What was your account type before the change - POP or IMAP?

What is your account type after the change?

When I adjusted Thunderbird's settings for this

Please explain in detail what you did.

Originally, it was set up as POP. The AOL mail instructions recommended using IMAP, so I did. The server port numbers changed accordingly. As I recall, these were the only changes made in the process (both incoming and outgoing). I am trying to find the instruction sheet, but verizon is not recognizing my sign-on at the moment.

I am finding the AOL mail system to be annoying in that I often have to enter my password for smtp when replying to a simple email message.

I found the instruction link. There are some basics (server settings) and then some detail on Thunderbird. Here are the details:

"How do I set up other email applications to send and receive my AOL Mail? Learn how to access your AOL Mail through a third-party email client.

Follow the instructions below to set up AOL Mail in other email applications, such as Outlook, Thunderbird, Mac Mail, Windows 10 Mail or Incredimail. If you'd like to access your mail on your mobile device, please visit our help article AOL Mail: Mobile Mail.

Some AOL features will not be available if you are accessing AOL Mail from another application. These include:

AIM: You won't be able to send IMs to your buddy list. Message Status: You will not be able to check the status of a sent message or retrieve unopened email from AOL users. Spam: The Report Spam button is not available on IMAP. To report messages as spam, move them to your email application’s Spam folder or Junk folder. Deleted mail: Some applications show deleted email in the original folder with the message flagged for deletion (such as Outlook), while other applications do not show these emails.

NOTE: Your email client might prompt you to select either IMAP or POP. AOL Mail supports both, but we recommend using IMAP. To learn more about the differences between IMAP and POP, please visit our help article What is the difference between POP3 and IMAP? Expand one of the headings below to learn how to set up or remove your AOL Mail account in different Mail Clients. If your mail client is not listed, use the general IMAP configuration instructions below.

IMAP Configuration Instructions:

   IMAP Username: YourUsername@aol.com (or @love.com, @games.com, @verizon.net, etc.)
   Incoming Mail Server: imap.aol.com (Use port 143 for standard or 993 for SSL connections)
   SMTP Outgoing Server Address: smtp.aol.com Set the port to 587
   SMTP Username: YourUsername@aol.com (or @love.com, @games.com, etc.)
   SMTP Password: password you use to login to Mail

For a secure connection, check the SSL option for IMAP/POP and TLS for SMTP in your mail program. Outlook Mozilla Thunderbird

Set up your AOL Mail account in Mozilla Thunderbird

1. Launch Thunderbird.

2. Click the User-added imagebutton in the top-right corner of the window.

3. Hover with your cursor over the Options... option and wait for a new drop-down menu to appear. Click Account Settings in this menu.

4. Click Accounts Actions in the bottom-left corner of the screen.

5. Click Add Mail Account...

6. Type in your AOL email account information and click Continue.

7. Thunderbird will validate the information you provided and will set up your account.

Note: If Thunderbird fails to automatically set up your account you will be prompted to manually type in the information. Please refer to the header IMAP Configuration Instructions in this article for the information needed to manually set up your account.

8. Click Done.

That's it! Your AOL email account has been set up in Mozilla Thunderbird.

Remove your AOL Mail account from Mozilla Thunderbird

Mar 2, 2016

You cannot convert a POP account into an IMAP account, but it sounds like this is what you somehow attempted. From your description it still isn't entirely clear to me what you did. In any case, what you should have done is this: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Convert_a_POP_account_to_a_IMAP_account

Without more detailed information about what you changed and the current account status I can't tell what happened to your folders.

Please post your Troubleshooting Information. At the top right of the Thunderbird window, click the menu button , then select Help > Troubleshooting Information. Press the Copy text to clipboard button and paste the information into your reply.

Per AOL guidance, I set up a password on my AOL Mail account. I then went to Thunderbird account settings under my email user name (which did not change) and changed the POP setting for incoming mail to imap.aol.com and the server port from 110 to 143. I then found the outgoing server and changed the outgoing server to smtp.aol.com and the port from 465 to 587. I entered the password for the AOL account.

I do not recall doing anything but this. Adding a new account for AOL was confusing and created a duplicate account, but no where in the process on Thunderbird nor AOL was there warning about changing to IMAP from POP. In fact, it was recommended.

Should I reset the servers to POP settings?

Recommended by whom? I have yet to see an email client that doesn't treat IMAP and POP as two separate and distinct methodologies.

POP accesses only the Inbox; IMAP can read all of your folders on the server. A reconfigured POP client simply can't make sense of what IMAP does.

(I have built applications that get and send email. You plug in a POP client module, or an IMAP client module, or both. But they most certainly are not interchangeable.)

Your instructions did tell you to "5. Click Add Mail Account..." - I don't see how you can interpret that as a direction to change the settings of an existing account.

If you can, put the account back as it was. Then add it again as a new account.

Thunderbird allows you to give each account a name to help you identify it. It would be useful here to make sure that the yahoo and aol versions of the account have distinctive and different names.

When both have been set up, and if the missing folders issue is resolved, then if the old redundant account annoys you, you can drag its contents into the new account and then delete the old one.

To Zenos: Thanks. The instructions from AOL state, "AOL Mail supports both, but we recommend using IMAP." Originally, I did add a new account for the IMAP settings. The transition was using the same account name (my email address) so I did not change the name thinking that it was critical to the systems finding each other. Thunderbird had an error pop-up that said this was a duplicate account and I could go no farther. Anyway, I got thoroughly confused deleted the account that had no messages in it.

I will attempt your fix.

It is mot clear, even not what type of account our using. Please add the troubleshooting information to your post so volunteers are working with factual information.

To find the Troubleshooting information:

• Open Help (or click on three-line-icon and select Help)
• Choose Troubleshooting Information
• Use the button Copy to clipboard to select all. Do not check box "Include account names"!
• Paste this in your post.

I think I have figured out what everyone wants me to do, so see if this post is the information you want. Thanks.

 Application Basics

   Name: Thunderbird
   Version: 38.6.0
   User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; WOW64; rv:38.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/38.6.0
   Profile Folder: Show Folder

             (Local drive)
   Application Build ID: 20160211132445
   Enabled Plugins: about:plugins
   Build Configuration: about:buildconfig
   Memory Use: about:memory

 Mail and News Accounts
   account2:
     INCOMING: account2, , (none) Local Folders, plain, passwordCleartext

   account3:
     INCOMING: account3, , (pop3) incoming.yahoo.verizon.net:110, plain, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: outgoing.yahoo.verizon.net:587, plain, passwordCleartext, true

   account5:
     INCOMING: account5, , (imap) imap.aol.com:143, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: smtp.aol.com:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true

 Crash Reports
   http://crash-stats.mozilla.com/report/index/bp-db13a4c8-a7b4-4c48-b9b4-6ba492150514 (5/14/2015)

 Extensions
   Lightning, 4.0.6, true, {e2fda1a4-762b-4020-b5ad-a41df1933103}
   McAfee Anti-Spam Thunderbird Extension, 2.0, true, msktbird@mcafee.com

 Important Modified Preferences

   Name: Value

     browser.cache.disk.capacity: 358400
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value: 358400
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run: false
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max: false
     extensions.lastAppVersion: 38.6.0
     font.internaluseonly.changed: true
     font.name.monospace.el: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.tr: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.x-baltic: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.x-central-euro: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.x-cyrillic: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.x-unicode: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.x-western: Consolas
     font.name.sans-serif.el: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.tr: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.x-baltic: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.x-central-euro: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.x-cyrillic: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.x-unicode: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.x-western: Calibri
     font.name.serif.el: Cambria
     font.name.serif.tr: Cambria
     font.name.serif.x-baltic: Cambria
     font.name.serif.x-central-euro: Cambria
     font.name.serif.x-cyrillic: Cambria
     font.name.serif.x-unicode: Cambria
     font.name.serif.x-western: Cambria
     font.size.fixed.el: 14
     font.size.fixed.tr: 14
     font.size.fixed.x-baltic: 14
     font.size.fixed.x-central-euro: 14
     font.size.fixed.x-cyrillic: 14
     font.size.fixed.x-unicode: 14
     font.size.fixed.x-western: 14
     font.size.variable.el: 17
     font.size.variable.tr: 17
     font.size.variable.x-baltic: 17
     font.size.variable.x-central-euro: 17
     font.size.variable.x-cyrillic: 17
     font.size.variable.x-unicode: 17
     font.size.variable.x-western: 17
     gfx.direct3d.last_used_feature_level_idx: 0
     mail.openMessageBehavior.version: 1
     mail.winsearch.firstRunDone: true
     mailnews.database.global.datastore.id: e87dbb05-3248-4fff-a083-7a215da0f4c
     network.cookie.prefsMigrated: true
     network.predictor.cleaned-up: true
     places.database.lastMaintenance: 1458760722
     places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages: 104858
     plugin.importedState: true
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_bgcolor: false
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_bgimages: false
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_colorspace:
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_command:
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_downloadfonts: false
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_duplex: 1515870810
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_edge_bottom: 0
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_edge_left: 0
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_edge_right: 0
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_edge_top: 0
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_evenpages: true
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_footercenter:
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_footerleft: &PT
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_footerright: &D
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_headercenter:
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_headerleft: &T
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_headerright: &U
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_in_color: true
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_margin_bottom: 0.5
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_margin_left: 0.5
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_margin_right: 0.5
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_margin_top: 0.5
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_oddpages: true
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_orientation: 0
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_page_delay: 50
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_paper_data: 1
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_paper_height: 11.00
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_paper_name:
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_paper_size_type: 0
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_paper_size_unit: 0
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_paper_width: 8.50
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_plex_name:
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_resolution: 1515870810
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_resolution_name:
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_reversed: false
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_scaling: 1.00
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_shrink_to_fit: false
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_to_file: false
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_unwriteable_margin_bottom: 0
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_unwriteable_margin_left: 0
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_unwriteable_margin_right: 0
     print.printer_WF-4630_Series(Network).print_unwriteable_margin_top: 0
     privacy.donottrackheader.enabled: true

 Graphics

     Adapter Description: Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600
     Vendor ID: 0x8086
     Device ID: 0x0412
     Adapter RAM: Unknown
     Adapter Drivers: igdumdim64 igd10iumd64 igd10iumd64 igd12umd64 igdumdim32 igd10iumd32 igd10iumd32 igd12umd32
     Driver Version: 20.19.15.4360
     Driver Date: 12-21-2015
     Direct2D Enabled: false
     DirectWrite Enabled: false (10.0.10586.0)
     ClearType Parameters: ClearType parameters not found
     WebGL Renderer: false
     GPU Accelerated Windows: 0

     AzureCanvasBackend: skia
     AzureSkiaAccelerated: 0
     AzureFallbackCanvasBackend: cairo
     AzureContentBackend: cairo

 JavaScript

 Incremental GC: 1

 Accessibility

   Activated: 0
   Prevent Accessibility: 0

 Library Versions

     Expected minimum version
     Version in use

     NSPR
     4.10.10
     4.10.10

     NSS
     3.19.2.2 Basic ECC
     3.19.2.2 Basic ECC

     NSS Util
     3.19.2.2
     3.19.2.2

     NSS SSL
     3.19.2.2 Basic ECC
     3.19.2.2 Basic ECC

     NSS S/MIME
     3.19.2.2 Basic ECC
     3.19.2.2 Basic ECC

based on this. I assume you did the following.

1. Deleted your old Verizon account.
2. Created an IMAP account using the AOL settings.

When you deleted your Verizon account, all the mail from that account also disappeared and whatever folders you had hanging off the account also disappeared, along with their content.

If I have the above right.

1. On the toolbar > Help > troubleshooting Information
2. Select the show profile button.
3. Close Thunderbird

In the Explorer window that opened select the mail folder, followed by the one with Verizon in the name. (your old verizon account) look for files wth the same name as your missing folders. open any SDB folder and check in them.

Do you see any files with the name of your missing folders? (Usually a pair one with no file extension and one with an MSF extension)

Again if yes you see files with your folder names.

Install the import export tools add-on.

1. On the toolbar then 
2. Select the get add-ons entry on the left.
3. In the search all addons dialog on the right of the screen type import or as much of import export is needed to locate the import export tools add-on
4. Click the install button.
5. Restart Thunderbird.

If you have difficulty with that,instructions to install an add-on using the link above are here.

Once the add-on is installed and you have restated Thunderbird.

• Create a folder in local folders to import your old mail to and select it.
• Right click the folder and select import/Export.
• Select import an MBOX file
• in the next dialog select the last option that ends in (also it's subdirectories)
• Click Ok

• In the file picker, select that folder you had open before with Verizon in it's name

if you are having trouble getting there in the file picker, click onto the location bar at the top and type %appdata%\Thunderbird\profiles and press enter. That will get you past windows hiding the appdata folder from you Alternatively you can change the Windows setting to show hidden files and folders. There are instruction on changing that setting here for the last four versions of Windows..

Furthermore ...

I found the instruction link. IMAP Configuration Instructions: Incoming Mail Server: imap.aol.com (Use port 143 for standard or 993 for SSL connections)

Your AOL IMAP server setting:

INCOMING: account5, , (imap) imap.aol.com:143, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext

What's so hard following simple instructions? Fix your Thunderbird AOL IMAP server settings as per the instructions: Connection Security: SSL/TLS Port: 993

McAfee Anti-Spam Thunderbird Extension

With McAfee you're doomed. See https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:Testing:Antivirus_Related_Performance_Issues#McAfee

matt--Thank you! I followed your instructions and seem to have completely recovered the folders and messages (will know more as I organize the results). Was not sure which add-on to download (the first one did not show up when right-clicking the new folder, but I went back and found another that did.

On an somewhat unrelated note, several comments above mention the three-line icon in the upper right of the Thunderbird screen. That icon does not appear for me--I access settings, etc. through one of the menu options on a tab on the top of the window. Not a problem--just a bit confusing at first.

christ1--I tried changing the server settings as you suggested. All existing and new mail still showed in the inbox, etc., but the content did not appear--only the subject line and a blank screen for the message itself. I changed it back to the previous setting and everything was back to normal.

If you have no that indicates you have no toolbar either. If you right click the toolbar or the menu bar, there id a menu to display both and to customize..