Safe to delete POP account?
Hi. I installed a POP account to download/import my ATT.net webmail account, but it only downloaded the inbox.
I was told to create local folders, move the POP account into them, then delete the POP, then add the IMAP, but I didn't feel safe doing that so I ended up creating an IMAP account in addition to the POP.
The IMAP account recreated all the folders from ATT.net and all the messages in them, in TB, so I didn't have to manually sort thousands of messages again.
I had already checked:
Account Settings, Synchronization & Storage, Message Synchronizing, Keep messages in all folders for this account on this computer Disk Space, Synchronize all messages locally regardless of age Don't delete any messages
Aren't the folders that the IMAP account created "local"? If so, wouldn't creating local folders duplicate them?
Is it safe to delete the POP account?
Thanks
All Replies (3)
I think this might be a duplicate of your other thread:
https://support.mozilla.org/questions/1322347
It's probably best to continue there.
This is not a dupe. That thread is a dead end. Problem not solved. Remaining issue restated and clarified.
Why would you want me to go back there? What am I supposed to say, "Hello?...Hello?"
deleting any POP based mail-account in any email client software is NOT RECOMMENDED.
pop protocol DOWNLOADS (aka MOVES) emails COMPLETELY from email-server into your email-cleint (Thunderbird=TB) software , if you delete POP based mail-account inside the TB , then all earlier/older emails will be deleted.
IMAP based mail-account can be deleted . as imap protocol downloads a copy of email, main copy remains in email-server. do not select all emails inside imap based mail-account & then delete , then ALL emails will be erased in both email-server & also in your email-client software TB.
users suppose to COPY (aka BACKUP) all POP BASED EMAILS into sub-folders under the "Local Folders" inside the TB . then they can delete the POP based mail-account in TB . make sure to create separate subfodlers, like these inside "Local Fodlers":
email-server-name-Inbox
email-server-name-Sent
email-server-name-Draft
email-server-name-other
...
after setting up IMAP based mail-account in TB for the same email-address , then check presence of older emails.
if all emails are inside your Inbox, Sent , etc sub-folders in IMAP based mail-account in TB , then copying emails from subfolders under "Local Folders" to restore earlier emails , is not necessary.
if all emails in IMAP based mail-account in TB are not-present , then copy all emails from sub-folders under "Local Folders" into the correct/corresponding sub-folders inside the IMAP based mail-account in TB. TB will copy them into email-server (via IMAP protocol). many emails will become duplicated. there are addons/extensions to remove duplicates . load one of those . that will+can remove all duplicates.
if your are 100% sure, after above steps , your all emails exists in remote email-server , (which you can access via the IMAP based mail-account in TB ) , then you can delete the POP based mail-account , & also the emails from "Local Folders". but generally you're not suppose to delete the "Local Folders" copies right-away , as you may have made mistake in checking quickly or somewhere , so you should keep a backup copies for some time , lets say for 6 months or 1 yr . if 1 yr later you see no missing emails , then delete the copies from "Local Folders", etc.
Modified by atErik