EMails going AWOL

[aitch]

I recently started to use my normal Yahoo address through Windows Mail with
no problems.(Mainly because it gives me easier access to Groups like this
incidentally).
My machine had accumulated a few niggling little problems so I used the
Packard Bell recovery disc to go back to zero to clear everything and start
afresh. Again no problems with that.
When I went back after the successful restart to Windows Mail and set it up
again I find that I can send and receive properly but all the emails that
were in the boxes before the recovery are not there - everything I had sent
and received over the last few weeks since I switched to WM. It is a
completely empty apart from the brand new stuff of the last two days.
I have checked in the original Yahoo account - still open - but only older
messages are there, the ones from before I started to use WM.
So have apparently lost all my current message, inevitably the ones that
matter most. Can anyone with a good nose or a bloodhound please tell me where
they might be?
There's a few cans of Special Munchies in it for the dog, by the way.

Thanks in advance.

Aitch.

 

[Charlie Tame]

I recently started to use my normal Yahoo address through Windows Mail with
no problems.(Mainly because it gives me easier access to Groups like this
incidentally).
My machine had accumulated a few niggling little problems so I used the
Packard Bell recovery disc to go back to zero to clear everything and start
afresh. Again no problems with that.
When I went back after the successful restart to Windows Mail and set it up
again I find that I can send and receive properly but all the emails that
were in the boxes before the recovery are not there - everything I had sent
and received over the last few weeks since I switched to WM. It is a
completely empty apart from the brand new stuff of the last two days.
I have checked in the original Yahoo account - still open - but only older
messages are there, the ones from before I started to use WM.
So have apparently lost all my current message, inevitably the ones that
matter most. Can anyone with a good nose or a bloodhound please tell me where
they might be?
There's a few cans of Special Munchies in it for the dog, by the way.

Thanks in advance.

Aitch.

Tools>accounts>click account name>properties>advanced.

You should see an option to leave copy on server for X days or until I
delete...

Safest is until I delete as long as you remember that your mailbox will
eventually fill up if you never delete messages.

If that was not checked originally when you set up WM then the server
will have sent your messages to you and then deleted it's copy as son as
it was happy you had received them.

Sorry but this likely means they are gone for good.

Using an OEM restore system formats the drives, so unfortunately there
is no way to get anything back locally.

 

[aitch]

Hello Charlie,

Thanks for the very prompt reply. It looks as if you're right. I followed
the leads and found that the boxes you sent me to were unchecked, so there
was no instruction to save. I have now taken the option that will "Remove
from Server when deleted from 'Deleted Items.' It look a bit like shutting
the gate after the horse has bolted, I'm afraid.

At least now I know what has happened. We all do silly things at times,
don't we?

All the best,

Aitch

 

[Charlie Tame]

Well see if anyone knows whether Yahoo can recover messages for you, but
I doubt it to be honest.

And no it is not something you did that is "Silly", I think it is just
one of those options where it's hard for MS to set the safest default.
Some mail providers impose strict mailbox size limits and so setting it
that way by default would cause users to lose mail from full boxes, and
setting some arbitrary time limit depends for that reason on how much
spam you get.

Some users keep stuff in the deleted items folders forever, not a good
idea but they do it anyway. So for them the option you have chosen would
eventually cause the overflow. The good thing about that option is if
you get another machine you incoming mail is available to both if you
set them both that way.