird, it will auto create the relevant .msf files.

You should be able to see all the sub folders for the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

I was deleting about 20 emails, but it deleted everything for 2019 and back. I couldn't find it in the delete folders so I don't know where to look for them. I am missing about nearly 9000 emails.

John

Have you had a chance to create the new mbox files as per instructions?

I have used thunderbird for years without an issue. Starting yesterday all incoming email is missing most of its content. I have already set to allow remote content. These emails are all receipts from bank transactions etc. I have tried every option in the settings, but nothing seems to help. I desperately need all of these emails! I only use email for copies of important documents- Ebay receipts, bank statements, any confirmation number for a flight or trip. I am totally disgusted... please help if possible. Thanks

willray3

This particular question is about missing folders, not missing content in emails. So none of the comments will assist you.

When you post in someone elses question, you are sending the original postee an email asking for them to help. They may not be able to do so. I saw this purely because I had forgotten to stop following.

Please create your own question, so that it everyone can see it and hopefully be able to assist. Please include some info eg: what OS you use, what version of thunderbird and whether this is a pop or imap account. Thanks.

Hi Toad-Hall.

I did all those steps, but still cant see the files when inside the Thunderbird program.

(SOrry it took awhile, all the things going on in a pandemic, I didn't have any extra time)

IS there another thing I can try?

Best John

In Thunderbird

• Help > Troubleshooting Information
• Click on 'Open Folder' button

A new window opens showing the contents of your profile name folder.

• Click on 'Mail ' folder
• Click on 'Local Folders' mail account name folder.
• Click on '2000 - 2018 Previous Years Emails95a9aafb.sbd' folder.

As you have made an update. Please post image showing the current contents of this folder. Make sure it is wide/long enough to show everything and make sure it's set to view> details including column headers Name, type and size. Just like before.

So I attached all those, and I also attached some from the folder below that is titled 2000 previous years, not sure when that folder was created, maybe when I mad ethe 2000-2018 this was the previous version? It seems to have many of the same files in it

FIRST picture is the email screen showing the titles of folders

Thanks again

john

There seems to be a load of emails in the '2000 Previous Years Emails0dcbc275.sbd' folder.

I cannot see that folder displaying in the 'Folder Pane'. In the profile name > Mail > Local Folders, I cannot see any mbox file nor .msf file with the name.

In Thunderbird

• Help > Troubleshooting Information
• Click on 'Open Folder' button

A new window opens showing the contents of your profile name folder.

• EXIT Thunderbird now - this is important.

• Click on 'Mail ' folder
• Click on 'Local Folders' mail account name folder.

• Right click in Local Folders folder
• select 'New' > 'Text Document'
• change the name of that new text document to say 2000 Previous Years Emails0dcbc275 and remove the .txt part. - Make sure you get the spelling exactly the same as used in the '2000 Previous Years Emails0dcbc275.sbd' folder.
• When you remove the .txt part it will say something like 'if you change file extension it could become unusable'. You do want to change it, so say yes.

This will create an mbox file called 2000 Previous Years Emails0dcbc275 with no extension.

Start Thunderbird

Thank you for all your help! Back in business!

John

You are welcome. I'm glad you now have access to all those emails.