Somethimes Thunderbird downloads messages but does not show them
I have been using Thunderbird for about 10 years and I'm very happy with the program. Recently a disturning issue came up though: incoming emails sometimes seem to disappear from my inbox.
What happens is that when checking my email the Thunderbirds status bar says "downloading message n of m" and "received n of n messages", however no new messages are shown in my Inbox. And indeed: some messages - that I know have been sent to me - simpy have not arrived, which is worrying.
The email is downloaded via the POP protocol, and I have now changed the settings to keep the mail on the server for two days. Then I can use webmail, and indeed there the missing messages are present.
I already used the Repair option in the Properties of the Inbox. Not sure if that helped, as the problem is present only now and then. Also: the missing emails did not seem malformed (and downloading emails is not totally blocked, what could be caused by a mailformed email).
Does anyone have a suggestion about what may case this problem ?
Lex.
All Replies (3)
Extra information: I forget to mention that I am using Thunderbird 102.13.0 (32 bits) on Windows 10.
re :: some messages - that I know have been sent to me - simpy have not arrived,
Please note if emails arrived on server but server thought they were spam then emails would get put into the server spam folder. Pop accounts have no access to the server Spam folder, so you would never see those emails arrive in Thunderbird account. If server auto empties/clears out server spam folder and many do - this means you may also not see them in the webmail account.
If you had too many emails stored on server then maybe the server quota was full, in which case no new mails could be received on the server until space was created - delete old stored amil on server. However, the sender would get a delivery failure notification. In your case no new mails would be on server so nothing could get downloaded.
re :no new messages are shown in my Inbox.
Is it possible you have a filter operating on the Inbox? check settings:
- View > Folders > All
- View > Threads > All
On folders, do you use 'View' > 'Sort by' > threaded or unthreaded ? If you have 'threaded' then it is possible you cannot see new messages that are replies to an ongoing conversation until you expand the threads or select the Sortby > unthreaded option.
Select 'Inbox' Check the 'Quick Filter Bar' toolbar. Are any of the Quick Filter Bar icons highlighted or an old entry in the search - if yes, then click on them to disable the filter or clear the search.
Have you created any Message Filters? If yes, then check the Filter Logs (assuming you have enabled them) as it will tell you what it is doing with emails.
If emails are not being downloaded due to a logjam: Exit Thunderbird Access webmail Empty the server 'Spam' folder and also empty the server Trash folder.
Start Thunderbird and see if mail arrives. If still no joy Access webmail locate the oldest email which has not been downloaded delete or move to another server folder In Thunderbird click on 'Get Messages'
Hi Toad-Hall,
Thanks for your reply with possible causes for this problem. However, I had already checked these:
- the messages on the server are not in the Spam folder, they are in the Inbox - I am far below server quota, anyway that is not the problem as the messages are present on the server. - View>Folders and View>Threads are both on All - View>Sort by is on Unthreaded - No highlighted icons or old serch value in the Quick Filter bar - I have two filters, sorting messages to a different mailbox in Thunderbird. Could not check logs as these were not enabled. Have now removed one obsolete filter. - Spam folder and Junk folder on the server (Roundcube webmail) both are empty. - About removing an email: the situation does not persist, the next time I press Get messages it works again. So this is not about a faulty email that jams the process.
As this only happens occasionally it is difficult to find what might be wrong: I have no clue...