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why do I keep getting old emails (from 2011 etc in my junk folder? I keep emptying the folder but it is there again next time.

  • 14 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by user1121639

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When I first switch on Thunderbird I get very old emails (2011, 2012 etc) in my junk folder. I empty them again and the next time I open TB they are there again, why and how do I fix this? Coley

When I first switch on Thunderbird I get very old emails (2011, 2012 etc) in my junk folder. I empty them again and the next time I open TB they are there again, why and how do I fix this? Coley

All Replies (14)

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Is this new behavior that has started recently in Thunderbird? Or has it always done this? If the latter, then how long have you been using Thunderbird?

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Hi Bruce The problem has only started recently, probably after the latest update, this is so annoying, I would probably be better off using a different program as there seems to be problems coming along with every update, must not be checking them properly before releasing them. Coley

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To answer your question, I have been using TB for many years. Coley

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Are you using IMAP or POP? If IMAP, then do those old e-mails show up when you log into webmail?

What antivirus do you use? Do you have e-mail scanning turned off in it? It is recommended that e-mail scanning be disabled in antivirus programs because antivirus programs already automatically scan everything when it is accessed. So e-mail scanning is an unnecessary duplication, and e-mail scanning itself can cause problems.

Try this:

1. Find & open your Thunderbird Profile folder:

Select Help: Troubleshooting Information from the Thunderbird menu (either from the menu button , on the top right, or the normal menu at the top of the window.)

Under "Application Basics", beside "Profile Folder", click the "Show Profile" button. This will open a window showing the contents of your Thunderbird Profile folder.

2. Quit Thunderbird, but keep that window open showing your Thunderbird Profile folder.

3. Delete "global-messages-db.sqlite" and "panacea.dat" from the profile folder.

4. Find the folder holding your e-mail. If you are using IMAP, look under the ImapMail folder. If you are using POP, then look under the Mail folder. Under one of these folders you will find a folder with the name of your e-mail server (Example, imap.gmail.com for Gmail using IMAP). Open this folder.

5. Find the two files named "Junk" and "Junk.msf" (or "Spam" & "Spam.msf"), and delete them.

6. Start Thunderbird.

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Hi Bruce Thank you for your reply. I have done as you suggested above, I do use IMAP and the Vipre antivirus.

I will check over the next few days and see what happens.

Many thanks for your help. Regards Coley

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Hi Bruce

I have just received 21 old emails in my junk folder????? Coley

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Have you logged into your webmail to see if those e-mails show there?

Why did you end your statement question marks?

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Hi Bruce The questions marks were asking "why".

I have just checked my web mail as you suggested but there was nothing in the junk mail folder, just lots in the "promotions" folder and the "updates". When I opened TB just now, there was no mail in the junk folder, maybe it will come later. Coley

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When you do see old e-mail in the junk folder, immediately log into your webmail to see if shows there also.

Keep in mind that some spammers may fake the date of an e-mail.

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Hi Bruce

Well no more old mail in my junk folder as of today, hopefully it has been fixed. Thank you for your help Regards Coley

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Sounds almost as if it had a 'memory' and was assuming those were not deleted and pulled them from a cache.

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Hello again Bruce

Switching on TB today I got 21 old emails in my junk folder again, is there any significance in 21 as I got this same number previously? They are a mixture of emails from 2011 - 2017. Gordon

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It sounds irritating and mystic.

Have you compacted your folders and also the junk folder after deleting? Have you followed Bruce advice and deleted the junk-folders in your profile?

You can "clear resent history" (ctrl+shift+delete) to empty cache.

But most likely they are on your server and you need to search there. Server-providers use different way to store mail. Gmail fx uses only one big folder "ALL MAIL" and flags or marks mail to tell in what folder they should show.

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coley: Again, I say that you need to check your webmail to see what is there. Monitor it to see if the old junk e-mails show up there before or after starting Thunderbird.