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Rohkem teavet

Since shortly I cannot delete messages from one of my email accounts. I have to drag the mailto another trashcan from another account, how do I solve this

  • 10 vastust
  • 2 on selline probleem
  • 9 views
  • Viimati vastas Toad-Hall

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I use three mailaccounts with Thunderbird, 2 pop and 1 imap. From one of the pop accounts the trashfolder disappeared, I used the problem solving instructions and now the trash folder reappeared. If I press the delete button nothing happens at all, no message or anything. If I drag the mail to a trash folder from another account that works. I really don't know what the problem is and how to solve it, please help. I have Windows 10 64bits version 1909 and Thunderbird 64 bits 68.8.0

I use three mailaccounts with Thunderbird, 2 pop and 1 imap. From one of the pop accounts the trashfolder disappeared, I used the problem solving instructions and now the trash folder reappeared. If I press the delete button nothing happens at all, no message or anything. If I drag the mail to a trash folder from another account that works. I really don't know what the problem is and how to solve it, please help. I have Windows 10 64bits version 1909 and Thunderbird 64 bits 68.8.0

Valitud lahendus

Please try this:

In Thunderbird

  • Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • click on 'Open folder' button

A new window opens showing contents of 'profile name' folder.

  • Exit Thunderbird now - this is important.
  • Click on 'Mail' folder
  • click on 'pop mail account name' folder
  • Delete 'Trash' (no extension) mbox file
  • Delete 'Trash.msf' index file.
  • Right click in empty space below list of files and select 'New' > 'Text document'.
  • Name it 'Trash' (make sure you spell it exactly as Trash) and click on OK
  • This will create a 'Trash.txt' file.
  • Then edit the name of that new Trash text document to say 'Trash' by removing the .txt extension.
  • 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 'Trash'.

Start Thunderbird.

Try deleting email and post back results.

Loe vastust kontekstis 👍 1

All Replies (10)

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Hello there benno.


Is it that the trash bin doesn't work? It is recommended that the icone and folder trash can be deleted and rebuild itself. You will be able to try this for a working recycle bin.

In Thunderbird:

Help > Troubleshooting Information click on 'show Folder' A new window will open showing Profile Folder Close Thunderbird Now


Click on 'Mail' folder click on the pop mail account name look for Trash.msf and delete the file Close window - top right X Open Thunderbird


the index file should be rebuilt, did this get the Trash to appear?

If yes, right click on Trash and choose 'Empty TRash' then right click on Trash and select 'compact'

Try this send us a message back after.



Greetings Firefox Volunteer.

Muudetud День сумо poolt

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This was my first action, it didn't help. The trash can reappeared but I cannot put anything in it. And again de trashcans from my other emailaccounts in Thunderbird work fine. Thank you for responding

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It is possible something is corrupt with the Inbox.

  • Move all good emails out of Inbox into another suitable folder for organising.
  • Delete any you do not want. Do not worry if they do not seem to delete.
  • Right click on Inbox and select 'compact'.

Note: you do not normally need to empty the Inbox in order to clean it up by compacting, but if that folder has some corruption, you do not want to lose good emails, hence moving them.

  • Right click on Junk and select 'Empty Junk'
  • Right click on Junk and select 'compact'

You may as well compact the Drafts folder as well whilst you are cleaning up.

  • Right click on Drafts and select 'compact'
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If unsure what compacting is all about then please read this info:

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I cannot delete any mails in any folder in this account not only in the inbox. If I move the mails to another inbox I can delete the mails

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Have you compacted all folders, so we can rule out folders still containing old hidden marked as deleted emails?

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Yes I did, I hope you got that I cannot delete any email from whatever (sub)folder under this account. I can select a number of emails from a subfolder and drop it in the trash can from another account that works, so I do have a workaround, but I it very inconvenient

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Valitud lahendus

Please try this:

In Thunderbird

  • Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • click on 'Open folder' button

A new window opens showing contents of 'profile name' folder.

  • Exit Thunderbird now - this is important.
  • Click on 'Mail' folder
  • click on 'pop mail account name' folder
  • Delete 'Trash' (no extension) mbox file
  • Delete 'Trash.msf' index file.
  • Right click in empty space below list of files and select 'New' > 'Text document'.
  • Name it 'Trash' (make sure you spell it exactly as Trash) and click on OK
  • This will create a 'Trash.txt' file.
  • Then edit the name of that new Trash text document to say 'Trash' by removing the .txt extension.
  • 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 'Trash'.

Start Thunderbird.

Try deleting email and post back results.

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This did the trick, it works. Thank you very much, great

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Good to hear all is ok.