Using Thunderbird with a networked drive perhaps?

No, the computer is not networked. It's just a single home computer on which I have Thunderbird and no matter what I do, I cannot rid it of these damned NFS folders.

Matt said

Using Thunderbird with a networked drive perhaps?

Hi Matt: No, the drive is not networked. It is a single home computer that somehow gathered these folders and no matter how I try, I cannot get rid of them. By the way, if the drive were networked, which it isn't, your response doesn't explain how I would remove these files, which is why I am on this forum seeking assistance, but I thank you, regardless.

I am not offering solutions, I have ideas and suspicions. it is best I confirm them before launching in useless instructions.

The forum reports you as using windows 8, but the only files I have heard of starting with NFS are on network files system formatted drives. These are usually on unix/Linux boxes. Hence my questions about a networked drive.So lets start at the beginning.

Please add the troubleshooting information to your post To find the Troubleshooting information:

• Open Help (or click on three-line-icon and select Help)
• Choose Troubleshooting Information
• Use the button Copy to clipboard to select all. Do not check box "Include account names"!
• Paste this in your post.

Please also add the result of these troubleshooting steps to your post

• Does Thunderbird work in TB Safe mode (see Thunderbird Safe Mode)?
• Do you use anti-virus and firewall software? What is the version?

Hi Matt, Sorry for the confusion. Chalk it up to my ignorance. Norton Security is my anti-virus. At one time I used BitDefender, but found it flaky so switched back to Norton after using BT for only two months and having bought it on a two-year subscription. I haven't tried Thunderbird in Safe Mode, but I should say that it works well. Tomorrow, I will try it in Safe Mode I did have one big problem when using it as IMAP. I lost many, many emails, so switched back to POP3, which I understand better. My experience in IMAP was that when I moved an email between folders, it got wiped off Thunderbird. Here is the requested copy/paste material. I found this difficult to do. I am more accustomed to sending/receiving emails. Even getting on to this support board was difficult for me and when your msg comes it, it arrives with a no-reply address. My email address is: @magma.ca, if that would make our communication any easier. Thank You!

Application Basics Name Thunderbird Version 52.9.1 User Agent Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.3; WOW64; rv:52.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/52.9.1 Profile Folder Open Folder (Local drive) Application Build ID 20180709124824 Enabled Plugins about:plugins Build Configuration about:buildconfig Memory Use about:memory Profiles about:profiles Mail and News Accounts ID Incoming server Outgoing servers Name Connection security Authentication method Name Connection security Authentication method Default? account1 (imap) mail.magma.ca:143 alwaysSTARTTLS passwordCleartext mail.magma.ca:587 plain passwordCleartext true account2 (none) Local Folders plain passwordCleartext account3 (imap) mail.magma.ca:143 alwaysSTARTTLS passwordCleartext mail.magma.ca:587 alwaysSTARTTLS passwordCleartext true account4 (imap) mail.magma.ca:143 alwaysSTARTTLS passwordCleartext magma.ca:25 alwaysSTARTTLS passwordCleartext true account5 (imap) mail.magma.ca:143 alwaysSTARTTLS passwordCleartext mail.magma.ca:587 alwaysSTARTTLS passwordCleartext true account6 (pop3) pop.primus.ca:110 plain passwordCleartext smtp.primus.ca:25 plain passwordCleartext true Crash Reports Report ID Submitted Extensions Name Version Enabled ID Lightning 5.4.9.1 true {e2fda1a4-762b-4020-b5ad-a41df1933103} Important Modified Preferences Name Value accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar 0 browser.cache.disk.capacity 358400 browser.cache.disk.filesystem_reported 1 extensions.lastAppVersion 52.9.1 font.internaluseonly.changed false font.name.monospace.el Consolas font.name.monospace.x-cyrillic Consolas font.name.monospace.x-unicode Consolas font.name.monospace.x-western Consolas font.name.sans-serif.el Calibri font.name.sans-serif.x-cyrillic Calibri font.name.sans-serif.x-unicode Calibri font.name.sans-serif.x-western Calibri font.name.serif.el Cambria font.name.serif.x-cyrillic Cambria font.name.serif.x-unicode Cambria font.name.serif.x-western Cambria font.size.fixed.el 14 font.size.fixed.x-cyrillic 14 font.size.fixed.x-unicode 14 font.size.fixed.x-western 14 font.size.variable.el 17 font.size.variable.x-cyrillic 17 font.size.variable.x-unicode 17 font.size.variable.x-western 17 mail.openMessageBehavior.version 1 mail.winsearch.firstRunDone true mailnews.database.global.datastore.id 70e78c92-bdf5-4e29-b601-db5d54234bf media.gmp.storage.version.observed 1 network.cookie.prefsMigrated true network.predictor.cleaned-up true places.database.lastMaintenance 1532131245 places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages 122334 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_bgcolor false print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_bgimages false print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_duplex -437918235 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_edge_bottom 0 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_edge_left 0 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_edge_right 0 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_edge_top 0 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_evenpages true print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_footercenter print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_footerleft &PT print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_footerright &D print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_headercenter print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_headerleft &T print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_headerright &U print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_in_color true print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_margin_bottom 0.5 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_margin_left 0.5 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_margin_right 0.5 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_margin_top 0.5 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_oddpages true print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_orientation 0 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_page_delay 50 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_paper_data 1 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_paper_height -1.00 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_paper_name print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_paper_size_unit 0 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_paper_width -1.00 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_resolution 600 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_reversed false print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_scaling 1.00 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_shrink_to_fit true print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_to_file false print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_unwriteable_margin_bottom 0 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_unwriteable_margin_left 0 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_unwriteable_margin_right 0 print.printer_HP_LaserJet_4_Plus.print_unwriteable_margin_top 0 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_bgcolor false print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_bgimages false print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_duplex -437918235 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_edge_bottom 0 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_edge_left 0 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_edge_right 0 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_edge_top 0 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_evenpages true print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_footercenter print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_footerleft &PT print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_footerright &D print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_headercenter print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_headerleft &T print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_headerright &U print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_in_color true print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_margin_bottom 0.5 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_margin_left 0.5 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_margin_right 0.5 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_margin_top 0.5 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_oddpages true print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_orientation 0 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_page_delay 50 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_paper_data 1 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_paper_height -1.00 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_paper_name print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_paper_size_unit 0 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_paper_width -1.00 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_resolution 600 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_reversed false print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_scaling 1.00 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_shrink_to_fit true print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_to_file false print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_unwriteable_margin_bottom 0 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_unwriteable_margin_left 0 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_unwriteable_margin_right 0 print.printer_HP_Photosmart_C4100_series.print_unwriteable_margin_top 0 privacy.sanitize.timeSpan 4 security.sandbox.content.tempDirSuffix {9555153d-7917-423c-86f6-36a42e69d3b9} Graphics GPU #1 Description Intel(R) HD Graphics 4400 Vendor ID 0x8086 Device ID 0x041e RAM Unknown Drivers igdumdim64 igd10iumd64 igd10iumd64 igdumdim32 igd10iumd32 igd10iumd32 Driver Version 10.18.14.4264 Driver Date 8-4-2015 Features Direct2D false DirectWrite true (6.3.9600.18696) WebGL Renderer Google Inc. -- ANGLE (Intel(R) HD Graphics 4400 Direct3D9Ex vs_3_0 ps_3_0) -- OpenGL ES 2.0 (ANGLE 2.1.0.2a250c8a0e15) AzureCanvasBackend skia AzureCanvasAccelerated 0 AzureFallbackCanvasBackend cairo AzureContentBackend skia JavaScript Incremental GC 1 Accessibility Activated 0 Prevent Accessibility 0 Library Versions Expected minimum version Version in use NSPR 4.13.1 4.13.1 NSS 3.28.6 3.28.6 NSS Util 3.28.6 3.28.6 NSS SSL 3.28.6 3.28.6 NSS S/MIME 3.28.6 3.28.6

[Personal information removed by moderator. Please read Mozilla Support rules and guidelines, thanks.]

Are those nfs folders, subfolders in another folder? Please post an image of folder pane showing those folders.

re :Even getting on to this support board was difficult for me and when your msg comes it, it arrives with a no-reply address.

do not 'reply' to the email.

The email content should have a 'Post a Reply' button. click on that button and this forum question should auto open in your browser.

Hello Toad-Hall, I don't see a "Post a Reply" in the email that comes in, but I have worked out that I have to click on "This doesn't solve my problem" and that brings me to the "M Support" page where there is a "Post A Reply" button.

Progress is slow when you reach a certain age....

I'll get to the image pane of the folders later (driving my daughter to the airport this morning, who is heading to Prague on Business. Lucky her, I say)

Have to work out how to send the image pane, as I'm only used to doing attachments and screenshots. GUess I'll add image via the "Browse" button. That should work.

I can say that there is my main folder (kwoolhouse), then the Inbox, Sent folder, Trash, Junk folder etc., and then all these errant NFS folders before the folders of some recipients. Based on that, I'd say they are independent folders and not sub-folders.

Thanks for your reaching out to me.

Hi T-H: Here's a screenshot of the offending folders. I'm not sure how I got them, and even more unsure how to get rid of them. Regards, Keith

Hi Keith, Does Magma provide a way for you to access your mail using a web browser? If so, try logging in to the website, and deleting the folders from there. Thunderbird will automatically sync your folder list.

HI Chris, Yes, I've tried that and it doesn't work. The Magma tech guys are difficult to reach, as the company was taken over by Primus. There are, also, only four of the NFS folders on the webmail. Thanks for your advice.

As a test, could you disable Norton, then open Thunderbird and try deleting those folders? If that works, then we know that Norton is interfering with Thunderbird.

Hi Chris, I disabled Auto-Protect, click Delete on a couple of the NFS folders, and they went into the Trash. Closed Thunderbird, and when I reopened TB, the folders reappeared. It is truly amazing, they're like a bloody curse. I mean, they're not doing any harm, but it's just that I hate seeing them there. Regards, Keith

I'm pretty sure this is a server issue. I did some searching online for this issue, and people experience it in other clients: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3558305 https://linuxnorth.wordpress.com/2018/05/16/managing-mail-folders-in-k-mail/ http://www.amicuk.com/strange-folders-appearing-on-imap-server/ https://stackoverflow.com/questions/33423338/php-creating-nfs00000-files https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2432814

This is especially true if you can't delete the folders using a web browser.

Please try contacting Magma about the issue. If they ask you to try something in Thunderbird that you're unsure how to do, just ask in this thread, and the folks here should be able to help.

Good luck!

Hi Chris, I'll follow your advice and reach out to my ISP provider. One of the links that you sent along had written the following: "In one email account, an IMAP account, I had a mailbox appear out of nowhere recently. When I try to delete the mailbox I end up with an error saying it can't be deleted, because: "The IMAP command “DELETE” failed with server error: Mailbox does not exist, or must be subscribed to.."The mailbox is randomly named "nfs00000000052970d6000015d4"

That msg with the mailbox not existing and must be subscribed to, is the same msg that I get. I've tried subscribing to it, but not even that works. I'll let you know how I fare with Magma, but it's a dreadful company to try and get hold of. All their ISP English staff are in Indonesia and it can take hours, sometimes days, to get them. The alternative is to go through the French side -- one of the questionable benefits of Canada's bilingualism policy.

Cheers & thanks for the guidance, Keith

I've been searching the internet for issues with nfs000etc folders. It seems to have effected various OS. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3558305

Had a thought... Q: By any chance, do you use 'maildir' as message storage type?

Please check:

• Menu icon > Options > Options > Advanced > 'General' tab

Advanced configuration Message Storage type for new accounts:

• Does it say 'File per folder (mbox)' or 'File per message (maildir)' ?
• click on OK to exit.

Check Account settings:

• Right click on imap mail account and select 'Settings'
• Select 'Server Settings'

Under 'Message Storage'

• Message Store Type: what type mbox or maildir ?
• click on OK to exit.

Thinking out aloud here.... It's almost like these nfs000...files are temp files which are not being cleared and the files end up displaying as folders in Folder Pane.

Unsubscribe from seeing them

Check they are not selected here:

• Right click on imap mail account and select 'SEttings'
• Select 'Synchronisation & Storage'
• click on 'Advanced'
• If you see any mention of those folders uncheck the checkbox.
• click on ok
• click on OK

• Go into offline mode
• Menu icon > Tools > select: 'Clear recent history'

• Exit Thunderbird

Access profile in the AppData\Roaming folder

• C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\ ImapMail\imap mail account
• delete any filename starting nfs000 etc

Go up directory to see contents of your profile name folder

• C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\

Delete the following files:

• foldertree.json
• global-messages-db.sqlite
• panacea.dat
• session.json

Access webmail account using browser If you see any nfs00 folders, try deleting or perhaps there is an option to not select them for imap.

Start Thunderbird

Please report on what you see upon startup before you do anything. Folders will synchronise etc After everything has synchronised etc, but before you select to do anything, have those or similar named folders appeared?

Hi Chris, Thanks for your reply and extensive suggestions. I've started to work my way through them. Here's what I have done so far and the outcome to your suggestions: You wrote: Please check:

   Menu icon > Options > Options > Advanced > 'General' tab 

Advanced configuration Message Storage type for new accounts:

   Does it say 'File per folder (mbox)' or 'File per message (maildir)' ?
   click on OK to exit. 

OUTCOME: Did all of that. It said "mbox"

Check Account settings:

   Right click on imap mail account and select 'Settings'
   Select 'Server Settings' 

Under 'Message Storage'

   Message Store Type: what type mbox or maildir ?
   click on OK to exit. 

OUTCOME: It said "mbox."

Thinking out aloud here.... It's almost like these nfs000...files are temp files which are not being cleared and the files end up displaying as folders in Folder Pane.

Unsubscribe from seeing them

Check they are not selected here:

   Right click on imap mail account and select 'SEttings'
   Select 'Synchronisation & Storage'
   click on 'Advanced'
   If you see any mention of those folders uncheck the checkbox.
   click on ok
   click on OK 

OUTCOME: Did all of that -- the boxes were checked. I unchecked them. The nfs folders are still there.

That's as far as I've got, Chris. I will continue later with the next follo-up. I did contact the ISP company, and they said they are looking into it, as it may be a server issue.

THat's it for now. More will come later. This is very exhausting, but I truly appreciate your hep, and hopefully when the issue is resolved, it will help others. Keith

   Go into offline mode
   Menu icon > Tools > select: 'Clear recent history' 

   Exit Thunderbird

Hi Toad-Hall, I may have addressed an email to you as "Chris." Apologies, if I did. Life is becoming more & more confusing.... In Part 2 of the advice you sent along, I drew a blank on everything, except the last suggestion when I went into the Profile Names and found the four files you had mentioned, beginning with "foldertree.json and ending with session.json. I have not yet deleted those files, but could if I knew for sure that they would not cause a greater problem. I have not seen mention of any nfs000etc folders anywhere in all the searches made. My ISP told me on Friday that they could "see" the 16 errant folders in question and would see if they could remove them. I haven't heard back from them, and the folders are still there. Patience is clearly required in this matter. Regards, Keith

Did you clear recent history ?

re :I have not seen mention of any nfs000etc folders anywhere in all the searches made.

What do you mean 'searches' ?

Did you access: C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\ ImapMail\imap mail account name folder The nfs000 folders you see in Thunderbird folder pane will be files in your profile not folders. Post image showing contents of \ImapMail\imap mail account name folder.

Additional: It should not have any nfs00 etc files - so if they are in that folder please delete them

re :

• foldertree.json
• global-messages-db.sqlite
• panacea.dat
• session.json

I need you to exit thunderbird and delete those files. They do not contain any emails, but they may contain references to nfs files. then start Thunderbird and they will all be recreated a fresh.

Toad Hall: For some reason, I had to reset my password. MY ISP people sent me advice from MozillaZine. I have it in an attachment, but can't attach it. Why? Here it is is text form. I'd send it as an attachment, if I had your email address. Also, they gave me this link, which opens it

http://kb.mozillazine.org/IMAP_folder_cannot_be_deleted

There are several things you can try:

Go to "Tools -> Account Settings -> Server Settings" and change the option for "When I delete a message" to "Remove it immediately." Try again. Some mail servers may prevent you from deleting or renaming subscribed folders if you are configured to move deleted messages to the Trash folder. Try unsubscribing your Trash folder. Right click on the remote inbox, select "Subscribe", expand the folder listing, uncheck the Trash folder and press the OK button. If this works then you should either leave the Trash folder unsubscribed or change what Thunderbird does in "When I delete a message" (see above). [1] Your mailbox might be almost full, so there is no room to copy the deleted folder to the Trash folder. Compact the folders, empty the Trash folder, compact the Trash folder, and then try again. Is the folder empty? Its possible either Thunderbird or your email provider is recreating it when you restart Thunderbird because its a required folder. See if you can tell Thunderbird to use a different folder (or a folder in a different account) using "Tools -> Account Settings -> Copies & Folders". If you get a "Some of the requested messages no longer exist " error message it might be due to a cache on the IMAP server. [2] Log into your webmail account using a browser and see if there is anything like a "imap-cache" folder. If so, delete its contents but do not delete the folder. Is it a offline folder specified in Tools -> Account Settings -> Offline & Disk Space? If so, remove the folder from that list and try again. It shouldn't have any impact until you synchronize the folders but it can be tricky configuring the behavior of offline folders. Log into webmail using a browser and delete the folder.

Keith