The folder Sent is full, and can’t hold any more messages.
I am running Thunderbird 31.6.0 on a Mac OSX 10.9.5. My unified-folders Inbox has four IMAP accounts. My Local Folders settings are “Do not delete any messages.”
I have compacted all of my Sent folders, but I keep getting the message:
“The folder Sent is full, and can’t hold any more messages. To make room for more messages, delete any old or unwanted mail and compact the folder.
This happens every time I send a message. Before I can proceed, I first have to click OK on the previous message. Immediately afterwards I get the message: “There was an error saving to send. Retry?”
If I then click CANCEL I can move on and in fact a copy of the sent message is stored on local folders.
I used to get two copies of every message I sent. I never understood why I was getting two copies under the Sent folder. Now I only get one copy and I can always search for messages in local folders and find the saved message. My server settings are the same for all 4 accounts (see attached image). It is nevertheless quite annoying to have to go through the routine of getting two messages before I can move on.
I would be willing to do a Real fix, but I do not know how to do it while preserving the possibility of searching for past Sent messages.
Any help will be much appreciated.
Chosen solution
re :“The folder Sent is full, and can’t hold any more messages. To make room for more messages, delete any old or unwanted mail and compact the folder.
This message is very explicit with instructions.
Compacting removes hidden 'marked as deleted' emails. So, it is no use compacting if you have not deleted emails. You have to delete first, then compact.
If you do not want to delete sent emails, you need to Archive them. Make sure your 'Archive Options' have been set up by monthly archived folders (if you send on a regular daily basis) and select to 'keep exisitng folder structure of archived messages'. click on OK
then Archive anything in Sent folder thats older than a month. Archiving still keeps emails viewable via Thunderbird, but they are moved out of the regular Sent folder into an Archived Sent folder, so releasing space.
I notice you are saving Sent copies in 'Local Folders', but you use IMAP. I do not know what imap accounts you have, but as as example: Gmail auto keeps a copy of sent items on the server, so it will also be in 'All Mail' folder as well. As you have imap accounts this may explain the two copies you were mentioning. Here is the imap settings advise from gmail:
- https://support.google.com/mail/answer/78892?hl=en
- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/thunderbird-and-gmail
All Replies (2)
Chosen Solution
re :“The folder Sent is full, and can’t hold any more messages. To make room for more messages, delete any old or unwanted mail and compact the folder.
This message is very explicit with instructions.
Compacting removes hidden 'marked as deleted' emails. So, it is no use compacting if you have not deleted emails. You have to delete first, then compact.
If you do not want to delete sent emails, you need to Archive them. Make sure your 'Archive Options' have been set up by monthly archived folders (if you send on a regular daily basis) and select to 'keep exisitng folder structure of archived messages'. click on OK
then Archive anything in Sent folder thats older than a month. Archiving still keeps emails viewable via Thunderbird, but they are moved out of the regular Sent folder into an Archived Sent folder, so releasing space.
I notice you are saving Sent copies in 'Local Folders', but you use IMAP. I do not know what imap accounts you have, but as as example: Gmail auto keeps a copy of sent items on the server, so it will also be in 'All Mail' folder as well. As you have imap accounts this may explain the two copies you were mentioning. Here is the imap settings advise from gmail:
I am very grateful to you, Toad-Hall.
I changed the settings and barely started archiving and I am now, once again, being able to save my sent messages.