Retrieving accidentally deleted messages (thousands of them)
Just done a (semi-)dumb thing...
I was trying to find a setting to delete all emails from the server, which keeps filling up and creating error messages.
So under Tools > Account Settings > Disk Space, I set it to delete all messages except the 10 most recent ones. WRONG! This was referring to the offline disk space, not the server...
All this would not have been too bad, except this coincided with the computer crashing (BSoD - yes it happens with Windoze 10), so on rebooting all but my last 10 emails have vanished. It has also affected my Sent folder, but not the folders I created.
On a similar vein - is it possible to backup or export bulk emails? I find Thunderbird very awkward to use in this respect and set up something that can easily export and import.
I reckon it's a lost cause, but is there any way this massive archive of mails can be recovered? Any help MOST welcome as it is really impacting on my work :/
All Replies (4)
Mant to say: I did try an add-on 'Recover deleted messages' but this didn't work.
re :Tools > Account Settings > Disk Space, I set it to delete all messages except the 10 most recent ones.
On that page it says: 'To recover the disc space, old messages can be permanently deleted, including the originals on the remote server.'
'To recover the disc space, old messages can be permanently deleted...' This means your computer disc space, so emails stored in thunderbird profile folders, 'including the originals on the remote server' This means the emails held on server which you can optionally view in your webmail account via a browser.
In other words it deletes everything according to the parameters set. you set: 'except the 10 most recent ones.'
So this would leave you with only 10 of the most recent emails. quote: 'so on rebooting all but my last 10 emails have vanished.'
This result was expected, so nothing is wrong.
Do not compact anything.
What have you got in your profile folders?
In Thunderbird
Help > Troubleshooting Information
click on 'Open Folder' button
a new window opens showing the contents of your profile name folder.
Close thunderbird now.
If imap click on 'ImapMail' folder If pop click on 'Mail' folder.
click on mail account name folder make sure the 'Size' column header is enabled, so you can see the sizes of the files. Make sure all files and folders (if any) are visible. Please post an image so the forum can see the contents. Tell us if this is an imap or pop mail account.
Thanks. I agree and understand what you are saying, except that I thought the messages given related to the server space.
Plenty of folders, but it does look as though most of my Inbox has gone :(
Oh well, lesson learned...
Sadly, it doesn't look good. I couldn't remember if the 'deleting' only 'marked as deleted' or whether it 'marked as deleted' AND compacted to recover disc space, although the latter would make more sense and seems to have occurred, hence small file.
The 'Inbox' mbox file (no extension) is the one that contains emails and you can open those files using a text editor program like 'Wordpad' or 'Notepad'.
If the 'Inbox' file had shown a good size then it may have been full of hidden from view 'marked as deleted' emails. In which case it may have been possible to recover them.
I don't suppose you ever created a backup of your 'profile name' folder?