Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

an empty folder without sync refuses to be deleted

Nick_Levinson
Nick_Levinson
more options

In the email on my computer, without synchronization, when I'm in the "localhost" account, I have a folder that does not have a standard name like folders created by default in my Yahoo account do. In the Tbird localhost account, I deleted all of the contents of that folder. I want to delete the folder. (I already deleted it from my Yahoo account and I don't want to sync the accounts anyway.) It does not get deleted. The progress indicator keeps running for hours. Since the localhost account has only about 15,000 emails in all folders combined, it shouldn't take hours.

Tbird > the context menu > Delete command did nothing, whether my Yahoo account was open in my browser or not; I did not log into Yahoo via Tbird. Tbird > File menu > Delete Folder does nothing even if given hours with my computer asleep.

The context menu > Properties > Folder Properties > General information > Location points to my Yahoo account, but if I delete the entry and I click OK the entry comes back. If, in the same dialog, I try to edit the folder name and click OK, when I reopen the dialog it has reverted to the old folder name.

Tbird version 78.8.1 (64-bit). Fedora 34, kept evergreen. I apparently have no add-ons (Tools menu > Add-ons > Add-ons Manager > Extensions > Manage Your Extensions is empty).

What should I do?

In the email on my computer, without synchronization, when I'm in the "localhost" account, I have a folder that does not have a standard name like folders created by default in my Yahoo account do. In the Tbird localhost account, I deleted all of the contents of that folder. I want to delete the folder. (I already deleted it from my Yahoo account and I don't want to sync the accounts anyway.) It does not get deleted. The progress indicator keeps running for hours. Since the localhost account has only about 15,000 emails in all folders combined, it shouldn't take hours. Tbird > the context menu > Delete command did nothing, whether my Yahoo account was open in my browser or not; I did not log into Yahoo via Tbird. Tbird > File menu > Delete Folder does nothing even if given hours with my computer asleep. The context menu > Properties > Folder Properties > General information > Location points to my Yahoo account, but if I delete the entry and I click OK the entry comes back. If, in the same dialog, I try to edit the folder name and click OK, when I reopen the dialog it has reverted to the old folder name. Tbird version 78.8.1 (64-bit). Fedora 34, kept evergreen. I apparently have no add-ons (Tools menu > Add-ons > Add-ons Manager > Extensions > Manage Your Extensions is empty). What should I do?

Chosen solution

I did almost that. Thank you; your answer served as a starting point and if I could mark both answers as best I would. I have two profiles (I don't know why two) and read https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/using-multiple-profiles . The platform is Fedora 34 Linux. I quit Tbird. One profile folder had a pair of files for each folder in the localhost account, whereas the other profile directory didn't have files that looked that specifically relevant. I moved the pair representing the folder I wanted to delete, moving it out of the /Home/ directory altogether (so, if this failed, I could move them back). Then I restarted Tbird and the problem disappeared. The folder I wanted to delete from the Tbird UI was gone. Even the progress indicators went away, after days of running through reboots. Thanks again.

I plan to report a version of this as a bug. It shouldn't be this geeky to delete an empty folder without sync'ing.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (3)

Nick_Levinson
Nick_Levinson Question owner
more options

Forgot to say this: I have warm-rebooted and restarted Tbird and yet Tbird's progress icon says it's still working on it.

Toad-Hall
Toad-Hall
  • Top 25 Contributor
more options

Normal process for imap account is to unsubscribe from seeing the folder and then delete the folder via webmail.

Suggestion: Exit Thunderbird Access profile name folder, Linux and Unix Profile folders are located here: 

   ~/.thunderbird/<Profile name>/

However, if you're using a third party build from Debian or Ubuntu, those builds store your profile folder here: 

   ~/.mozilla-thunderbird/<Profile name>.

Both are hidden folders. See this article for more information. To show hidden files in Nautilus (Gnome desktop's default file browser), choose "View -> Show Hidden Files".

in ImapMail folder locate imap mail account folder which will contain the mbox and .msf file of same name as folder you want to delete. Delete those files. Then restart Thunderbird.

Nick_Levinson
Nick_Levinson Question owner
more options

Chosen Solution

I did almost that. Thank you; your answer served as a starting point and if I could mark both answers as best I would. I have two profiles (I don't know why two) and read https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/using-multiple-profiles . The platform is Fedora 34 Linux. I quit Tbird. One profile folder had a pair of files for each folder in the localhost account, whereas the other profile directory didn't have files that looked that specifically relevant. I moved the pair representing the folder I wanted to delete, moving it out of the /Home/ directory altogether (so, if this failed, I could move them back). Then I restarted Tbird and the problem disappeared. The folder I wanted to delete from the Tbird UI was gone. Even the progress indicators went away, after days of running through reboots. Thanks again.

I plan to report a version of this as a bug. It shouldn't be this geeky to delete an empty folder without sync'ing.