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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Recovering Old Email (Mac mail / AOL)
lerookie97 - Apr 21, 2006 - 11:58 pm
Hi there,
I just recently started using Mac mail (I have a OSX 10.4.5 laptop) and noticed that my INBOX messages started disappearing and I haven't been able to find them anywhere (they are not in the trash). I have three AOL accounts being imported into my Mac mail. I really want to know if there's any way to recover those old messages b/c I need them. Do I constantly need to mark them as unread if I want to store them or move them into saved mail?
Is this problem occuring because I'm importing AOL accounts? When using AOL, once you've read a message, if you don't "Keep as New" it goes directly to your "Old Mail" folder then after a day or so it disappears (but it doesn't go to deleted mail or trash). So is that why these messages are disappearing? It was confusing because in Mac mail the messages don't go to any other folder once they're read so I thought they were safe. This is very upsetting an I hope someone can help me recover them and answer some of my questions.
Thank you,
Karla
I just recently started using Mac mail (I have a OSX 10.4.5 laptop) and noticed that my INBOX messages started disappearing and I haven't been able to find them anywhere (they are not in the trash). I have three AOL accounts being imported into my Mac mail. I really want to know if there's any way to recover those old messages b/c I need them. Do I constantly need to mark them as unread if I want to store them or move them into saved mail?
Is this problem occuring because I'm importing AOL accounts? When using AOL, once you've read a message, if you don't "Keep as New" it goes directly to your "Old Mail" folder then after a day or so it disappears (but it doesn't go to deleted mail or trash). So is that why these messages are disappearing? It was confusing because in Mac mail the messages don't go to any other folder once they're read so I thought they were safe. This is very upsetting an I hope someone can help me recover them and answer some of my questions.
Thank you,
Karla
earthsaver - Apr 23, 2006 - 1:40 pm
AOL archives email older than seven days. When you view AOL accounts in Mail, Mail has no ability to see the archive mailbox location, which AOL calls Old Mail. Therefore, you should move any email outside your AOL inbox if you want to keep it beyond a week.
Easiest is to just create a new local mailbox folder (On My Mac) and move the email there. Even easier, though, is to transition away from AOL and use other email accounts that won't lead you into such a bind.
- Ben
Easiest is to just create a new local mailbox folder (On My Mac) and move the email there. Even easier, though, is to transition away from AOL and use other email accounts that won't lead you into such a bind.
- Ben
lerookie97 - Apr 23, 2006 - 2:00 pm
Hi Ben, Thank you so much for your response. That is what I am beginning to see - I think I'm going to need to get a new account outside of AOL. It's just a pain in the ass to tell everyone you got a new email acct! So I guess those old emails are lost forever? That STINKS!!!!! I wish there was some warning in advance somewhere!!
lerookie97 - Apr 23, 2006 - 2:02 pm
One more thing. So you're saying if I were to create an account on yahoo or gmail then they will stay in my inbox on Mac Mail unless I delete them myself? Also, yesterday I deleted an email and my settings say to move deleted mail to the trash but it's not there and is no where to be found. Any ideas? Thanks again!!
earthsaver - Apr 23, 2006 - 3:49 pm
I'm not sure the emails are lost forever. You might be able to retrieve them by opening AOL and trying to find them from within. The process of switching to a new email address is not terribly difficult if you've kept a good address book. I would move as follows:
1. Email all of your contacts to inform them of your new address. Either send the message from your new account or set the new account as the Reply-To address. You might choose the latter if you're worried about your message being marked as junk in recipients' inboxes.
2. Change your registered email address on all Web-based accounts (e.g., Amazon.com).
3. Start sending email using your new address. Depending on how much email you send and receive, you might feel comfortable closing your AOL account after a month or so.
As for new providers, I suggest against Yahoo!, because it still forces you to pay for the ability to access email using a client application, such as Mail. Gmail I prefer to Yahoo!, however it doesn't delete email from the server that you delete locally. Though you'd have no shortage of storage space (over 2.5GB these days), this may work in your favor or it might not.
If you want to keep your inbox clean and not hold onto old messages, you'll have to login into Gmail on the Web and delete messages manually. Or you can just ignore the Web side altogether as Mail will only download each message once.
If you want something in between Gmail (free) and .Mac ($100/year), I recommend Spymac Club ($25/year) via spymac.com.
1. Email all of your contacts to inform them of your new address. Either send the message from your new account or set the new account as the Reply-To address. You might choose the latter if you're worried about your message being marked as junk in recipients' inboxes.
2. Change your registered email address on all Web-based accounts (e.g., Amazon.com).
3. Start sending email using your new address. Depending on how much email you send and receive, you might feel comfortable closing your AOL account after a month or so.
As for new providers, I suggest against Yahoo!, because it still forces you to pay for the ability to access email using a client application, such as Mail. Gmail I prefer to Yahoo!, however it doesn't delete email from the server that you delete locally. Though you'd have no shortage of storage space (over 2.5GB these days), this may work in your favor or it might not.
If you want to keep your inbox clean and not hold onto old messages, you'll have to login into Gmail on the Web and delete messages manually. Or you can just ignore the Web side altogether as Mail will only download each message once.
If you want something in between Gmail (free) and .Mac ($100/year), I recommend Spymac Club ($25/year) via spymac.com.
lerookie97 - Apr 23, 2006 - 5:07 pm
Wow. You're very thorough and helpful! Thanks 
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