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Deleted Emails keep coming back

cjags
Aspiring Pro
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Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Deleted Emails keep coming back

Today I have been deleting emails as they arrive then a while later I get new emails but they are the ones I deleted earlier (complete with the original date and time received).

 

47 REPLIES 47
spraxyt
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Re: Deleted Emails keep coming back

Are you using an email client or webmail when this happens. Perhaps Thunderbird?

David
jelv
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Re: Deleted Emails keep coming back

If you are using IMAP or webmail try compacting the mailbox.

jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
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cjags
Aspiring Pro
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Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Deleted Emails keep coming back

At home I am using Thunderbird.  On my phone (Samsung Galaxy S6 Android 6) I am using the default email client.  Both IMAP.

I am getting the problem on the phone but can't tell if Thunderbird is too because I am not at home.  Will know more this evening.

My deleted emails folder is stacking up with multiple copies of the same deleted emails!

It only started to happen this morning.

There is no option to compact folders on the phone.

I know Thunderbird has the option. Will try tonight.

 

 

spraxyt
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Re: Deleted Emails keep coming back

Has the phone mail client just been updated? If you reply to a message does the phone app visibly mark the message as answered? Wondering whether that flag is set or not

David
maranello
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Re: Deleted Emails keep coming back

Since IMAP is effectively a direct connection to the email servers, surely you only need to be able to compact the folders either via Webmail or, if possible, using an email client. I followed @jelv's advice, compacted using Webmail, and the problem went away. For a while. 

I'm wondering if compacting the folders is disguising that the problem is more to do with the slow response of the email servers, which is still apparent using both Webmail and an email client using IMAP. I find that I can delete emails from the Inbox of the email client whilst it is still being updated, which is when they come back, but also it appears that the servers catch up and remove the deleted message if you wait long enough.

I'm assuming that compacting the folders reduces the amount of data that needs to be up or down loaded, so in effect reduces the delays.

I could be completely wrong here as I have no knowledge or experience of how these things work Roll_eyes

My other car isn't a Ferrari
cjags
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 508
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Re: Deleted Emails keep coming back

I logged in via webmail and compacted all the folders.

Interestingly, the deleted messages folder did not have the messages I had deleted using my phone.

But on my phone, they are in the deleted messages folder.

Looks like some kind of sync issue.

The phone does take ages to hook up to the plusnet mailbox and it is on the plusnet mobile network.

 

maranello
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Re: Deleted Emails keep coming back


@cjags wrote:

 

Looks like some kind of sync issue.

 


Totally agree with you. Email client on my tablet frequently flashes up 'No connection' message, even though the wifi signal is strong and there are no signs that internet connection is down. More likely to be the connection to Plusnet email servers that is being dropped, hence slow to load and update the email folders.

Is there anyone with sufficient knowledge able to confirm my assertions, or educate me? I don't mind either way.

My other car isn't a Ferrari
cjags
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Re: Deleted Emails keep coming back

After compacting the folders via webmail and clearing out the deleted folder on the phone, things seem to working again.

 

spraxyt
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Re: Deleted Emails keep coming back


@cjags wrote:

I logged in via webmail and compacted all the folders.

Interestingly, the deleted messages folder did not have the messages I had deleted using my phone.

But on my phone, they are in the deleted messages folder.

Within webmail did the folder list show more than one "deleted" folder (perhaps with slightly different names)? The real one for webmail would have a dustbin icon alongside it, any others a standard folder icon. This can arise if the phone app insists on using its own folder name and creates it if not found.

Alternatively the "deleted" folder on the phone might be in local storage.

Are there any "Advanced settings" on the phone which allow you to specify where deleted messages are kept? Similar might apply for drafts and sent messages too.

David
spraxyt
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Re: Deleted Emails keep coming back


@cjags wrote:

Today I have been deleting emails as they arrive then a while later I get new emails but they are the ones I deleted earlier (complete with the original date and time received). 


I should have asked this earlier. Does use of "today" literally mean just today? For example did you do the same yesterday without the problem occurring?

David
cjags
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Re: Deleted Emails keep coming back

Hi. Yes Today means just today.  Everything was fine yesterday and the day before etc.

In webmail there was just one deleted folder.

 

 

cjags
Aspiring Pro
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Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Deleted Emails keep coming back

Looks like it could be the phone email client.

Via webmail, I emptied the deleted items folder.

Thunderbird on the desktop picked up the changes and emptied its deleted items folder.

Phone email client didn't.

I emptied the phone's deleted items folder.

Then deleted some mails from the inbox.

An hour later the deleted items reappeared in the phone's inbox.

I am guessing that somehow, the phone email client has corrupted its database and has lost the plot.

Trying a different email client on the phone...

jelv
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Re: Deleted Emails keep coming back

The default Android email client is [-Censored-] - it doesn't work properly with IMAP.

I'm trying AquaMail at the moment. The free version allows two accounts and the advertising isn't too intrusive. It takes push notifications so new emails pop up seconds after they are received by the server and emails deleted on my PC disappear from the AquaMail mailbox within seconds.

I'm considering paying for the pro version.

jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
spraxyt
Resting Legend
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Re: Deleted Emails keep coming back

It looks like the Deleted folder on the phone might be a local one stored on the phone rather than Deleted items (which I think is really called Trash) on the server. On my iPad there are settings options which allow me to choose whether to use local or server storage for Drafts, Sent, Deleted and Archive folders, and which folder to use. However on a Nexus Android the Gmail default mail app just got it right - I don't recall having to set that.

David