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thunderbird downloading same email repeatedly

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  • Last reply by Zenos

crisscross61
crisscross61
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I have a google alert email that keeps being downloaded repeatedly.

I found these details on how to solve it but I am pretty useless with technology and have no clue where my profile is stored?


If Thunderbird keeps downloading the same messages for a POP account the popstate.dat file may be corrupted. Thats a file in the profile that keeps track of what messages have been downloaded from that POP3 server. 

   Exit Thunderbird.
   Find your profile and then the Mail subdirectory.
   Goto the subdirectory named after the mail server used by the account you're having problems with and delete the popstate.dat file. For example if you're using gmail it would be in Mail\pop.gmail.com .
   Start Thunderbird and check for new mail. It will download all of the messages for that account one last time since it has no record of having ever downloaded them. However, after that it should work normally

any help appreciated, thanks

I have a google alert email that keeps being downloaded repeatedly. I found these details on how to solve it but I am pretty useless with technology and have no clue where my profile is stored? If Thunderbird keeps downloading the same messages for a POP account the popstate.dat file may be corrupted. Thats a file in the profile that keeps track of what messages have been downloaded from that POP3 server. Exit Thunderbird. Find your profile and then the Mail subdirectory. Goto the subdirectory named after the mail server used by the account you're having problems with and delete the popstate.dat file. For example if you're using gmail it would be in Mail\pop.gmail.com . Start Thunderbird and check for new mail. It will download all of the messages for that account one last time since it has no record of having ever downloaded them. However, after that it should work normally any help appreciated, thanks

All Replies (1)

Zenos
Zenos
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I think that before trying any of that, I'd go to the gmail website, log in to the account and deal with the repeating message there.

As to finding a popstate.dat file…

Are you using POP, or IMAP? There is no popstate.dat file in an IMAP-connected account, and if you simply accepted the defaults when you set up this account, chances are you're using IMAP.

However, if you're using Windows 7 or later, I'd look for it by typing popstate.dat at the Start button; it's not obvious, but it sits there waiting to search for whatever you type in. If you have any such files it ought to find them.