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deleted files missing

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by Stans

hollywoodstan
hollywoodstan
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This AM I opened my Trash folder (where all my deleted emails are sent) to refer to an email several months old. Disturbingly, the only files showing were deleted files for the past four days only. I did not delete them because I sometime refer to an older deleted email and generally delete them when they are more than six months old, manually. I checked the settings which indicate no emails are to be deleted. I also tried a repair for the Trash file with no success. I would appreciate a response as to why this is happening and how to correct it (and how to recover the missing emails). Many thanks. Stan

This AM I opened my Trash folder (where all my deleted emails are sent) to refer to an email several months old. Disturbingly, the only files showing were deleted files for the past four days only. I did not delete them because I sometime refer to an older deleted email and generally delete them when they are more than six months old, manually. I checked the settings which indicate no emails are to be deleted. I also tried a repair for the Trash file with no success. I would appreciate a response as to why this is happening and how to correct it (and how to recover the missing emails). Many thanks. Stan

Modified by hollywoodstan

All Replies (3)

Stans
Stans
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Is this an IMAP or POP account? You should not be storing emails in the Trash if you intend to revisit them later. Use the archive option instead. Most servers automatically empty the Trash after a preconfigured number of days. Have you compacted the inbox and Trash folders since deleting them? If not, then do NOT compact them.

hollywoodstan
hollywoodstan Question owner
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Thanks for your reply. 

It's an IMAP account and I believe T-bird uses Trash as the default folder for deleted emails.  Of course I can replace it if necessary.
Also, the settings on the server does not delete or empty folders unless directed to do so and the folders themselves were not compacted to the best of my recollection.

I've been using T-bird for years and this issue has never arisen. I wonder if there is some way to restore these mysteriously missing files.

Stans
Stans
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I wasn't implying that you replace the Deleted folder. Thunderbird is correctly moving deleted messages to the Deleted folder as it should. What I'm saying, is you stop deleting messages that you wish to keep for later reference. Instead, archive them, or use the Archive option, which moves them to the Archive folder for your account. Servers automatically empty the trash folder, without your input, which is why you should not be deleting messages that you still wish to keep for a while. Other programs can also empty the trash, for example, system cleanup/optimization utilities that search for "junk" files and remove them to claim storage space. Thunderbird's trash mbox file is an easy target of such programs. Do you have a backup of your system or Tbird profile folder?