Emails no longer on server after reading on phone

[abenn]

I've been overseas for six weeks, picking up my emails on my HTC Desire using the stock email software. The emails disappear from my phone after 3 days, whether I read them or not (I know I can change that with one of the Download Options).

With my AOL account, when I've got home I've been able to review all my emails on my PC because they are still held on AOL's server; but with my other accounts, the emails I read on my phone are no longer on the server, so they're completely lost. I've got "Delete mail on server" switched "off" in the "Receive settings" for those accounts, so why are they not still on the server?

Are there any other settings I need to change, please? My AOL protocol is IMAP, and my other accounts (with Freenetname.com) are POP -- is that what makes the difference?

[Hook]

That setting should keep the email on the server for a pop account. I have never used the native email app in Android, so I don't really know what the problem might be. You might try a different client, like K-9 mail (free) and see if you get a different result.

Are these pop email accounts different accounts on the same server or different domains altogether? You might also need to check server side settings. In gmail, for pop, I also have a keep mail in inbox when downloaded setting.

[RickAgresta]

Also, some online email accounts will setup a special folder automatically (msn calls it pop folder), so maybe the messages are available, someplace you'd not normally look.

[jigwashere]

Contact your email provider(s) and see if they can give you some insight about what's happening.

[abenn]

Hook, my accounts are at my web site and the web site which I manage for a club I belong to(eg. "info@mywebsite", "abenn@mywebsite", etc.) which are both hosted by Freenetname.co.uk (now owned by Madasafish.com).

Rick, I've checked for a special folder, and can't find any. While doing that, I've just noticed that there's nothing saved in my account since November 2011, despite the fact I've received and sent many emails on my PC since that date. So maybe the ISP has changed their policy or settings at that date, such that nothing is saved after it's been read on my PC or phone. On my PC it's not an issue, since everything is saved in Outlook Express.

Jigwashere, yes I'll contact my provider. But checking here first is much more friendly ;-)

[lelisa13p]

Please update us when you know more. Best of luck.

[abenn]

Update: Madasafish have replied as follows, "We do not support Android I'm afraid, but I would suggest changing it from a POP3 setup to IMAP as that does not try to delete mail as standard, quite the opposite, it only mirrors live what is on the mail server so it relys on there being a copy elsewhere."

I've changed the setting on my phone to IMAP (I thought every email account had to be POP3 except for AOL, which is IMAP) and it still retrieves mail as before, but it still deletes it from the server when I delete it from the phone, or when it time-expires on the phone and deletes automatically!

Anyway, thinking about it a bit more, next time I'm travelling, and relying on my phone instead of my PC for email, I can avoid losing messages if I simply forward any important incoming mail to my AOL account, since I know that remains on the server after it's been read on my phone.

[Hook]

Something very strange is going on if you are losing emails with IMAP. Try K-9 mail (or any other email client) and see if you get the same thing.

[RickAgresta]

can you access your non-AOL email via a web browser? that might be another way forward.

[abenn]

Hook, I'm comfortable enough with the stock Android email software that I don't really want to install a new app. I'll simply forward any email I want to keep to my AOL account.

Rick, I can access my non-AOL mail via my web browser, but the Android email software is so simple, and automatic, that it's not really worth the hassle, so long as I can retain my emails by forwarding them.