TB downloads messages already downloaded from gmail POP server, and doesn't download those never downloaded
I used to download my mail from the Gmail POP server to Thurderbird up to a couple of years ago. Since then I have managed my mail on the webmail. Yesterday I decided to resume managing my email with TB (in the meantime grown to 52.7.0, 64-bit). My OS is Ubuntu 14.04 LTS.
I have set the necessary permission in my Gmail account (less secure apps, POP server activated; download all messages; save a copy in the server). I have checked that the sever settings in TB are valid (POP type, pop.gmail.com, port 995, connection SSL/TLS, normal password, leave message on server). So I enabled the connection between my computer and the remote server.
When I asked to get messages, two unexepected things happened: 1) TB downloaded some (rather old) messages of two types: some of messages that were already present in TB; and a few very old messages that should have already been downloaded when TB was in use. No hint of the very many messages that have never been downloaded while TB has not beed used. 2) TB has not downloaded messages either that have arrived since yesterday (thus after I had the Gmail mailbox accessed from TB again).
Currently TB's response to is 'there are no new messages' (which is not true because there are messages that both have never been downloaded and have arrived in the meantime).
I also took care of marking the last 50 messages in the primary folder as 'not read' and 'as not important' (the latter action following a tip https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1210729). To no avail.
The desired outcome is that TB downloads all messages that are on the webserver and not in TB (that is, messages never downloaded before, recent and old). The POP server is a requirement for me, since the local mailbox has a customized arrangement of folders and filters that makes resuming using TB attractive.
Is this a problem of TB or of Gmail, to start with? How can this be fixed?
Thanks for thinking along and helping out.
Modified by XavierStuvw
All Replies (10)
Pop can only access the gmail 'Inbox'. Confirm all the messages you want to download are actually in the gmail webmail account 'Inbox'.
Toad-Hall said
Pop can only access the gmail 'Inbox'. Confirm all the messages you want to download are actually in the gmail webmail account 'Inbox'.
All messages are in the inbox folder; no message is in the important/special folder. Problem persists.
Modified by XavierStuvw
You have selected to use the 'less secure apps' option. This is correct.
also make sure you have correct pop option selected... In webmail
- Click Settings.
- Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.
- In the "POP Download" section, select 'Enable POP for all mail'
- At the bottom of the page, click Save Changes.
You say you have only used webmail via a browser. Please confirm you have not used eg: a phone which may have used a pop action.
- In Thunderbird, Account Settings > Server Settings
- Check User name = it needs to be the full gmail email address
- Also check the Outgoing Server Username is the full gmail email address.
- click on OK
when you restart Thunderbird and it auto checks for new messages, do you get any error message? If yes, what do you get word for word?
Be aware that your emails become available in batches. It might take a while to see all your emails.
Toad-Hall said
You have selected to use the 'less secure apps' option. This is correct. also make sure you have correct pop option selected... In webmailYou say you have only used webmail via a browser. Please confirm you have not used eg: a phone which may have used a pop action.
- Click Settings.
- Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.
- In the "POP Download" section, select 'Enable POP for all mail'
- At the bottom of the page, click Save Changes.
when you restart Thunderbird and it auto checks for new messages, do you get any error message? If yes, what do you get word for word? Be aware that your emails become available in batches. It might take a while to see all your emails.
- In Thunderbird, Account Settings > Server Settings
- Check User name = it needs to be the full gmail email address
- Also check the Outgoing Server Username is the full gmail email address.
- click on OK
I had done all operations indicated as per my earlier post.
TB does manage to connect to the inbox but finds no new messages. No error messages. Indeed, at first go it downloaded those few, odd and old messages in one batch (order 400 items). But nothing more after then: to repeat, ostensibly because of no new messages being found or recognized as such (while there are plenty, for some definition of new).
No phone: this is all happening on a desktop. Thanks for thinking along.
Why are you using pop? You have set it to leave copies on the server. If you want messages to be left on the server then you may as well use imap, which doesn't suffer this problem of trying to track which messages have and have not been downloaded.
Zenos said
Why are you using pop? You have set it to leave copies on the server. If you want messages to be left on the server then you may as well use imap, which doesn't suffer this problem of trying to track which messages have and have not been downloaded.
I want POP for using the systems of folders and filters that is in place locally, as said. For the time being I am using the remote server as a backup. I might indeed wish to remove the messages stored there at some point in time. Therefore, leaving messages on the server is not the crux of this issue.
It is possible that an email on the server has something wrong about it and it is causing a log jam hus preventing other emails from downloading.
In thunderbird. Make a note of the last email which was downloaded to pop account.
Logon to webmail account using a browser. Please empty the 'Spam' folder.
Then look for the oldest but not downloaded email, read and delete or archive to the 'All Mail' folder.
In Thunderbird click on 'GetMessages'
Please report back on results.
Toad-Hall said
It is possible that an email on the server has something wrong about it and it is causing a log jam hus preventing other emails from downloading. In thunderbird. Make a note of the last email which was downloaded to pop account. Logon to webmail account using a browser. Please empty the 'Spam' folder. Then look for the oldest but not downloaded email, read and delete or archive to the 'All Mail' folder. In Thunderbird click on 'GetMessages' Please report back on results.
I have left only the 100 most recent, never downloaded mails in the Inbox (tab 'primary'), having moved all others to another storage folder (tab 'promotional', just out of convenience). In the inbox there are some new messages that arrived today. The storage folder contains the latest mail downloaded to TB, plus all before that, and some after it. The spam is empty. TB's answer to the get message is still 'no new messages'.
As a side remark, I just realised that the mail from 1 March to 20 May has disappeared from the webmail unawares of me (trash is empty), and is not in TB either.
Modified by XavierStuvw
I believe 'Promotional' is an Inbox category; a tab applied to an Inbox label.
The idea is to remove the 'Inbox' label completely by Deleteing or Archiving to 'All Mail' OR You could try creating a new 'Label' and moving emails into that 'Label /folder'. Gmail does things differently. Everything is stored in 'All Mail'. All other 'Labels' and 'Categories' etc are just a form of tag labelling that allows emails to be viewed in a virtual folder-like manner, so people see something more familiar. Sometimes, I get confused by gmail on occasions as they do not always do what you expect.
If moving the emails has not worked...
As this is an old pop account you are trying to get going, suggest you try this link to perform an unlock captcha
Then restart Thunderbird and see if it auto connects ok.
A further option to try: If Emails are still not downloading correctly, Gmail do suggest you try using 'recent mode' to download/pop emails.
"Recent mode." Recent mode shows your last 30 days of emails from Gmail. Add the word recent: in front of your email address/user name. For example, recent:[email protected].
Finally, if all is not working.... In Thunderbird. Move all the pop account emails into 'Local folders' folders. Remove the pop mail account.
- Access Account Settings
- select pop gmail account
- click on 'Account Actions '
- select 'Remove account'
- click on OK
'Menu icon' > 'New Messages' > 'Existing mail account' Create a new pop gmail account. Check server settings are all as required before trying downloading.