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Inbox points to a saved search folder, not the real Inbox file.

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by lvaxvick

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I accidentally changed my Inbox to point to a Shared Search folder which has the option "Match all messages", though no folder is checked off to be searched, and the list of folders to search does not even include Inbox.

It does show the messages in my real inbox.   It should show, under Properties, a pointer to the ...Thunderbird\Profiles\xxxx.default\Mail\pop....   folder and the Inbox file that still exists there.  How can I change the properties of the Inbox back to normal?
I accidentally changed my Inbox to point to a Shared Search folder which has the option "Match all messages", though no folder is checked off to be searched, and the list of folders to search does not even include Inbox. It does show the messages in my real inbox. It should show, under Properties, a pointer to the ...Thunderbird\Profiles\xxxx.default\Mail\pop.... folder and the Inbox file that still exists there. How can I change the properties of the Inbox back to normal?

All Replies (5)

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Will add a screen shot below.

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In your profile folder, the file that stores the settings for your Saved Search folders is called "virtualFolders.dat".

Help > Troubleshooting Information click on 'Open Folder' button A new window opens showing contents of your profile name folder.

Exit Thunderbird now

Locate and delete virtualFolders.dat file

Start Thunderbird.

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Sorry, I did that and the Inbox folder is still showing a Saved Search.

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Is that a Pop mail account ?

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Yes it is pop. Since I posted the issue the account has gone defunct as my ISP migrated my POP email to Gmail (into a new separate account). So there is no urgency here. I am not sure how I messed it up. There was a similar saved search "folder" under Local Folders and I may have fumbled a mouse move and copied it into the pop Inbox. Ironically the technique of a saved search is now handy. as the Inbox under Local Folders now shows a superset of the old pop account and the new imap-gmail account.