Cannot delete IMAP Folder
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
所有回覆 (3)
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.
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.