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Re-downloading of old emails

  • 4 replies
  • 0 have this problem
  • Last reply by david

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Many moons ago I used Microsoft's Outlook as my email program. When I would open Outlook, it would retrieve all of my emails from my ISP's server, permanently removing the emails from the server while downloading them into Outlook.

When I installed Thunderbird recently, it was to do the same thing. My ISP had sent me several notices that my email account was close to full, so I was looking for an email program that worked the same way Outlook does, and removes my emails from my ISP's email server as it downloads them to my PC.

The first issue I'm having is that Thunderbird does not appear to do this? Or do I simply have my Thunderbird account/settings set up incorrectly?

My next issue is directly tied to the first one. Every time I open Thunderbird it starts re-downloading all of the emails that it has previously already copied into my Thunderbird Inbox, but that are still in my email account on my ISP's email server. This is probably 15 years worth of emails and equates to thousands of emails I'm saving, and every time I open Thunderbird it starts re-downloading them again. I simply want to be able to save them to my local email client (Thunderbird) and store them on my PC's hard drive.

The final issue is also tied to the first two: As soon as it starts downloading the emails again, Thunderbird (and only Thunderbird) lags heavily and almost continuously. It lags so badly that it becomes incredibly difficult to write a new email in Thunderbird, and so I end up closing the program and logging into my ISP's email server and using their client to write my emails, or conducting my email business via my phone, which takes longer and is more challenging due to continuous fat-fingering of the phones tiny little keyboard.

So, am I missing something, or do I have some settings in Thunderbird set up incorrectly? Or does Thunderbird simply not work the same way Outlook does (or at least use to)?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice anyone is willing to give.

~ Doug

Many moons ago I used Microsoft's Outlook as my email program. When I would open Outlook, it would retrieve all of my emails from my ISP's server, permanently removing the emails from the server while downloading them into Outlook. When I installed Thunderbird recently, it was to do the same thing. My ISP had sent me several notices that my email account was close to full, so I was looking for an email program that worked the same way Outlook does, and removes my emails from my ISP's email server as it downloads them to my PC. The first issue I'm having is that Thunderbird does not appear to do this? Or do I simply have my Thunderbird account/settings set up incorrectly? My next issue is directly tied to the first one. Every time I open Thunderbird it starts re-downloading all of the emails that it has previously already copied into my Thunderbird Inbox, but that are still in my email account on my ISP's email server. This is probably 15 years worth of emails and equates to thousands of emails I'm saving, and every time I open Thunderbird it starts re-downloading them again. I simply want to be able to save them to my local email client (Thunderbird) and store them on my PC's hard drive. The final issue is also tied to the first two: As soon as it starts downloading the emails again, Thunderbird (and only Thunderbird) lags heavily and almost continuously. It lags so badly that it becomes incredibly difficult to write a new email in Thunderbird, and so I end up closing the program and logging into my ISP's email server and using their client to write my emails, or conducting my email business via my phone, which takes longer and is more challenging due to continuous fat-fingering of the phones tiny little keyboard. So, am I missing something, or do I have some settings in Thunderbird set up incorrectly? Or does Thunderbird simply not work the same way Outlook does (or at least use to)? Thanks in advance for any help or advice anyone is willing to give. ~ Doug

All Replies (4)

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It seems your account was set up as IMAP, meaning that the messages are kept always on the server. If your preference is to download all messages to the PC and remove from the server, then set up the account as POP and that will do it. Once that is working, you can delete the IMAP account.

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David, thank you for your reply and advice. I did as you suggested and created a new POP3 account (the only option other than IMAP), started downloading the old emails and then deleted the old account. I am still having the same problems: Emails are not being removed from the ISP email server, and the same emails are re-downloading every time I open Thunderbird.

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Are you sure that your email provider didn't forbid to delete mails through mail client? Check this.

Modified by PavelkoT

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Check the popstate.dat file in the profile folder. It would be in the Mail\<POPaccount> folder. Thunderbird undatess this file to keep track of latest download so that it doesn't download same messages next time. If it is corrupted or is being prevented from updating, what you're describing will happen. Also, check your server settings to be sure it's set to delete on downloads.

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