Cannot download Gmail

[tanstaafl]

If you have already moved the mail from the old account what's the problem with selecting it in tools -> account settings and using the account actions list box at the bottom to delete it?

[WV-Mike]

Any ideas about safely deleting the redundant account?

WV-Mike

[tanstaafl]

See my previous post. That is the safe way to do it. It removes the account id from mail.accountmanager.accounts , deletes the account id and the associated server ids etc.

The accounts files in its "local directory" doesn't get deleted when you delete an account but if you deleted its mail and compacted the folders there is little left. However once you deleted the account its safe to delete its local directory (the directory tree used by the account to store its data). Its safest if you lookup the local directory at the bottom of its server settings pane before deleting the account. Its next to the Browse button.

C:\Users\Eric\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\i2h0a3a2.default-release\Mail\pop.gmail.com is an example of a local directory used to store the files for a POP gmail account. The actual directory name is based on the mail server name. If there are more than one account with the same server it adds a numeric suffix.

[WV-Mike]

See my previous post. That is the safe way to do it. It removes the account id from mail.accountmanager.accounts , deletes the account id and the associated server ids etc.

Sorry. I missed your original post.
I will work on this.

WV-Mike

The accounts files in its "local directory" doesn't get deleted when you delete an account but if you deleted its mail and compacted the folders there is little left. However once you deleted the account its safe to delete its local directory (the directory tree used by the account to store its data). Its safest if you lookup the local directory at the bottom of its server settings pane before deleting the account. Its next to the Browse button.

C:\Users\Eric\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\i2h0a3a2.default-release\Mail\pop.gmail.com is an example of a local directory used to store the files for a POP gmail account. The actual directory name is based on the mail server name. If there are more than one account with the same server it adds a numeric suffix.

[WV-Mike]

I was nervous about deleting the old account, but I did.
Now, all is now as it was before.
Thanks,
WV-Mike

[WV-Mike]

C:\Users\Eric\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\i2h0a3a2.default-release\Mail\pop.gmail.com is an example of a local directory used to store the files for a POP gmail account. The actual directory name is based on the mail server name. If there are more than one account with the same server it adds a numeric suffix.

I have 2 gmail accounts but there are 7 gmail folders.
See: https://photos.app.goo.gl/XTZAVSVJFnZZxfAe6
How can I tell which ones are redundant and can be deleted?
Thanks,
WV-Mike

[karenanne]

And people wonder why I dread updating to a new version of thunderbird.

[tanstaafl]

"How can I tell which ones are redundant and can be deleted?"

Look at the local directory setting at the bottom of each accounts server settings. Make a list of those directories. Any of those not on the list you can delete. As a sanity check look at the date of the "inbox." or 'inbox.msf file in the local directory beforehand. It should be relatively recent if the local directory is in use. "

What happens is if a serious error occurs sometimes Thunderbird changes the local directory. When this happens it either adds a -1 suffix or increments the numeric suffix. It will create all of the special folders (inbox, drafts, sent , junk etc.) , but they're empty. It will then download any new mail etc.

When this happens you might notice that you lost your old mail and you're missing any child folders that you explicitly might have created. You can change the local directory setting back to the old location and if "leave messages on server" was checked it will redownload the new mail.

Since you have two pop gmail accounts initially you had a pop.gmail.com and a pop.gmail-1.com local directory before it started to bump the local directories.

Really annoying though. One reason why I prefer IMAP accounts. That worst that occurs if it bumps the IMAP accounts local directory is you lose any message filters and waste some disk space.

[WV-Mike]

"How can I tell which ones are redundant and can be deleted?"
Look at the local directory setting at the bottom of each accounts server settings. Make a list of those directories. Any of those not on the list you can delete. As a sanity check look at the date of the "inbox." or 'inbox.msf file in the local directory beforehand. It should be relatively recent if the local directory is in use. "

Thanks! I found the folders in the account seetings.
WV-Mike

What happens is if a serious error occurs sometimes Thunderbird changes the local directory. When this happens it either adds a -1 suffix or increments the numeric suffix. It will create all of the special folders (inbox, drafts, sent , junk etc.) , but they're empty. It will then download any new mail etc.

When this happens you might notice that you lost your old mail and you're missing any child folders that you explicitly might have created. You can change the local directory setting back to the old location and if "leave messages on server" was checked it will redownload the new mail.

Since you have two pop gmail accounts initially you had a pop.gmail.com and a pop.gmail-1.com local directory before it started to bump the local directories.

Really annoying though. One reason why I prefer IMAP accounts. That worst that occurs if it bumps the IMAP accounts local directory is you lose any message filters and waste some disk space.