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Cannot delete IMAP Folder

  • 3 replies
  • 0 have this problem
  • Last reply by sfhowes

jeronymite
jeronymite
more options

I've read many threads on this, none of which seems to work. Most grateful for assistance to finally get rid of these phantom folders.

Problem: Multiple folders in an IMAP account that simply will not delete.

Symptom: Folder exists in an IMAP account that has all folders as sub-folders under Inbox. Some folders are empty and appear greyed out and italicized. Deleting them sends them to the Deleted folder (or if the appropriate setting is changed, to be immediately deleted). Emptying the Deleted folder appears to get rid of the deleted folders, but restart and they reappear.

Attempted Fixes: As suggested in various places, have tried these things, none of which work:

  • Immediate delete (setting and also simply deleting in the Deleted folder)
  • Creating a new folder of a different name and renaming it to the affected folder, then deleting -- would not rename new folder, and phantom folder remained
  • Completely removing the account (settings and data) and recreating

Other Actions: I have checked the actual IMAP account via a webmail interface and none of the folders exist in the account.

Configuration: 

 Application Basics

   Name: Thunderbird
   Version: 128.1.0esr
   Build ID: 20240730200333
   Distribution ID:

   Update Channel: esr
   User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:128.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/128.1.0
   OS: Windows_NT 10.0 19045
   OS Theme:

   Launcher Process: Enabled
   Multiprocess Windows: 0/0
   Fission Windows: 0/0
             Enabled by default
   Remote Processes: 1
   Enterprise Policies: Inactive
   Google Location Service Key: Missing
   Google Safebrowsing Key: Missing
   Mozilla Location Service Key: Missing
   Safe Mode: false
   Memory Size (RAM): 31.9 GB
   Disk Space Available: 50.5 GB

 Mail and News Accounts

 ... 13 unrelated accounts remove ...

   account14 (mail server name changed):
     INCOMING: account14, , (imap) mail.xxx.yyy:993, SSL, 3
     OUTGOING: , mail.xxx.yyy:465, SSL, 3, true

 Libraries

     Library
     Status
     Expected minimum version
     Version in use
     Path

       RNP (OpenPGP)
       OK
       0.17.1
       0.17.1.MZLA.128.1.0esr.botan
       C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\rnp.dll

       OTR
       Failed to load. OTR chat encryption will not work.
       -
       -
       -

 Crash Reports for the Last 3 Days

 Remote Processes

   Type: Count

   GPU: 1

 Add-ons

     Name
     Type
     Version
     Enabled
     ID

       British English Dictionary (Marco Pinto)
       dictionary
       3.3.5
       true
       marcoagpinto@mail.telepac.pt

       Amazon.co.uk
       extension
       1.1
       true
       amazon@search.mozilla.org

       Bing
       extension
       1.0
       true
       bing@search.mozilla.org

       Chambers (UK)
       extension
       1.0
       true
       chambers-en-GB@search.mozilla.org

       DuckDuckGo
       extension
       1.0
       true
       ddg@search.mozilla.org

       Google
       extension
       1.0
       true
       google@search.mozilla.org

       Wikipedia (en)
       extension
       1.0
       true
       wikipedia@search.mozilla.org

       Language: English (GB)
       locale
       128.0.20240717.233102
       true
       langpack-en-GB@thunderbird.mozilla.org

       System theme — auto
       theme
       1.3
       true
       default-theme@mozilla.org

       Dark
       theme
       1.3
       false
       thunderbird-compact-dark@mozilla.org

       Light
       theme
       1.3
       false
       thunderbird-compact-light@mozilla.org

 Security Software

   Type: Name

     Antivirus: Microsoft Defender Antivirus
     Antispyware:
     Firewall: Windows Firewall

 Legacy User Stylesheets

   Active: false
   Stylesheets: No stylesheets found

 Important Modified Preferences

   browser.search.region: AU
   extensions.lastAppVersion: 128.1.0
   idle.lastDailyNotification: 1723600542
   media.gmp.storage.version.observed: 1
   media.hardware-video-decoding.failed: false
   places.database.lastMaintenance: 1723173487
   privacy.bounceTrackingProtection.hasMigratedUserActivationData: true
   privacy.purge_trackers.date_in_cookie_database: 0
   storage.vacuum.last.content-prefs.sqlite: 1721083929
   storage.vacuum.last.index: 1
   storage.vacuum.last.places.sqlite: 1723503001
   ui.osk.debug.keyboardDisplayReason: IKPOS: Touch screen not found.

 Important Locked Preferences

 fission.autostart.session: true

 Places Database

 Accessibility

   Activated: false
   Prevent Accessibility: 0
   Accessible Handler Used:
   Accessibility Instantiator:

 Library Versions

     Expected minimum version
     Version in use

     NSPR
     4.35
     4.35

     NSS
     3.101.1
     3.101.1

     NSSSMIME
     3.101.1
     3.101.1

     NSSSSL
     3.101.1
     3.101.1

     NSSUTIL
     3.101.1
     3.101.1

 Sandbox

   Content Process Sandbox Level: 0
   Effective Content Process Sandbox Level: 1
   Win32k Lockdown State for Content Process: Win32k Lockdown enabled -- default value is true
   GPU Process Sandbox Level: 1

 Startup Cache

   Disk Cache Path: C:\Users\abcde\AppData\Local\Thunderbird\Profiles\qwq4pnsv.default-release\startupCache\startupCache.8.little
   Ignore Disk Cache: false
   Found Disk Cache on Init: true
   Wrote to Disk Cache: false

 Internationalisation & Localisation

     Application Settings
     Requested Locales: ["en-GB","en-US"]
     Available Locales: ["en-US","en-GB"]
     App Locales: ["en-GB","en-US"]
     Regional Preferences: ["en-AU"]
     Default Locale: "en-US"

     Operating System
     System Locales: ["en-AU","en-GB","en-US"]
     Regional Preferences: ["en-AU"]

 Remote Debugging (Chromium Protocol)

   Accepting Connections:
   URL:

 Printing

 Modified print settings

 print_printer: Adobe PDF
I've read many threads on this, none of which seems to work. Most grateful for assistance to finally get rid of these phantom folders. Problem: Multiple folders in an IMAP account that simply will not delete. Symptom: Folder exists in an IMAP account that has all folders as sub-folders under Inbox. Some folders are empty and appear greyed out and italicized. Deleting them sends them to the Deleted folder (or if the appropriate setting is changed, to be immediately deleted). Emptying the Deleted folder appears to get rid of the deleted folders, but restart and they reappear. Attempted Fixes: As suggested in various places, have tried these things, none of which work: * Immediate delete (setting and also simply deleting in the Deleted folder) * Creating a new folder of a different name and renaming it to the affected folder, then deleting -- would not rename new folder, and phantom folder remained * Completely removing the account (settings and data) and recreating Other Actions: I have checked the actual IMAP account via a webmail interface and none of the folders exist in the account. Configuration: Application Basics Name: Thunderbird Version: 128.1.0esr Build ID: 20240730200333 Distribution ID: Update Channel: esr User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:128.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/128.1.0 OS: Windows_NT 10.0 19045 OS Theme: Launcher Process: Enabled Multiprocess Windows: 0/0 Fission Windows: 0/0 Enabled by default Remote Processes: 1 Enterprise Policies: Inactive Google Location Service Key: Missing Google Safebrowsing Key: Missing Mozilla Location Service Key: Missing Safe Mode: false Memory Size (RAM): 31.9 GB Disk Space Available: 50.5 GB Mail and News Accounts ... 13 unrelated accounts remove ... account14 (mail server name changed): INCOMING: account14, , (imap) mail.xxx.yyy:993, SSL, 3 OUTGOING: , mail.xxx.yyy:465, SSL, 3, true Libraries Library Status Expected minimum version Version in use Path RNP (OpenPGP) OK 0.17.1 0.17.1.MZLA.128.1.0esr.botan C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\rnp.dll OTR Failed to load. OTR chat encryption will not work. - - - Crash Reports for the Last 3 Days Remote Processes Type: Count GPU: 1 Add-ons Name Type Version Enabled ID British English Dictionary (Marco Pinto) dictionary 3.3.5 true marcoagpinto@mail.telepac.pt Amazon.co.uk extension 1.1 true amazon@search.mozilla.org Bing extension 1.0 true bing@search.mozilla.org Chambers (UK) extension 1.0 true chambers-en-GB@search.mozilla.org DuckDuckGo extension 1.0 true ddg@search.mozilla.org Google extension 1.0 true google@search.mozilla.org Wikipedia (en) extension 1.0 true wikipedia@search.mozilla.org Language: English (GB) locale 128.0.20240717.233102 true langpack-en-GB@thunderbird.mozilla.org System theme — auto theme 1.3 true default-theme@mozilla.org Dark theme 1.3 false thunderbird-compact-dark@mozilla.org Light theme 1.3 false thunderbird-compact-light@mozilla.org Security Software Type: Name Antivirus: Microsoft Defender Antivirus Antispyware: Firewall: Windows Firewall Legacy User Stylesheets Active: false Stylesheets: No stylesheets found Important Modified Preferences browser.search.region: AU extensions.lastAppVersion: 128.1.0 idle.lastDailyNotification: 1723600542 media.gmp.storage.version.observed: 1 media.hardware-video-decoding.failed: false places.database.lastMaintenance: 1723173487 privacy.bounceTrackingProtection.hasMigratedUserActivationData: true privacy.purge_trackers.date_in_cookie_database: 0 storage.vacuum.last.content-prefs.sqlite: 1721083929 storage.vacuum.last.index: 1 storage.vacuum.last.places.sqlite: 1723503001 ui.osk.debug.keyboardDisplayReason: IKPOS: Touch screen not found. Important Locked Preferences fission.autostart.session: true Places Database Accessibility Activated: false Prevent Accessibility: 0 Accessible Handler Used: Accessibility Instantiator: Library Versions Expected minimum version Version in use NSPR 4.35 4.35 NSS 3.101.1 3.101.1 NSSSMIME 3.101.1 3.101.1 NSSSSL 3.101.1 3.101.1 NSSUTIL 3.101.1 3.101.1 Sandbox Content Process Sandbox Level: 0 Effective Content Process Sandbox Level: 1 Win32k Lockdown State for Content Process: Win32k Lockdown enabled -- default value is true GPU Process Sandbox Level: 1 Startup Cache Disk Cache Path: C:\Users\abcde\AppData\Local\Thunderbird\Profiles\qwq4pnsv.default-release\startupCache\startupCache.8.little Ignore Disk Cache: false Found Disk Cache on Init: true Wrote to Disk Cache: false Internationalisation & Localisation Application Settings Requested Locales: ["en-GB","en-US"] Available Locales: ["en-US","en-GB"] App Locales: ["en-GB","en-US"] Regional Preferences: ["en-AU"] Default Locale: "en-US" Operating System System Locales: ["en-AU","en-GB","en-US"] Regional Preferences: ["en-AU"] Remote Debugging (Chromium Protocol) Accepting Connections: URL: Printing Modified print settings print_printer: Adobe PDF

All Replies (3)

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

See https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1371846

Helpful?

jeronymite
jeronymite Question owner
more options

sfhowes said
See https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1371846

Thanks. I had actually tried that, but it seems I needed to restart to see its effect.

Those many folders still exist if I look at the Folder List for Subscribe. Given that they do not exist in the original email account, how do I get rid of them in Thunderbird completely?

Thanks.

Helpful?

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

The folder list in Subscribe is generated by the server, so I think the best you can do in TB is to hide them by the method you used.

Helpful?

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