I have a POP account set up in Mail, has been that way for years. Today it isn't working.

Question

Level 1

7 points

I have a POP account set up in Mail, has been that way for years. Today it isn't working.

I have a POP email account that's been set up in Mail for years. Today it won't send or retrieve email, continually asks for my password but doesn't keep it. My iCloud email is fine. According to an Apple Support document, "Mail: Troubleshooting sending & receiving email" (http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3276), it appears as if it's a problem with my email provider. I've spoken to the email provider and they say it's not a problem on their end. I can log into my email account using the provider's webmail and all is fine there. And, since I'm still receiving my email on my iPad & iPhone, I'm not entirely convinced it is a problem with the email provider.

When I go into Mail Preferences, my password shows blank (even when I re-enter it) and it shows my Outgoing Mail Server as Offline. When I choose Edit SMTP server list and click on the Advanced tab, my password is missing here as well. Re-entering it doesn't help.

I've tried Take All Accounts Offline then Take All Accounts Online and that doesn't work. I would delete the account and set it up again, but I get a warning message that if I delete the account, I lose everything in the account; folders, email, filters, etc. I can't afford to lose the existing emails.

I'm using Mountain Lion 10.8.2 and Mail 6.2; I believe they are both the most recent versions.

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion

Posted on Nov 20, 2012 2:11 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Nov 20, 2012 2:43 PM in response to srlanza

Who's email is this, POP accounts are not iCloud (@me, @icloud etc)

Reply

Answer 2

srlanza Author

Level 1

7 points

Nov 20, 2012 3:01 PM in response to Csound1

I know POP accounts are not iCloud. Sending and receiving iCloud email in Mail is fine, my "other" email is not. I was merely differentiating between the accounts in Mail; that one was working and the other was not. My email service provider is Network Solutions.

Reply

Answer 3

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Nov 20, 2012 3:03 PM in response to srlanza

Check the settings with NetSol tech support and ensure that you have them correct. As for losing mail if remake the account why don't you archive the mailboxes now (if you don't have a backup you should do this anyhow)

Reply

Answer 4

srlanza Author

Level 1

7 points

Nov 20, 2012 3:33 PM in response to Csound1

I checked the settings with Network Solutions and they are correct. As to archiving, is it possible to turn everything into one big archive or does each folder and subfolder need to be archived individually? I've looked at the documentation and I get the impression that everything is archived separately. Also I couldn't find a mention as to whether it's possible to archive or some how save all of my filters.

I use Time Machine as my general backup. I back up all the Mail files every couple weeks (on a flash drive) but now I've learned, the hard way, that's not often enough.

Thank you.

Reply

Answer 5

srlanza Author

Level 1

7 points

Nov 20, 2012 3:51 PM in response to srlanza

I've also used Disk Utility to verify the disk and to verify disk permissions and no problems showed up.

I thought about restoring the Mail files from my Time Machine backup but was concerned about a couple things.

1. If I restored the files from Time Machine, wouldn't I lose any email I received after the time of the backup and before the email account failed?

2. Which files should or shouldn't be restored?

Thank you.

Reply

Answer 6

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Nov 20, 2012 3:52 PM in response to srlanza

Right click on each mailbox you wish to archive (singly) and choose Export, choose a location and you get a single file containing that mailbox.

Reply

Answer 7

srlanza Author

Level 1

7 points

Nov 20, 2012 3:55 PM in response to Csound1

Any way to save my filters?

Reply

Answer 8

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Nov 20, 2012 4:03 PM in response to srlanza

Don't think so unfortunately.

Why not make your filters on NetSols server, then you never have to remake them?

Reply

Answer 9

srlanza Author

Level 1

7 points

Nov 20, 2012 4:31 PM in response to Csound1

I've thought about that. But if I do that, they'll be filtered in my webmail but I'm pretty sure the messages would all come into Mail in the Inbox, so I'd have to move them around in Mail. I prefer to use Mail as I don't like the webmail interface. I generally only use it when traveling or other times I'm away from my Mac.

Reply

Answer 10

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Nov 20, 2012 4:35 PM in response to srlanza

srlanza wrote:

I've thought about that. But if I do that, they'll be filtered in my webmail but I'm pretty sure the messages would all come into Mail in the Inbox, so I'd have to move them around in Mail. I prefer to use Mail as I don't like the webmail interface. I generally only use it when traveling or other times I'm away from my Mac.

Ah yes, it's a POP system, so nothing is the same. But if you don't archive them somehow they are always at risk.

Reply

Answer 11

srlanza Author

Level 1

7 points

Nov 20, 2012 5:07 PM in response to Csound1

Well, if I don't receive any other info about how to "fix" the problem in Mail, I'll go ahead and archive the folders, delete the account, and re-add the account.

Thanks very much.

Reply

Answer 12

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Nov 20, 2012 5:11 PM in response to srlanza

srlanza wrote:

Well, if I don't receive any other info about how to "fix" the problem in Mail, I'll go ahead and archive the folders, delete the account, and re-add the account.

Thanks very much.

Do you already have another copy of your mail in a backup or are you relying on Mail only?

Reply

Answer 13

srlanza Author

Level 1

7 points

Nov 20, 2012 5:38 PM in response to Csound1

No, I'm relying on Mail, with my occasional back up of the Mail files. I recently looked into switching my POP account to an IMAP, but I was talked out of it.

Reply

Answer 14

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Nov 20, 2012 5:41 PM in response to srlanza

Then you need to backup your mail more than occasionally, all your eggs are in 1 basket and things go wrong even with good intentions. The same applies to an Imap server unless you are OK with relying on someone else to safeguard your files.

A clone that can be incremented is my first choice, using Carbon Copy Cloner.

I would have talked you in to an Imap account, POP is antedeluvian.

Reply

Answer 15

srlanza Author

Level 1

7 points

Nov 20, 2012 5:56 PM in response to Csound1

That was my understanding of POP which is why I looked into IMAP. Everyone I spoke with agreed that POP was "old" but didn't feel it was worth the trouble of switching. Sort of an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

If I were to make a clone, would I need to clone the whole drive or could I clone only the Mail files?

Reply