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Thunderbird no longer saving to drafts directory

  • 6 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 60 views
  • Last reply by dkcrotty

Andy_St
Andy_St

Thunderbird is no longer saving drafts to the default folder called by that name.

Is this likely to be an email server problem (3rd party server disavows) or an issue within the Thunderbird email application software?

If an application issue, whether there is an available patch or fix?

(Background: This issue in a Windows 7 environment has not been experienced before with this excellent software; and first became evident when there were indeed problems with the (service provider's) email server - since 'said' to have been resolved, but perhaps not so?)

Thunderbird is no longer saving drafts to the default folder called by that name. Is this likely to be an email server problem (3rd party server disavows) or an issue within the Thunderbird email application software? If an application issue, whether there is an available patch or fix? (Background: This issue in a Windows 7 environment has not been experienced before with this excellent software; and first became evident when there were indeed problems with the (service provider's) email server - since 'said' to have been resolved, but perhaps not so?)

Chosen solution

By default, draft messages are usually stored in a Drafts folder on the IMAP server, but if you don't need to access drafts from other devices, it's better to store them in a Drafts subfolder of Local Folders. The setting is under Tools/Account Settings in the Copies & Folders section for the account.

If the IMAP Drafts folder stopped working, it may be sufficient to rebuild it using the 'Real fix' instructions here. Essentially, you delete the Drafts mbox and msf files and have TB automatically create new ones.

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All Replies (6)

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 25 Contributor

Chosen Solution

By default, draft messages are usually stored in a Drafts folder on the IMAP server, but if you don't need to access drafts from other devices, it's better to store them in a Drafts subfolder of Local Folders. The setting is under Tools/Account Settings in the Copies & Folders section for the account.

If the IMAP Drafts folder stopped working, it may be sufficient to rebuild it using the 'Real fix' instructions here. Essentially, you delete the Drafts mbox and msf files and have TB automatically create new ones.

jono81
jono81

Hi sfhowes,

Thanks so much for helping Andy_St with this issue. I'm a family member also trying to help him resolve it as it's now impacting his business, but have not seen this issue before.

Andy_St is using Thunderbird on multiple windows machines all clearing the same email address, and they all suffer from the same issue of not being able to save draft emails on the IMAP server.

Andy_St wants to keep saving draft emails on the IMAP server (not locally on just one machine) as this is a useful way of proof checking emails with colleagues before they are actually sent out.

Do you think deleting the local mbox and msf files on all associate windows machines would help as they are all suffering from the same issue, which started when the web host made some changes after the server crashed (they won't tell us what was done exactly)? Could all local draft msf files across all computers have become corrupted simultaneously when the server went down?

Many thanks

jono81
jono81

Some further info:

There is no error message given in Thunderbird, the small 'Connecting ... Opening' folder dialogues come up normally - but it just does not save the email into the drafts folder any more.

Thanks

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 25 Contributor

jono81 said

Hi sfhowes, Do you think deleting the local mbox and msf files on all associate windows machines would help as they are all suffering from the same issue, which started when the web host made some changes after the server crashed (they won't tell us what was done exactly)? Could all local draft msf files across all computers have become corrupted simultaneously when the server went down? Many thanks

If the Drafts folder has become corrupted, it's probably the same on all computers that have that IMAP account, since synchronized folders is the main feature of IMAP. It may not help, but it can't do any harm to rebuild the folder on all computers and see if saving drafts works properly.

user392249
user392249

I am having the same problem. I can send an email, I cannot save a draft to an IMAP folder but in my case, I can drag and drop an email to and from the drafts folder. This would suggest the folder is not at fault.

dkcrotty
dkcrotty

Am I wrong

This was working , Now it isn't ! I cant really yell... because at some point i swapped from pop3 to imap, but i thought it was working properly after.

Regardless... NOW I cant save a draft , or a sent mail, into the folder where its created Really!

So i created new directories in my main account, changed the settings to point to them,,, IT STILL DOESNT WORK.. Do I actually have to create files in the Local system... Come on

This should be the default If you want to go out to your server and get some copy that should have been saved right there in your directory... you can... but for most of the world .. it should be right there ... easily accessible... or if that's where they are.. screw the local directories.. just show me those... yeah..didn't think you would like that

I'm tired of screwing with it

Will WHOEVER screw this up Just fix it