One more

An IMAP folder will be displayed in grey italics if the folder has a \Noselect flag. Normally this means the folder can contain child folders, but not messages.

The lack of no extension mbox files means those folders are not set up to download emails. Usually, this means the emails are stored in those folders on the server and those folders are seen in webmail account containing emails. The .msf files contain the headers to those emails. When you select to see email, the email is retrieved from server and stored in a temp cache so you can read the email.

If you could not see folders because no mbox file exist, it is easy to recreate an mbox file and hook everything up again. But in your case this cannot work if the folder does not exist on server. It will still be empty.

When you see only *.msf files it means there are no stored emails. What is a concern is the 3 kb for each .msf file as this implies there are no headers. Basically empty.

When I said: "Rename to a temporary folder name - perhaps add an X to end of name, then rename them back to original name and then restart Thunderbird. " This usually is good fix. But the folder must exist on the server. Sadly, it would not work in your case because as you say 'Jobs_Projekte' folder does not exist on server.

I sounds like you were still subscribed to a 'Jobs_Projekte' folder when you seemed to have deleted the 'Jobs_Projekte' off the server. Which would explain the 'ghost' folders left in the account.

What about all those files/folders in the 'Jobs_Projekte.sbd' folder ? Folders such as eg: GIZ ANDUS, PANORAMA, UNIQUE Do they exist on server when viewed via webmail? If no then they are not on server and they are not in Thunderbird.

I can offer advise on how to get rid of Jobs_Projekte' and all the folders it contains, but at the moment, if you are looking for any backups, they are at least a reference for any missing folders.

Do you have a backup of the profile folder from a time before all this occured ? If you have no backup then this does not look good.

If no backup and no folders on server, the following comment will tell you how to get rid of all those greyed out folders, so at least the account will be tidied up.

RE: 'Projects' folder - last image posted. Currently the 'Projects' folder is only displaying two other folders.

• C40CFF
• IFAD -Gender NbSfA

However, according to image you supplied the server says there are plenty of folders which are subfolders in 'Projects'.

To see those folders in imap you need to check you are actually subscribed to see them:

• Right click on imap mail account name folder and select 'Subscribe'
• Click on 'Refresh' button
• Select all the folders and subfolders you want to see in Thunderbird imap account.
• then click on 'Subscribe'
• click on 'OK'

If you want to download full copies of emails (which is required if you want to create a backup)

• Right click on imap mail account name folder and select 'Settings'
• Select 'Synchronisation & Storage'
• Top right - select checkbox 'Keep messages in all folders for this account........'
• Click on 'Advanced...' button
• Make sure all folders and subfolders ae selected, then click on OK.

'Try this to remove 'Jobs_Projeckte' the greyed italic folder which does not exist on server and everything in it - all the greyed italic empty folders.

I had to see the profile folders first to be certain there was nothing stored in that greyed out folder and also in any of the subfolders. As 'Jobs_Projeckte' does not exist on server and there are no mbox files to rescue in any of it's subfolders, you can delete files.

Menu icon > Help > More Troubleshooting Information Under Application Basics - Profile Folder - click on 'Open Folder'

A new window opens showing the contents of profile name folder.

Exit Thunderbird now - this is important

Delete the following files:

• folderCache.json
• panacea.dat (obselete file not used in 102*)
• session.json
• xulstore.json

The above files will get recreated afresh when you restart Thunderbird.

Click on 'ImapMail' folder Click on imap mail account name folder

Delete the following:

• Jobs_Projeckte.sbd
• Jobs_Projeckte.msf

Hi, many thanks for your reply. I fully understand what you wrote and will reply to questions below.

> What about all those files/folders in the 'Jobs_Projekte.sbd' folder ? > Folders such as eg: GIZ ANDUS, PANORAMA, UNIQUE > Do they exist on server when viewed via webmail?

Yes, they are in 'Projects' on the server.

> I can offer advise on how to get rid of Jobs_Projekte' and all the folders it contains, but at the moment, if > you are looking for any backups, they are at least a reference for any missing folders.

That's no problem as long as the missing folder show up in 'Projects' where they should be.

> Do you have a backup of the profile folder from a time before all this occurred? > If you have no backup then this does not look good.

I think that in the last backup there were already ghost folders in 'Jobs_Projekte'

> If no backup and no folders on server, the following comment will tell you how to get rid of all those greyed > out folders, so at least the account will be tidied up.

OK, I will comment on your next message.

> Currently the 'Projects' folder is only displaying two other folders. > * C40CFF > * IFAD -Gender NbSfA > However, according to image you supplied the server says there are plenty of folders which are subfolders > in 'Projects'. > To see those folders in imap you need to check you are actually subscribed to see them: > * Right click on imap mail account name folder and select 'Subscribe' > * Click on 'Refresh' button > * Select all the folders and subfolders you want to see in Thunderbird imap account. > * then click on 'Subscribe' > * click on 'OK'

Great, that did work already! Thanks!

OK, I did the below mention proceeding, but after starting 'Jobs_Projekte' showed up again.

As I wrote, some days ago, I uninstalled TB, deleted the whole profile folder, deleted all the Thunderbird related files I could find and reinstalled TB and the folder still showed up.

BUT, I just deleted the ghost folder from within TB. ;-)

Many thanks!!!

'Try this to remove 'Jobs_Projeckte' the greyed italic folder which does not exist on server and everything in it - all the greyed italic empty folders. I had to see the profile folders first to be certain there was nothing stored in that greyed out folder and also in any of the subfolders. As 'Jobs_Projeckte' does not exist on server and there are no mbox files to rescue in any of it's subfolders, you can delete files. Menu icon > Help > More Troubleshooting Information Under Application Basics - Profile Folder - click on 'Open Folder' A new window opens showing the contents of profile name folder. Exit Thunderbird now - this is important Delete the following files:

• folderCache.json
• panacea.dat (obselete file not used in 102*)
• session.json
• xulstore.json

The above files will get recreated afresh when you restart Thunderbird. Click on 'ImapMail' folder Click on imap mail account name folder Delete the following:

• Jobs_Projeckte.sbd
• Jobs_Projeckte.msf

'Try this to remove 'Jobs_Projeckte' the greyed italic folder which does not exist on server and everything in it - all the greyed italic empty folders. I had to see the profile folders first to be certain there was nothing stored in that greyed out folder and also in any of the subfolders. As 'Jobs_Projeckte' does not exist on server and there are no mbox files to rescue in any of it's subfolders, you can delete files. Menu icon > Help > More Troubleshooting Information Under Application Basics - Profile Folder - click on 'Open Folder' A new window opens showing the contents of profile name folder. Exit Thunderbird now - this is important Delete the following files:

• folderCache.json
• panacea.dat (obselete file not used in 102*)
• session.json
• xulstore.json

The above files will get recreated afresh when you restart Thunderbird. Click on 'ImapMail' folder Click on imap mail account name folder Delete the following:

• Jobs_Projeckte.sbd
• Jobs_Projeckte.msf

Actually that did not work and either deleting the ghost folder from within TB. It keeps reappearing. Same as when I delted the whole profile folder and reinstalled TB.

This Jobs_Projeckte' folder and all it's subfolders is coming from the server. I do not believe you ever deleted the Jobs_Projeckte' from the server.

Right click on imap mail account name folder and select 'Subscribe' Do you have the Jobs_Projeckte' folder listed in the Subscribe list ? If yes, select it and click on 'Unsubscribe'. click on 'OK'

Was that folder in the Subscribe list ? If yes, and you have removed it then it should get removed from the location mentioned below. But confirm it is not there.

Right click on imap mail account name folder and select 'Settings' Select 'Synchronisation & Storage' Click on 'Advanced...' button

OK, great, many thanks!

Have you checked to see what is displayed in webmail account for folder overview - maybe it might mention other folders. https://support.gmx.com/email/folders/overview.html

But you need to find out why gmx is not displaying 'jobs_projeckte' and all it's subfolders because Thunderbird is only getting it from the server. https://support.gmx.com/contact-us/contact-us.html

How many folders have you got? Maybe you have reached some limit ? - Are those folders in the Trash ? gmx say: You can create up to 256 folders.

Hi, What happened today actually was that in the ghost 'Jobs_Projekte' only 2 subfolders showed up. I guess because TB was working on updating the folders, but still remaining with those. After TB stopped updating I was successful in deleting the subfolders and the main ghost folder without any IMAP server connection error. After restarting they were still gone and checking now on webmail and the folder overview on GMX that you pointed to, there are gone as well. Best, Wolfram