re :I just set up Thunderbird on a new computer. What type of mail account did you create ? POP or IMAP ?

Did you use Thunderbird on old computer? If yes, what type of mail account did you use?

There are settings to save on disc space such as not downloading messages larger than X or imap accounts can choose to only synchronise the most recent x days, but these are not set by default and you would have had to have selected these options.

Toad-Hall said

re :I just set up Thunderbird on a new computer. What type of mail account did you create ? POP or IMAP ? POP.

POP Mail Server.

Toad-Hall said

Did you use Thunderbird on old computer? If yes, what type of mail account did you use?

Yes. Pop.

The action you are looking for maybe set up in the webmail account. Please see if there is something in this area. In webmail account. Go to the Preferences > Mail page. In the Access from Other Mail Clients section, select how to handle messages. Message Downloads Select whether to download all mail saved in your POP account to your account or only new mail received since you set up the access to the external account.

It sounds like you currently have the setting to only download new mail since setting up the new pop mail account in Thunderbird.

Toad-Hall said

In webmail account. Go to the Preferences > Mail page.

Can't find "Preferences". Unsure where "webmail account" is. "Account Settings - <raleeper@centurylink.net>" is not it.

I can't find anything in config editor.

re :Unsure where "webmail account" is.

Webmail account is not in Thunderbird. It is the account you can log on to via your browser to see emails on the server. This the webmail account where you saw the emails in Inbox: My inbox on Centurylink.net contains more than 400 emails.

re :Centurylink support tells me that there is a TB setting that will let me get all 400+. Where is it?

CenturyLink support should have told you that this must be first setup in the CenturyMail.net webmail account. Thunderbird cannot download if the webmail account settings do not allow it.

In webmail account. Go to the 'Preferences' >' Mail' page. In the 'Access from Other Mail Clients' section, select how to handle messages. 'Message Downloads' : Select whether to download all mail saved in your POP account to your account or only new mail received since you set up the access to the external account.

Thank you for your patience, and your knowledge of Centurylink. This worked completely.

Good to hear you have access to everything again.