http://kb.mozillazine.org/Disappearing_mail

Make sure you create backups of your profile folder on a regular basis.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Thunderbird_:_FAQs_:_Backing_Up_and_Restoring

What is a profile folder and how do I back it up?

Please follow the link above and read the article.

There is no link to follow.

Look again.

Ok, I found it, but this still does not address the issue of why messages disappear when moved to a folder, where they go or why some make the move and others disappear. A back up creates more issues of trying to find anything. This is the pits. Since I am afraid of moving anything and losing it I have to leave anything important in the inbox and that is also a pain.

Firefox needs to fix the problem or lose users.

Firefox needs to fix the problem or lose users. I fail to see what relevance this comment has on the issue you mention.

It would be helpful to offer some information about your situation describing exactly what it is you are doing and the type of mail accounts you use, so other users can try to understand and assist.

Are you talking about a Pop or IMAP mail account?

Is it a gmail mail account?

When you move an email to another folder,

Are you moving the email from a Pop mail account folder to:

1. another folder within that same Pop mail account?
2. another folder in another Pop mail account?
3. another folder in an IMAP mail account?
4. another folder in Local Folders?

OR

Are you moving the email from an IMAP mail account folder to:

1. another folder within that same IMAP mail account?
2. another folder in another IMAP mail account?
3. another folder in an Pop mail account?
4. another folder in Local Folders?

Thank you for your response.

My service is POP but not gmail. I am dragging messages to folders within Local Folders, within the same account.

There does not seem to be any consistency as to what makes the move and what disappears.

What version of Thunderbird are you using?

• to check look here - Help > About thunderbird

Just make sure I understand your set up. 

Is the Pop mail account set up to use global Inbox local folders or it's own mail account Inbox?

If unsure, check this setting:

• Tools > Account Settings > Server Settings for the mail account

or

• Right clck on mail account and select 'Settings'
• select Server Settings for the mail account

click on 'Advanced' button

What setting is used?

• Inbox for this server's account
• Inbox for different account - global Inbox(Local Folders)

When you move the email what method are you using:

• Do you use Drag and drop method?
• OR right click on email in list and select 'Move to' and select account and folder?
• OR is a filter moving the email?

If you use drag and drop, have you tried the 'move to' method, did it have the same result?

check:

• 'View' >' Messages' is set to All
• 'View' > 'Threads' is set to "All"

Try Folder Repair on the folder which is not displaying the moved email.

• Right click on folder, select 'Properties'
• click on 'Repair Folder' button and then 'OK'

Refresh the folder. Collapse Local Folder folders tree and then reselect the folder in question.

Thanks for being so explicit with instructions because I don't have a clue.

I am using version 24.5 The inbox is for this servers acct I am using drag & drop view is set to all I tried Folder repair on a number of folders I know are missing messages and that did not help.

check that the Local Folders is pointing to the correct Local Folders for the account.

'Tools' > 'Account Settings' > 'Server Settings' for the pop mail account

At the bottom on the right side, there is 'Local Directory:' It will look something like this:

• C:\Users\User Account name\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\abc12345.default\Mail\mail account name

then look for 'Local Folders' in the left column and click on it.

There will be a 'Local directory:' and it will look something like this:

• C:\Users\User Account name\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\abc12345.default\Mail\Local Folders

notice the section i've made bold, they are identical.

What do you have in both locations in your account settings? You can copy them into this question or look carefully to check that all the directory in both are the same, except for the name of the pop mail account and 'Local Folders'.

C:\Users\Judy Conacher\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\tjajpqyn.default\Mail\isp.bigplanet.com

C:\Users\Judy Conacher\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\tjajpqyn.default\Mail\Local Folders

Do you get the same problem if you use this method to move an email out of the mail account into Local Folders:

right click on email in list and select 'Move to' and select Local Folders and folder name?

Do you get the same problem if you:

try to move an email from account Inbox to another folder within the same bigplanet account.

check the actual profile folder to see if emails have been moved.

Make Hidden Folders visible - these links will help:

• http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/how-to-see-hidden-files-in-windows/
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Show_hidden_files_and_folders

In Thunderbird

• Help > About thunderbird
• Click on 'Show Folders' button
• a new window opens showing your Profile folder

Close Thunderbird now.

• Click on 'Mail' folder
• click on 'Local Folders'

If you were moving emails into eg: 'Inbox', then right click on 'Inbox' file (not Inbox.msf) and select 'Properties'.

On the 'General' tab, at the bottom under 'Attributes', the 'read only' and 'hidden' should not be selected. If they are selected uncheck them.

On the 'Security' tab, select your UserAccount name.

• The permissions should allow full control.
• click OK to close and save any changes you made.

Did you need to change anything?

Now look for the emails.

• Right click on 'Inbox'
• select to 'Open' and choose 'Notepad' and click on 'OK'

Do you see the emails which you moved to that folder; listed one after the other?

Close the window, top right X.