This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Mulongo oyo etiyamaki na archive. Tuna motuna mosusu soki osengeli na lisalisi

Deleted emails not restoring

  • 6 biyano
  • 1 eza na nkokoso oyo
  • 8 views
  • Eyano yasuka ya sfhowes

more options

Hello, I have a user with a GMAIL account who accidentally deleted everything in her Archive while on her iPhone. We back up her computer nightly so I just grabbed a backup of her profile and restored it. 29000 emails reappeared like magic, except... as soon as the folders are opened and synced, the deleted emails are deleted again.

I have tried a new profile, a different version of both thunderbird and the import/export tool, export then import, full restore of the profile folder, all to no avail. Is there any way to make this stop?

Thanks!

Hello, I have a user with a GMAIL account who accidentally deleted everything in her Archive while on her iPhone. We back up her computer nightly so I just grabbed a backup of her profile and restored it. 29000 emails reappeared like magic, except... as soon as the folders are opened and synced, the deleted emails are deleted again. I have tried a new profile, a different version of both thunderbird and the import/export tool, export then import, full restore of the profile folder, all to no avail. Is there any way to make this stop? Thanks!

All Replies (6)

more options

The messages were deleted from the IMAP server when they were deleted on the phone, so when the folder synced with the server in the new profile, it synced with an empty folder. Copy the mbox file from the backup, the file named Archive that has no extension, is large, and is stored with an Archive.msf file, into the Mail/Local Folders location of the new profile, with TB closed, then restart TB and find the Archive folder under Local Folders in the Folder Pane.

There is a way to copy (upload) the messages from Local Folders to the IMAP server, if necessary.

more options

I will try that. Thank you!

more options

OK this is weird... there is no Archives.mbox, only the msf. However, instead, I closed Thunderbird, copied the imap folders into the Local Folders and like 70% show up when I reopen Thunderbird. Any idea why? I tried repairing the folder, too.

more options

The Archives mbox file has no extension, i.e. it's just Archive, not Archive.mbox. Ignore the .msf file when copying into Mail/Local Folders. Look for mbox files also in sbd (subdirectory) folders.

more options

Right. Ok got it. I only have the Archives.msf. There is no other item called Archives anywhere.

I found other mbox folders in subs but copying them over to the current profiles local folder still isn't making them all show up.

more options

If you just have the .msf file, it means the folder was set to download headers only, not message bodies. The setting is in Synchronization & Storage in Account Settings.

If an mbox is corrupted to the point where it doesn't appear in TB, you can try one of the repair utilities that are found through a web search.