topic Re: Server mailbox oversize from inbox on outlook in Email

Server mailbox oversize from inbox on outlook

Graham_W100 — Fri, 16 May 2025 20:40:03 GMT

Hi, I couldn't see this topic anywhere so I have started a new one. I have a new PC with outlook on it. It downloads e mails from plusnet using my historic globalnet e mail fine. The problem is when I load older inbox e mails onto outlook on the desktop via a PST file. The additional e mail seem to get loaded onto the plusnet server and it locks up as it is oversize. I cant find any POP3 setting to stop this from happening. Im using new microsoft outlook. Any suggestions gratefully appreciated . Thanks

Re: Server mailbox oversize from inbox on outlook

MisterW — Sat, 17 May 2025 06:23:31 GMT

Are you sure you're using POP3 and not IMAP to access the mail ?

POP3 does not have any method to transfer mail TO the server , it only downloads mail from the server to local storage.

IMAP on the other hand can transfer in both directions...

Re: Server mailbox oversize from inbox on outlook

Townman — Sat, 17 May 2025 08:54:14 GMT

Sounds as though you are taking off line archived emails and moving them into a current IMAP folder. Why not just leave them in the off line folder?

Re: Server mailbox oversize from inbox on outlook

Graham_W100 — Sat, 17 May 2025 10:01:03 GMT

Hi, thanks for the feedback.

The e mail account was indeed set up as an IMAP so when I added the PST file , it tried to add it to the server.

I have therefore deleted that account and added it in manually where you can select pop.

I am using the classic outlook programme as the new variant doesn't allow you to import a PST file..

It seems you are being pushed more and more into online storage.

Hopefully I should be sorted now.

Thanks for your help.

Graham

Re: Server mailbox oversize from inbox on outlook

Townman — Sat, 17 May 2025 10:08:19 GMT

Does this help - Importing old Outlook pst to New Outlook - Microsoft Community

I would not suggest that the push is to cloud storage, but rather the functionality of the free Outlook is becoming less and less useful.

You could consider using a different free client and convert your old PST file...

Trying to import PST folder(s) | Thunderbird Support Forum | Mozilla Support

It is even simpler with eM Client Importing pst files into eMClient - Initial setup - eM Client

I have only recently explored eM Client whilst investigation issues reported around here ... it looks impressive and personally would be my preference over Thunderbird.

Re: Server mailbox oversize from inbox on outlook

EBenny — Wed, 21 May 2025 13:06:03 GMT

My laptop died last week and I had to get another. The tech guys there set up my outlook email and I think they have used IMAP because I have seen that somewhere. Last night I imported an outlook back up of emails and it has consequently synced everything I had on my outlook email with the webmail. So they have emailed me today saying my webmail inbox is too large and can I delete stuff. This never happened before, I didn't understand why it has transferred all my emails to the webmail as well as back into OUtlook. But is what you're saying there is two ways to do this and I need to set it up on pop instead of imap? I rang Plusnet but the very unhelpful tech support said I could just experiment with deleting stuff, rather than explaining why this mirroring is occurring. I don't want everything on webmail, just on my laptop.

Re: Server mailbox oversize from inbox on outlook

EBenny — Wed, 21 May 2025 13:34:20 GMT

is IMAP the new way this works? I tried to edit my outlook account settings but it only seems to offer IMAP options not POP... if I select the account to delete it, it warns me that I will lose everything. How can i reduce my email inboxes whilst retaining old emails?

Re: Server mailbox oversize from inbox on outlook

Townman — Wed, 21 May 2025 15:27:28 GMT

"New" is a relative term - IMAP is indeed newer than POP3 but it has been around for decades and is somewhat preferable where multiple clients want to access the same mailbox.

The issue that you appear to be facing, is that your IMPORTED your old emails from the .PST file, rather than simply OPENING the PST file with the email client.

However as mentioned above the free version of Outlook does not support opening .PST files as mail data files. Thus you need to follow the guidance above - subscribe to Microsoft 365 and get a proper version of Outlook or look at one of the other free email clients.

Server storage has fair usage limits ... if you unarchive your email history (which is effectively what you have done) you will exceed the storage allowance.

Re: Server mailbox oversize from inbox on outlook

EBenny — Wed, 21 May 2025 15:42:49 GMT

Thanks Townman, I think I'm getting my head around it now. Will revert to saving documents on my laptop files going forwards rather than relying on email storage. I just wish the tech support I spoke to had mentioned the pop vs imap thing and how I have gotten into this pickle in the first place. I did ask to speak to someone who might have a bit more experience but they told me they don't advise on outlook and go to the community. Which I now know to do first!

Re: Server mailbox oversize from inbox on outlook

EBenny — Wed, 21 May 2025 15:45:14 GMT

I am using MS office home and business 2019 which was not a free product but bought.

Re: Server mailbox oversize from inbox on outlook

Townman — Wed, 21 May 2025 22:35:43 GMT

Running IMAP with a controlled archive to a PST file is a very logical strategy. I suspect that your stumble here was to import the file, rather than simply attaching it as a data file.