Windows 7 is downloading old emails from old server

[bontiz]

Hello,
I have a new computer with windows 7. I am used Windows live mail, however all my older emails from other acct keep downloading, no to them, how can I stop this.

Bonnie

 

[Bolbi]

1) Are you trying to use the same email address you used with your old computer or a new email address?
2) Are you using the same email program as you did on your old computer?

 

[mhelm1]

Same thing happens to me I've got 3 computers. I'll read and delete mail on one of them. a few days later I get on my work laptop and I'll get the same messages I already deleted. I build a new computer, access my mail. Everything since I satrted my account. I just do mass deletions and try to use each computer at least once a month. A little scary though, e-mail deleted 2 years ago seems to never go away.
It might have something to do with keeping messages on the server.
Hopefull someone will anwser your question for us.
Bolbi, I used to use outlook now with win 7 I have to go direct to yahoo to access my mail.

 

[Bolbi]

Here's the problem I think you're both encountering:
1) You're using a protocol called POP3 to access your email messages.
2) Your email client (Outlook, Thunderbird, Windows Live Mail, etc.) is configured to leave old messages on the email server.
3) One computer comes along and downloads the mail, which is left on the server. Another computer is used to access the mail, which is then downloaded on that machine. The process repeats for each computer.
4) Because the email is now stored on each computer (and not on the internet server, as is the case if you use the webmail interface in your browser), deletions, sent items, etc. are not reflected across computers.

I suggest that you try one of the following:
1) Use the webmail interface to access your email within your browser.
2) Configure your email to use the IMAP protocol instead of POP3. IMAP will leave messages on the server and will sync all email data across computers. Note, however, that IMAP is not supported by every email provider.

 

[mhelm1]

I found my options tab for Yahoo/AT&T and under more options discovered it's only pop. So I continue as I have.

 

[MickyDee]

If you were using thunderbird you would just go into account settings and have it delete downloaded emails from the server I don't know where it is for other email programs. I have 4 email addresses and 6 computers and never get duplicates downloaded, as long as I have read it it's gone from the server (and I use a POP3 server)

 

[Bolbi]

If you were using thunderbird you would just go into account settings and have it delete downloaded emails from the server I don't know where it is for other email programs. I have 4 email addresses and 6 computers and never get duplicates downloaded, as long as I have read it it's gone from the server (and I use a POP3 server)

But all your POP mail is not on each computer, right? Only on the computer onto which it was first downloaded?

 

[Zoron]

If you keep messages on the server, those messages will be downloaded on the next client you open regardless of whether or not you delete them on another client. So long as they sit on the server, they will get downloaded to any client that accesses that server.

 

[Sandee9378]

Problem: I have a new computer with Windows 7 using Windows Live Mail. I get RANDOM duplicates of emails on the same computer, a couple days after the first one is sent. Not all email messages repeat, just a few here and there. Any suggestions?

 

[Davina]

I am having exactly the same problem. I wanted GMail as my default and eventually managed to do this through Windows Live Mail. However, every now and again it will download up to 2000 old emails. I went directly into my Gmail account and saw that, for some unknown reason, all my recent Inbox emails had disappeared completely! I went back to the Windows Live Mail and can only think that when I have deleted the old emails, it took away some of the recent ones showing on Gmail. Also, I cannot seem to find a "Delete All" button so I have been deleting the old messages one by one. Can anyone tell me how to delete a whole bunch of messages from Windows Live Mail all in one go?

Personally, I dislike Windows Live Mail. I have found it difficult to use and odd things keep happening!

Davina

 

[Zoron]

Simple... select multiple emails as you would select multiple files in explorer... using either Shift-click or CTRL-click. There is no "Delete All" button ANY email client... you'll only find that in Webmail applications.

Edit: I should say that you can empty your Junk and Deleted Items folder by right-clicking on them... there's just no delete all or empty folder option for your Inbox. You can also select Properties by right-clicking on the Inbox and look under the Synchronize tab. You should be able to tell it to sync new email only, which should prevent all your old email(s) from being downloaded.

 

[vincentwansink]

Same thing happens to me I've got 3 computers. I'll read and delete mail on one of them. a few days later I get on my work laptop and I'll get the same messages I already deleted. I build a new computer, access my mail. Everything since I satrted my account. I just do mass deletions and try to use each computer at least once a month. A little scary though, e-mail deleted 2 years ago seems to never go away.
It might have something to do with keeping messages on the server.
Hopefull someone will anwser your question for us.
Bolbi, I used to use outlook now with win 7 I have to go direct to yahoo to access my mail.

Upgrading to Windows 7 does not mean you can't use Outlook anymore. You can use whatever email client you want.

The emails are saved on the server unless you tell your email client not to do that.

The problem is, and I am experiencing the same thing, that the client seems to "forget" that it has already downloaded these emails once before. So when it hits the server it sees what it thinks are thousands of brand new emails and downloads them again.

It's a bug in the client. The only way to prevent it from downloading old emails again is to change your settings to not save copies on the server, but then that is a problem if you want to be able to download them again on another computer or on your mobile device.

The best solution is probably to keep copies on the server for only 1 day. That way both your home computer and your mobile device will have an opportunity to download the same emails before they are deleted permanently.