Mail account settings keeps getting reset to old values

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Level 1

8 points

Mail account settings keeps getting reset to old values

When I try to change mail account configurations setting, f.i. changing port number, SSL checkbox or username, OSX keeps resetting my entries to the old values. This happens 'live' while I try to change things. Sometimes even during typing a username, my entry is reset to the old username.

I takes multiple tries until finally my changes are not changed back to the old values and I can hit the save button.

I've tried removing all accounts and recreating the accounts. This helps for some time, but then the problem comes back again.

MacBook Pro 13", macOS 10.15

Posted on Mar 8, 2020 1:35 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Mar 8, 2020 8:58 AM in response to aikifan

Have you done this yet?

Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at startup), does the problem occur in Safe Mode?

Safe mode attempts to repair Disks & clears lots of caches, so if Safe Mode works try again in regular boot.

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Apr 7, 2020 3:53 PM in response to chappel

You can save us asking dozens of questions by submitting a report...

EtreCheck is a simple little app to display the important details of your system configuration and allow you to copy that information to the Clipboard. It is meant to be used with Apple Support Communities to help people help you with your Mac.

http://www.etresoft.com/etrecheck

Pastebin is a good place to paste the whole report...

https://pastebin.com/

Or use the paperclip at the bottom of a Reply to attach the full report here. :)

Workable but harder for me to work with...the Note tool on the bottom of this editor's toolbar, as shown in the image, to copy and paste the output from EtreCheck.

There is also free Malwarebytes which may take care of it...

https://www.malwarebytes.com/mac/

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Answer 3

aikifan Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 16, 2020 9:08 AM in response to BDAqua

The outgoing mail account setting was emptied for all emailaccounts, though a SMTP server setting was created earlier for each email account. The SMTP server setting were still available within the SMTP server list, so they were not deleted or so.

When trying to change the SMTP server setting back to one of the list, Mail changed the setting back to <emtpy>. After repeating this for 4 or 5 attempts, the change was finally accepted.

This was the same kind of behaviour I had before, when editing a setting within the SMTP server definitions. Clearing my changes during entry. Also I had this behaviour before when these was a SMTP server assigned to an email account, and I tried to change the assigned SMTP server to another one from the SMPT Server list. Also there it took about 5 tries.

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Answer 4

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Mar 11, 2020 11:36 AM in response to aikifan

Ok, some progress... in Mail>PrefsAccount>that account>Server Settings>Outgoing Mail Account, what does that say?

Then click on that, choose edit SMTP Server list... any clues there?

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Answer 5

chappel

Level 1

8 points

Apr 6, 2020 10:03 PM in response to BDAqua

I also have the same issue and while Safe Mode does seem to allow the changes to occur, it takes around 5 minutes to affect the change. And I do not have dial-up either!

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Answer 6

aikifan Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 11, 2020 11:26 AM in response to BDAqua

In safemode the problem was fixed partially. Changing SMTP settings worked now, but when assigning a different SMTP server to an existing email account the same problem occurred. Constantly resetting the SMTP server assignment to the old value. Still massive improvement though. Now I have a working mail application again. Thanks!

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