Trash folder does not retain items

User Help for Mozilla Thunderbird
Post Reply
2CV67
Posts: 114
Joined: December 22nd, 2004, 7:37 am
Location: Alsace

Trash folder does not retain items

Post by 2CV67 »

Hi!
I have been using TB in Ubuntu for many years & the trash retention policy has always worked for me.
I have it set to 30 days.

On my wife's Lenovo Laptop, it is set to 40 days but fails to retain items.
Items sent to trash only stay there until TB is closed & reopened, after which the trash folder is empty.

Thanks for any suggestions!
Acer Aspire TC-100-007: Multi-boot W10 / Ubuntu 22.04 / Ubuntu 21.10LTS: Canon TS705: Epson V200: also Asus 1015PED: W7 / Lubuntu18.04LTS: also Lenovo 5-15ARE05: W11 / Ubuntu 22.04
User avatar
DanRaisch
Moderator
Posts: 127187
Joined: September 23rd, 2004, 8:57 pm
Location: Somewhere on the right coast

Re: Trash folder does not retain items

Post by DanRaisch »

What version of Thunderbird?
How is the account set up in Thunderbird, as POP or IMAP? Find out using menu path Edit->Account Settings->Server Settings->Server Type at the top right of the dialogue.
2CV67
Posts: 114
Joined: December 22nd, 2004, 7:37 am
Location: Alsace

Re: Trash folder does not retain items

Post by 2CV67 »

TB 102.4.2 in Ubuntu 22.04.
Accounts use POP.
Acer Aspire TC-100-007: Multi-boot W10 / Ubuntu 22.04 / Ubuntu 21.10LTS: Canon TS705: Epson V200: also Asus 1015PED: W7 / Lubuntu18.04LTS: also Lenovo 5-15ARE05: W11 / Ubuntu 22.04
User avatar
DanRaisch
Moderator
Posts: 127187
Joined: September 23rd, 2004, 8:57 pm
Location: Somewhere on the right coast

Re: Trash folder does not retain items

Post by DanRaisch »

First, backup your Profile ( http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_backup )

Create a new sub-folder under Local Folders. Move all of the messages currently in the Trash folder to that new subfolder.

Confirm that you have made the recommended backup of your Profile.

Close Thunderbird and navigate to the \Mail sub-folder of your Profile folder. Delete both the file Trash.msf and the file Trash with no extension.

Restart Thunderbird and delete any message from a folders of that account. That will cause Thunderbird to create a new Trash folder. Copy any messages you MUST have in your Trash folder from the sub-folder created above to the Trash folder. Compact the Trash folder after those messages are copied in.

The "Real Fix" entry in this article -- http://kb.mozillazine.org/Compacting_folders#Real_fix also describes this process.
2CV67
Posts: 114
Joined: December 22nd, 2004, 7:37 am
Location: Alsace

Re: Trash folder does not retain items

Post by 2CV67 »

Thanks Dan for those instructions.

I backed-up my Profile, deleted Trash.msf & Trash folders, started TB & deleted one message, which appeared OK in Trash.
I closed & re-opened TB, when the Trash folder was empty...

I did not exactly follow your instructions, but I don't think that has any effect:
- As there were no messages in Trash to start with, I did not create a new sub-folder & move messages to it, nor copy messages back from it, of course.
- I did not compact the Trash folder.
Acer Aspire TC-100-007: Multi-boot W10 / Ubuntu 22.04 / Ubuntu 21.10LTS: Canon TS705: Epson V200: also Asus 1015PED: W7 / Lubuntu18.04LTS: also Lenovo 5-15ARE05: W11 / Ubuntu 22.04
User avatar
DanRaisch
Moderator
Posts: 127187
Joined: September 23rd, 2004, 8:57 pm
Location: Somewhere on the right coast

Re: Trash folder does not retain items

Post by DanRaisch »

Look under menu path Tools->Account Settings->Server Settings->Message Storage. Is the option to "Empty Trash on Exist" selected?
2CV67
Posts: 114
Joined: December 22nd, 2004, 7:37 am
Location: Alsace

Re: Trash folder does not retain items

Post by 2CV67 »

Thanks for your patience, Dan.

No.
Under: Edit > Account Settings > Server Settings > Message Storage, the option "Empty Trash on Exit" is not selected for any of the 4 accounts.
Acer Aspire TC-100-007: Multi-boot W10 / Ubuntu 22.04 / Ubuntu 21.10LTS: Canon TS705: Epson V200: also Asus 1015PED: W7 / Lubuntu18.04LTS: also Lenovo 5-15ARE05: W11 / Ubuntu 22.04
Gone Postal
Posts: 501
Joined: December 2nd, 2008, 1:00 pm

Re: Trash folder does not retain items

Post by Gone Postal »

2CV67 wrote:Thanks for your patience, Dan.

No.
Under: Edit > Account Settings > Server Settings > Message Storage, the option "Empty Trash on Exit" is not selected for any of the 4 accounts.
Where is the Trash folder? There is also a setting under Local Folders for "Empty Trash on Exit". If all of the accounts are directing deleted items to the Trash folder under Local Folders that setting needs to be unchecked as well.
2CV67
Posts: 114
Joined: December 22nd, 2004, 7:37 am
Location: Alsace

Re: Trash folder does not retain items

Post by 2CV67 »

Ah! Brilliant!

The Trash is in Local Folders & the "Delete" option there WAS checked.

I unchecked it & based on a couple of tests that now seems to be working perfectly.

Many thanks & Have a Nice Day!
Acer Aspire TC-100-007: Multi-boot W10 / Ubuntu 22.04 / Ubuntu 21.10LTS: Canon TS705: Epson V200: also Asus 1015PED: W7 / Lubuntu18.04LTS: also Lenovo 5-15ARE05: W11 / Ubuntu 22.04
Gone Postal
Posts: 501
Joined: December 2nd, 2008, 1:00 pm

Re: Trash folder does not retain items

Post by Gone Postal »

2CV67 wrote:Ah! Brilliant!

The Trash is in Local Folders & the "Delete" option there WAS checked.

I unchecked it & based on a couple of tests that now seems to be working perfectly.

Many thanks & Have a Nice Day!
Glad you've got it working.
Post Reply