How can I add back an IMAP server on an existing T-bird account after T-bird deleted the line with the saved password and IMAP server for that account?
My T-bird is not receiving incoming messages in one E-mail account. How can I add back an IMAP server on an existing T-bird account after T-bird deleted the line with the saved password and IMAP server for that account? I tried to change the IMAP server address for an existing T-bird account, but T-bird and/or my ISP deleted the saved password and IMAP server line for that account in T-bird's Saved Passwords table, so T-bird cannot get incoming E-mails. The IMAP server address still exists in T-bird's Tools -> Account Settings -> Server Settings page, but NOT in the Tools -> Options -> Privacy & Security -> Passwords -> Saved Passwords table. I would like to add an/the IMAP server back to the account without deleting the account, and re-entering all of its settings again. I have not figured out how to do this.
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Chosen Solution
I tried to change the IMAP server address for an existing T-bird account
Don't change an existing account. Create a new account for the new server.
T-bird and/or my ISP deleted the saved password and IMAP server line for that account in T-bird's Saved Passwords table, so T-bird cannot get incoming E-mails.
When this is an existing account, you'll have to authenticate once, and tell Thunderbird to remember the password. It will then be stored in Tools -> Options -> Privacy & Security -> Passwords -> Saved Passwords.
If this is an account using OAuth2 authentication, Thunderbird will only remember an authentication token, and not the actual account password.
In any case, you'll have to enter your account password once to regain access to the account. If you forgot the password, check with your email provider about password reset options.
Hi, christ1. Thank you for your reply. My E-mail provider/ ISP is AT&T (Yahoo), meaning that it runs on Yahoo's platform, but AT&T does its own modifications to it. My authentication for T-bird is by "Normal Password," but for AT&T that means getting from AT&T a "Secure Mail Key" (SMK) to act as T-bird's password. I did that before posting my question, and tried entering that SMK into the T-bird-requested password space. But this failed to connect to the server, as did entering my normal type-in password. I had also tried the new SMK and my type-in password a couple of days ago, and it failed then too. I could try getting another new SMK and try it again, but I suspect that will fail too.
AT&T's article "Create a secure mail key" ( https://www.att.com/support/article/email-support/KM1240308/ ) says (as final step 5.), "For an IMAP account, delete the existing password for both the IMAP and SMTP servers. Replace them with your secure mail key." I did that in T-bird's Saved Passwords table, but this is different from AT&T's requirement the last time I did it, when they required a different SMK for each of the IMAP server and the SMTP server. Also, when I set it up originally, I remember typing the SMK directly into the Saved Passwords table. I can still see all of the 16-letter SMKs (different for IMAP server and SMTP server) for my other E-mail addresses in T-bird's Saved Passwords table. I may actually just have to delete the account (E-mail address with all of its messages) from T-bird and add it back new, re-do all the Settings, then wait 6 hours for the server to download the entire E-mail contents.
brianddy said
My T-bird is not receiving incoming messages in one E-mail account.
The main setting to get msgs is Account Settings . R click acct name > Settings. Make sure all server settings are there AND match what the provider states.
As for missing PW, once all server settings are correct, can R click on Get All New Messages > select the acct name. If all else is correct, it should contact the server, but prompt you for a PW. Before you enter it, check "save this PW", then enter it.
Hi, JoeB and christ1. I did check the Tools -> Account Settings -> Server Settings for the correct IMAP address, etc. before -- it was all correct. I also got another new Secure Mail Key (SMK) from AT&T, and when I went to T-bird to have it check the E-mail, I cut-and-pasted the new SMK into the requested Password line and clicked on "Use Password Manager to save this password." This time, it actually worked(!!!) and downloaded 313 new messages into T-bird's Inbox. The previous time I had tried it, I TYPED the new SMK into the password line, and it failed to connect to the server. I'm certain that I had the former SMK correct, so maybe it just REQUIRES you to cut-and-paste it instead. T-bird also created a new line in its Saved Passwords table with that E-mail address and its new SMK for the IMAP server ONLY.
So I suspected that an almost identical procedure would be needed for the SMTP server, so I tried to SEND a new message to another of my E-mail addresses, and T-bird DID ask again for a password. So again I cut-and-pasted the new SMK into the requested Password line and clicked on "Use Password Manager to save this password." It did actually send the message, and also created a new line in its Saved Passwords table with that E-mail address and its new SMK for the SMTP server ONLY. I also noticed in the table that the passwords for my OTHER E-mail address were now the SAME for BOTH the IMAP and SMTP servers. This was not the case before, so maybe AT&T decided that was OK, and just changed one to match the other.
Anyway, my T-bird now works again, so thank you both for your replies and help!
brianddy said
maybe it just REQUIRES you to cut-and-paste it instead.
Maybe, but my experience is, it's far more common for some sites to require typing a PW / code than C&P'g it. Possibly, had a hard to read character (l or I vs 1; O vs 0, etc). Depending on font used, may be very hard to read. Some bigger sites & large, corps, get real pi'y. Maybe cause they're big hacking targets.
JoeB modificouno o
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