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Thunderbird email.

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My Trash folder is permanently empty and is not longer highlighted on the screen. Deleted messages disappear. For awhile they appeared in the junk folder but this has stopped. The junk folder contains a few deleted messages from several months ago. Gillian

My Trash folder is permanently empty and is not longer highlighted on the screen. Deleted messages disappear. For awhile they appeared in the junk folder but this has stopped. The junk folder contains a few deleted messages from several months ago. Gillian

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Hello there Gillian cambel49. We have read your message. We try to help you.


What is the pc you are using? Can you tell us?


Oké your trashcan is gone? Am i correct?


Can you find the trash.msf files? We try first to reindex this file first let s see what happens if we do? It sounds like a spam message.


Greetings firefox volunteer.

Modified by Googlethunderbird

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Hello there

Go to help)click on troubleshoot information)click on show folder. A window will open now showing the profile folder. Now close Thunderbird. Click on the mail folder. Click on the mail account s name. Look inside for the trash.msf files Delete these msf.files for the trash. Close your windows in the right corner. Open up Thunderbird software again.


Check for me if you can with the upstairs info if that trash.msf file is still there. If the trashcan is not present the subject of deleting messages is difficult.

Greetings Firefox volunteer.

Modified by Googlethunderbird

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Hello Volunteer. Thanks for replying.

I have clicked on Troubleshoot information. (It is written as more trouble shoot information) A window opens showing TROUBLESHOOTING INFORMATION, and below Application basics, mail and news accounts, and more. I assume this is the profile folder I'm not sure what to do next. I can close Thunderbird but why ,if I haven't actually done anything. I can't find anywhere to click on Mail. Sorry if I' m being obtuse! Gillian

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Hello there

okay it seems you couldn't find the msf.files right away okay. ok i am going to send you another way to solve this.

I would like to know if the trash folder is completely gone, let's see if the folder and msf.file still exist and the same for the trash folder is it still there? and this contains 2 items that you obviously cannot remove. That's why I want to know if this trash can is completely gone?

okay I'll try to explain it to you briefly. in thunderbird go to the folder where you keep all your email data. we are going to try to restore your recycle bin because it is clearly no longer there.


What system do you use?


Greetings Firefox volunteer.

Modified by Googlethunderbird

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i am using Windows 10 and a Shaw email address. The Trash folder currently has seven emails from 2018.

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Hello there .



first go to the folder where thunderbird manages your entire email account(s). After that, if you can just close Thunderbird. so you can't touch anything like that.

The question is also whether you are also missing folders somewhere in your system or software? you go to the local folder now on your computer there should be these files of trashcan.msf.

indicate which ones are still there . If necessary, try to delete the other trashmsf.files if they are present. and start Thunderbird again.

There are no more trashcan.msf files left. you can also copy both msf.files from an intact folder if you still have it.

Hereby that they are not present. try to create two folders in the relevant place so that you have a folder with the name trash and 0 byt content. Leave it as is and do not write anything in it. Name the second folder trash.msf, which also remains 0 byt.

After doing this properly. restart Thunderbird.

The repair should be done,



Getting back the trashcan.

If the account is is using Imap protocol.Go into the account settings then in the server settings set the option to place deleted messages in to the trash folder.If that is set the folder will have the special attribute that causes Thunderbird to treat it as a trashfolder and is showing the trashcan icon .





Greetings Firefox volunteer.

Modified by Googlethunderbird

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Hello again volunteer. Sorry for the delay in replying to your recent reply. I have found the program folder for Thunderbird and I opened the mail folder and clicked on my provider, shawmail.giv.shawcable.net. (I closed Thunderbird). I clicked on Trash.msf . I found a bunch of hard to read files. There was nothing labelled msf. I don't how to proceed.

 Any further thoughts on this? 

Gillian