Previous emails coming in

[#1]

I posted about this last week.  I had a couple of hundred emails come in at once last week, these are emails I had already received.  I then received an email from Greenby so I thought the influx of emails was a one off.  However, the same thing has happened this morning; I've received 100 emails going back to early February.  These are emails I have already received.  Any ideas why this is happening and how can I stop it.  I am using Desktop Windows Livemail.

[#2]

At a guess you are using PoP3 and probably an older computer operating system.

Ideally you would use IMAP but with Greenby there is a risk that all your old mail has been lost on their side.

Personally I might add the mail account again using IMAP  (don't touch the original version).

I would also export all the messages you have (just in case).

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-au/answers/questions/5673213/how-do-i-export-e-mails-from-windows-liv...

[#3]

Just looked at my settings and my incoming mail server is POP3.   I am on Windows 7.   I exported my emails last year in readiness.    I am not sure about adding the email account with IMAP even if I did know how to do this.   I've not altered any settings, and have not had this, or any other problems, with Plusnet when they managed email.    

[#4]

Information on IMAP at:

https://www.plus.net/help/email-guides/how-to-set-up-plusnet-email/

(still valid post the Greenby migtration I think)

As for why you are seeing old emails as new, my guess (and it's just that) is that something changing in the Greenby systems make your client think the mails are new.

I would keep making "snapshot" email backups at the moment, "just in case".

In your position I might also be thinking about a newer computer....

[#5]

Thunderbird has stopped downloading emails from Greenby. I can send OK. My BT emails on Thunderbird are OK. Thunderbird was working OK until a couple of days ago. I have tried IMAP and POP but cannot get any emails to download. Can anyone help? Thank you.

[#6]

As for why you are seeing old emails as new, my guess (and it's just that) is that something changing in the Greenby systems make your client think the mails are new.

If POP3 is used with the 'leave messages on server...' option then this situation, where old messages are downloaded again, can occur

[#7]

There doesn't seem to be much difference between the two.  I don't use any other device.  I think given the number of issues people seem to be having, I might leave it and see if it settles down.  Better to receive emails twice and delete them rather than not receiving them at all.  

[#8]

Thank you.  I've just checked settings and the box is ticked for "leave a copy of messages on server."  If I deselect that, is it possible that may work?

[#9]

@WorldMachine it depends why you used 'leave messages on server...' in the first place ?

In principle, POP3 is designed to download messages to local storage on the email client, deleting them from the server as it does so. The problem with that, is that these days people wnat to read their email on multiple devices e.g phones. In order to do that, the message must be left on the server so that they are still there for other devices.

So that the POP3 client doesnt download the messages again, it 'remembers' the ID of the last message it downloaded previously. The problem is that if the POP3 client detects what it thinks is a change at the server, it will re-download any messages on the server.

So , if you are using 'leave messages on server' to allow other devices to access them, then 'No' you cant deselect it.

If however, you just had it set as a 'backup' , then (providing youve got some other backup of your email), then 'Yes' you can deselect it.  

[#10]

Thank you.  I will turn it off now and see if that works however I am intending to get an iPad later in the year at which point I will need to turn it back on again as I want to use the iPad as an alternative means of accessing email, or should I at that point change the setting to MAP3?

[#11]

as I want to use the iPad as an alternative means of accessing email, or should I at that point change the setting to MAP3?

If you are routinely using multiple devices to access an email account, then you really should consider using IMAP on all the email clients. However, this means that emails ar ONLY stored on the server so it needs some 'backup' strategy on your main email client to routinely copy emails to a local backup.

Also, whatever you do, do NOT just change an email client configuration from POP3 to IMAP! that will delete any existing locally stored emails.

I suggest you take the time before you wish to start using an IPAD to try and understand the differences between POP3 & IMAP

[#12]

Thank you for your guidance; I will need to look into this in a bit more detail.  I  thought it would just be a matter of adding my account to the ipad but it seems not.  I will make a note to revisit when I get the Ipad.

[#13]

I'm having a further problem in that I keep getting the message please enter your user name and password.  It automatically pops up with my name and password with the remember me box checked but it won't download any emails and the please enter name and password box just keeps coming up every few seconds.   I've not made any changes to the settings.

[#14]

It's down again - the system is not fit for purpose.

[#15]

Thanks for letting me know, I thought it was something I've done.  This really doesn't bode well for the future, looking at all the issues people are having.  I don't understand why Plusnet stopped what was a valued and reliable service.