Download old messages again (pop)
Many old messages saved in Thunderbird are corrupted. The options to attempt a repair of the sqlite db do not look attractive, so this is what I want to do:
Step 1: either delete all messages from TB or create a new, empty TB that just has my message filter rules
Step 2: connect to my email supplier (Google's Gmail) and have TB redownload all messages, including those I've sent. And, of course, file them correctly according to the message filters.
Gmail has all the messages I need ( I delete junk and expired messages from there, so the working set is not too spam bloated), so although there may be 10,000 messages to download, it is an acceptable sized task.
BUT I've tried both ways, and TB and Gmail between them seem to know which messages I've already downloaded and won't download them again.
Clearly, I am missing some sort of FORCE RESYNC option. I hope it exists, and you can point me to it.
Thanks!
Modified by Wayne Mery
Chosen solution
If you decide to delete all previously downloaded emails and redownload all of them - see previous response -
Delete all old messages first and compact folders, then remove the popstate.dat file.
After deleting the messages but before you start to download, compact the folders to remove all traces of marked as deleted emails. This includes the Deleted and Junk folders. The 'Sent' folder only has copies on your computer, so do not delete these emails unless you want to.
should you need to perform a backup of your Profile folder see info here:
Read this answer in context 👍 2All Replies (4)
Are you talking about an IMAP or Pop mail account?
Have you got a gmail mail account in thunderbird?
Global searching/indexing uses global-messages-db.sqlite as a search index. It contains a copy of all of your messages. If you have a IMAP account and disable offline folders it will use a background process to download copies of the messages in all of your folders. Otherwise it copies them from the mbox files created from synchronization.
If this has got corrupted please do the following.
You can remove this file and recreate the index.
You need to make hidden files and folders visible:
In thunderbird:
- Help > Troubleshooting Information
- click on 'Show folder'
- it will open another window showing Profile folder.
- Close Thunderbird now.
- scroll down and look for global-messages-db.sqlite file
- Delete this file.
Open thunderbird and allow time for the index to rebuild.
Thanks for the reply
> Are you talking about an IMAP or Pop mail account?
Pop.....I want all my messages downloaded. Gmail is set up to not delete them from the server when they are downloaded......So I am looking for a way to trigger a re-download og them all.
> Have you got a gmail mail account in thunderbird?
Yes.
> Global searching/indexing uses global-messages-db.sqlite as a search index.
It does not appear to be the searching that is broken. When I look at messages that are a few years old, many display as fragments of other messages. That indicates there was a one-time event that broke stuff.
This post from someone else seems to indicate they have had the same problem:
The 'popstate.dat' file keeps a record of what has been downloaded. You need to access the Profile folder and delete this file. The Profile folder is a hidden file.
make hidden files visible:
Profile folder extra info:
In Thunderbird
- Help > Troubleshooting Information
- click on 'Show Folder' button
- a new window opens showing your Profile folder
- Close Thunderbird now
- click on 'Mail' folder
- click on the 'mail account name'
- scroll down and locate 'popstate.dat' a DAT File.
- Delete 'popstate.dat'
- close the window - top right X
Open Thunderbird
Thunderbird will create a new 'popstate.dat' file and start to download everything that is in the server Inbox to the thunderbird mail account Inbox.
Chosen Solution
If you decide to delete all previously downloaded emails and redownload all of them - see previous response -
Delete all old messages first and compact folders, then remove the popstate.dat file.
After deleting the messages but before you start to download, compact the folders to remove all traces of marked as deleted emails. This includes the Deleted and Junk folders. The 'Sent' folder only has copies on your computer, so do not delete these emails unless you want to.
should you need to perform a backup of your Profile folder see info here: