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Changing my email server

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  • Last reply by joevl

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I have changed my email server and want to replace the old one with the new one. I have been using the new one and having it direct mail into the inbox and sent folders for the old one. Both are set up to use POP. I want to make sure all my messages will still be on my computer when I delete the old server. Can I simply replace the settings for the old server with the new ones, or do I need to do something else? The new server is already set up on Tbird, but is not the default.

I have changed my email server and want to replace the old one with the new one. I have been using the new one and having it direct mail into the inbox and sent folders for the old one. Both are set up to use POP. I want to make sure all my messages will still be on my computer when I delete the old server. Can I simply replace the settings for the old server with the new ones, or do I need to do something else? The new server is already set up on Tbird, but is not the default.

Chosen solution

I presume you currently have two POP mail accounts in Thunderbird which you should see independently in the left Folder Pane.

You can download emails into the second new pop mail account and leave them in that pop mail account Inbox.

re: I have been using the new one and having it direct mail into the inbox and sent folders for the old one. Stop sending new pop account emails to the old pop mail account. I'm not sure which method you are currently using. You could be doing this via webmail account forwarding from new to the old. You could have set up a Message filter in new Pop mail account Thunderbird to either forward to the old pop mail account or Move messages to the new pop mail account Inbox. Or you may nave set up new pop mail account settings > server Settings 'Advanced' button, when downloading mail from the new pop account to use the following folder to store new messages and select the old pop mail account Inbox.

Whichever method you used, I suggest you allow emails to go to the new pop mail account.

re: The old POP mail account. You have the following options. In the pop account settings > server Settings

  • uncheck: 'check for new messages at start up'
  • uncheck: 'Check for new messages every xx minutes'
  • uncheck: Automatically download new messages'

Then select the new pop mail account name in left pane of Account Settings

  • click on 'Account actions'
  • select 'Set as default'
  • click on OK

This will leave the old pop mail account in the left Folder Pane so you can leave email as is and still have access to them. It will set the new pop mail account as default and display it at the top of the Account Settings window and also at the top of the Folder Pane.

Alternatively: Create suitable folders in 'Local Folders' mail account. Move all wanted emails from old pop mail account into those folders.

In old pop mail account.

  • Delete all remaining emails you do not want.
  • Right click on folder and select 'Compact to remove all those hidden marked as deleted emails.

Then in Account Settings: select the old pop mail account name

  • click on 'Account actions'
  • select 'Remove Account'
  • click on OK

Exit Thunderbird. allow a few minutes for background processes to complete. Start Thunderbird.

The old pop maila ccount will disappear. All old pop mail account emails will be in 'Local folders' All new mail will go to the new pop mail account.

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Chosen Solution

I presume you currently have two POP mail accounts in Thunderbird which you should see independently in the left Folder Pane.

You can download emails into the second new pop mail account and leave them in that pop mail account Inbox.

re: I have been using the new one and having it direct mail into the inbox and sent folders for the old one. Stop sending new pop account emails to the old pop mail account. I'm not sure which method you are currently using. You could be doing this via webmail account forwarding from new to the old. You could have set up a Message filter in new Pop mail account Thunderbird to either forward to the old pop mail account or Move messages to the new pop mail account Inbox. Or you may nave set up new pop mail account settings > server Settings 'Advanced' button, when downloading mail from the new pop account to use the following folder to store new messages and select the old pop mail account Inbox.

Whichever method you used, I suggest you allow emails to go to the new pop mail account.

re: The old POP mail account. You have the following options. In the pop account settings > server Settings

  • uncheck: 'check for new messages at start up'
  • uncheck: 'Check for new messages every xx minutes'
  • uncheck: Automatically download new messages'

Then select the new pop mail account name in left pane of Account Settings

  • click on 'Account actions'
  • select 'Set as default'
  • click on OK

This will leave the old pop mail account in the left Folder Pane so you can leave email as is and still have access to them. It will set the new pop mail account as default and display it at the top of the Account Settings window and also at the top of the Folder Pane.

Alternatively: Create suitable folders in 'Local Folders' mail account. Move all wanted emails from old pop mail account into those folders.

In old pop mail account.

  • Delete all remaining emails you do not want.
  • Right click on folder and select 'Compact to remove all those hidden marked as deleted emails.

Then in Account Settings: select the old pop mail account name

  • click on 'Account actions'
  • select 'Remove Account'
  • click on OK

Exit Thunderbird. allow a few minutes for background processes to complete. Start Thunderbird.

The old pop maila ccount will disappear. All old pop mail account emails will be in 'Local folders' All new mail will go to the new pop mail account.

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I have been using Tbird many years and as a result have 10 email accounts and literally hundreds of local folders, many with valulable content such as "usernamesandpasswords", plus more.. client correspondence, etc.

For many years I was using the same shared hosting acccont tht I won't name here, but due to problems with that account, I reluctanctly changed hosts, and set up the new email names, etc. Mostly all pop.

My account with host 1 is now expired but Thuderbird still is looking for the host which I suspect from the reading I've been doing in the last hour is in the profile somewhere.

I need to get to the mail mail accounts, although one is the most critical .. the others are not so critical but this one , name@domain1.com is. In that I have many filters sending messages for the most part to local folders.

How do I do this and where do I start?

Thanks to all ... I have read previous help messages but they say "we presume you have two accounts" I have many more as just stated.