Missing messages

[john9210]

I use Gmail IMAP. Twice over the last 6 months, all my messages disappeared in Gmail for reasons unknown . I've checked all the causes suggested by Gmail. I'm tired of this happening so I'm looking for a way to backup TB messages and contact book. Backing up the profile does not seem to work I guess because messages are not downloaded to TB with IMAP. Switching to POP won't work since I also read email on another device (iPad). Is there any simple solution to this?

[DanRaisch]

When you say that "all my messages disappeared in Gmail" do you mean that they are no longer accessible on the server if you log onto that account using a browser? Or do the messages just disappear in Thunderbird?

To back up the messages on the local computer:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1127439
https://www.lifewire.com/less-mail-imap ... rd-1173100

[john9210]

They are no longer accessible on the server. Something has removed them. The only remaining reason is that I've been hacked. Although I find this difficult to believe, I've created a new Gmail password and hope for the best. The last time this happened I also created a new password but it happened again. So, I'm looking for a simple way to backup the messages so they can be recovered should this happen again.

[DanRaisch]

Hacking is probably not involved but have you checked to see if you have reached the limits of Googles storage authorization? Is there something common to the messages that have disappeared, date range, sender, source domain, or the like?

quote]To back up the messages on the local computer:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1127439
https://www.lifewire.com/less-mail-imap ... rd-1173100[/quote]

[john9210]

How do you check google storage authorization? I doubt that this is it because I don't store anything in Google, and my email shouldn't exceed a couple of hundred megs at most. There is noting common to the messages that have disappeared. They were many dates, different source domains, etc.

[DanRaisch]

Viewing the Gmail page using a browser, look just below the message list and you will see your currently reported space utilization :

[john9210]

This is getting stranger and stranger. All my missing messages suddenly appeared in a new folder Trash(2) that also suddenly appeared in the Gmail folder. What in the world is going on??? Also, none of these messages are on the Gmail server!

[john9210]

It did it again! My email messages suddenly disappeared again today. They were all transferred to this strange Trash(2) folder. I can't find any settings that would do this. What about synchronization or compacting? I've heard these could cause the problem.