i don't want my emails to be archived unless i move them to a different folder myself. i started using thunderbird in july, but the only emails in my inbox are from august. i need to be able to search thru all my old emails without having to go to the server & hope they can be easily found. i DO NOT want to store any emails in any folders that i cannot open with a simple click of my mouse. how do i even know where to find them to re-open them in thunderbird? the menus & drop downs can be so confusing. the online help is useless. it tells you that emails are archived & the worst instructions on how to do it, but it isn't for people new to thunderbird.

i am so glad i didn't completely turn off & kill my windows live mail because at least there i can see every email in my inbox since january. i am trying to adjust to using thunderbird & up until i tried to find an email from july, it was going pretty good. i know i read that email in july in thunderbird, but it isn't there now. where did it go? how do i get it back?