Re: email disappearing off of that server According to your first image, it keeps emails on the server Until you delete the email. So, if you delete the email then it will be deleted off server.

This means that the iphone will not see it as the email is not on server.

re: Disappearing as in not even appearing in the deleted folders.

Thunderbird does have a feature to bypass the trash folder. It happens when you hold down the Shift key while pressing the delete key. Perhaps you're unintentionally hold down the Shift key?

Also check View setting: select the 'Deleted' folder 'View' > 'Threads' > set to 'All.'

Hi Toad-Hall,

I'm fairly certain that the section I circled, where it mentions "keep messages on the server," "until I delete them" means until they're deleted from the server.

Also, I'm quite certain that I am not holding down the Shift key when I am deleting messages while in Thunderbird.

And, my view > thread setting for my folders is already set to "all."

Thank you for looking more closely at my questions and thinking these things through.

Well, no, how could the client delete them from the server and not from itself? There's nothing on the delete button or function to indicate its scope, so you have to assume it deletes everywhere.

I have one big area of uncertainty about the "leave on server until I delete" feature; does it matter where the message is (in Thunderbird) when you delete it? I suspect the "leave on server until I delete" setting only applies if the message is still in the Inbox when you delete it. But I can't find any reference or instructions to clear this up. I'd like to think that if you'd moved the message to another folder, and then delete it, that it leaves the server copy intact. So over time your server becomes filled up with undeleted messages. Bad!

Please try IMAP; it's much better suited to your situation where you work one account from two different devices.

In IMAP, delete means delete; there's no ambiguity about the client, another client or the server; once deleted it goes from everywhere.

If you really want to keep something but not on the server then just move it to Thunderbird's Local Folders account.

Your screen shot shows you using POP on your computer and the fact that when deleted from the server the message is gone on your phone indicates that your phone is set as IMAP. That is a confusing way to run your email.

Zenos said

Well, no, how could the client delete them from the server and not from itself? There's nothing on the delete button or function to indicate its scope, so you have to assume it deletes everywhere. I have one big area of uncertainty about the "leave on server until I delete" feature; does it matter where the message is (in Thunderbird) when you delete it? I suspect the "leave on server until I delete" setting only applies if the message is still in the Inbox when you delete it. But I can't find any reference or instructions to clear this up. I'd like to think that if you'd moved the message to another folder, and then delete it, that it leaves the server copy intact. So over time your server becomes filled up with undeleted messages. Bad! Please try IMAP; it's much better suited to your situation where you work one account from two different devices. In IMAP, delete means delete; there's no ambiguity about the client, another client or the server; once deleted it goes from everywhere. If you really want to keep something but not on the server then just move it to Thunderbird's Local Folders account.

The issue I have with all of this is that I've had this set-up for years in Thunderbird, but only very recently have these problems come up. It still makes no sense, based on my settings, that a message deleted in Thunderbird also instantly disappears from the Time Warner Roadrunner server; if I unchecked "leave messages on server," it would make more sense in that instance—the presumption, logically, is that this refers to messages either left on or deleted from server, either when they are downloaded into TBird or when they are deleted from TBird.

Is it recommended that I have an IMAP account instead of a POP on my iMac desktop? Because, again, it has been a POP account for many, many years without these problems.

I actually do want to keep messages on the server as a last resort. I clean up my folders on my desktop and my phone as necessary, and use the desktop to store important messages. (I also have an on-site and a cloud backup set up on my desktop for extra protection). I occasionally go to the Roadrunner server and clear out those folders when space gets tight.

Attached is a screen shot of Roadrunner's actual recommendations for email client set-up

But that doesn't recommend anything. It just shows the two options avaliable to you for incoming mail, namely POP and IMAP.

POP with "Leave messages on server" is, IMHO, an ugly workaround kludge for those who are unable to use IMAP. You're using IMAP already on your phone, so why the objection to it on Thunderbird?

The tinfoil hat brigade like POP because it gives them the feeling that they are in control and if messages are not stored on a server, no-one else can read or intercept them. Yeah, right. I don't imagine that NSA or GCHQ care at all about which protocol you use.

I use Pop and have the same settings to leave on server until I delete.

It does not seem ambiguous to me. As the settings are in Thunderbird and I use a Pop mail account, Until I delete would refer to deleting in Thunderbird. POP mail will auto delete off server on download, if the option to leave messages on server was not selected. So if you do select the option to leave on server, you need a further option to delete off server under certain circumstances eg; delete, otherwise emails build up on server and you would have to manually delete them via webmail., So you have the Until I delete and also the 'For at most' xx days.

Basically giving control for POP mail accounts over whether emails should be deleted off server and when. POP options: Delete email off server when downloading.

• Do not select 'leave message on server'

Download and never delete off server .

• select: leave message on server.

Download and leave on server, but if deleted in TB then delete off server.

• select: leave message on server.
• select 'Until I delete'

Download and leave on server only for xx days

• select: leave message on server.
• select 'For at most xx days'

Download and leave on server for only xx days, but delete earlier if I delete.

• select: leave message on server.
• select 'For at most xx days'
• select 'Until I delete'

After deleting in thunderbird, the next time TB auto gets messages it will delete those messages off server if those options have been selected. I use filters to organise incoming mail into various folders. It does not matter which Thunderbird folder they are in. It has always worked as expected and means emails do not build up on the server.

In an IMAP mail account, the folders are one and the same, so deleting would mean deleting off server anyway, hence why there is no option to leave messages on server.

If you are using IMAP on phone or viewing by webmail, then you could say IMAP may suit you in Thunderbird. But deleting in TB will delete off server, so you would need to be aware of that.

If you like pop, then that's ok. But, if you have chosen to delete an email because you do not want it, I'm not fully comprehending why you would want to still keep it to view via your phone or webmail. Anyway, that is your choice and you may have your own reasons.

If you want to keep POP and keep messages on server and you never want Thunderbird to delete anything off server. You only want your phone or webmail to delete emails off server. Only select: leave message on server. do not select 'Until I delete'.

This should resolve the issue of TB deleting emails off server when using a POP mail account.

re: Disappearing as in not even appearing in the deleted folders.

Just to make sure we are talking about the correct account and folder. You are talking about the POP mail account in Thunderbird. Deleted emails should be displayed in the Pop mail account 'Deleted' folder which is also known as 'Trash' in some versions.

re: your comment: And, my view > thread setting for my folders is already set to "all."

This is set on a per folder basis, so you must select the folder first. Please confirm: you selected the folder called 'Deleted' and then checked the 'View' > 'Threads' was set to 'All' for that folder.

then try reindexing: Right click on 'Deleted' folder and select 'Properties' click on 'Repair Folder' button. click on 'OK'.

Select another folder and then reselect 'Deleted' folder. Please report back on results.