After ios9 update my emails with attachments won't open and say "message not yet downloaded from server". They were there previously. How do I get them back?

This testing regimen is as thorough as I've ever seen. Something tells me there is a Sherlock Holmes element in your lineage ;-)

The testing keeps taking you back to the iCloud server. Surprise, surprise, surprise in the words of the venerable Gomer Pyle USMC.

Just normal testing in the analysis and IT land I come from.

Only on the last test did I use an iCloud email and the sync issue was only after I'd actually finished testing, so I'm ignoring that - other 3 accounts used have nothing to do with iCloud. With the sheer volume of test mails I used, I expected something to throw its toys out, just a pity the first one to do so was iCloud.

Gomer Pyle USMC. American TV comedy right? I'll check it out.

Meanwhile, I'm going to move my woes to a nee thread and stop hogging this one. Feel somewhat guilty.

Right you are. Do check it out.

I agree. this isnt a hardware problem. Hardware problems normally do not manipulate data in this way. But your Ipad may still need to go back to apple as the kind of reset I think it requires, cant be done by users. My guess is that there is basic data corruption. For example I imagine that somehow data on your ipad has been set with flags like : 'not read' or 'read but not deleted' , etc. Something along those lines. I really think its a data corruption problem. the software is doing its job in handling the data according to the status its in.

The kind of issue you would normally do a format hard disk for, when all else fails.

whatever tests you do now will not only confirm the software/data problem but will probably also screw it up further.

If it was me, I wouldnt care at this stage exactly what the problem is. I would focus on getting Apple to take the thing back and replace OR do a factory re-initialise.

whatever the problem, it really *****.

As cusance suggested you should just let Apple deal with this and I would press for a new device as a replacement. FYI my daughter very recently went to an Apple Store with her iPad still under warranty and not behaving as it should. They saw the issue and with no attempt to diagnose or repair they took the device back and gave her a new iPad. That may be the more cost effective way in a retail store environment especially getting into holiday season.

@Rontu2 and @cusance,

thanks for the advice.

Just an brief update, I haven't done anymore testing. However, I can report that another user who was also posting on this thread many pages ago, also reports they have experienced the same problem, subsequently they reset the device and email account. I wait to hear more news. I think it's just a matter of time.

Thanks for the update. It's interesting that you came across another user with the same problem, very interesting. I do hope this indicates there is a beam of light at the end of this tunnel ;-)

I Was able to download my email content by going to Settings / Mail, Contacts / turn off the iCloud Drive to not allow apps to store

documents and and data in iCloud. After I did this my email showed all the content.

Hope this helps.

Since updating to 9.2, all mail boxes continue to operate as I would hope, under every scenario I can think of. I just hope that Apple do not take the chance to stuff it all up gain with the next release, the Beta of which is already out there. Having said that, I hope that the next release fixes once and for all, the lingering pain the some users seem to be suffering. Merry Christmas everyone!

Since updating to 9.2, all mail boxes continue to operate as I would hope, under every scenario I can think of. I just hope that Apple do not take the chance to stuff it all up gain with the next release, the Beta of which is already out there. Having said that, I hope that the next release fixes once and for all, the lingering pain the some users seem to be suffering. Merry Christmas everyone!

Hi av4u001

If you get a chance I was wondering whether you could test the following....

1) Ensure you have at least one POP email account set up on your device.

2) Create a new email (Subject: "Test" and body: "This is a test email") and send it to one of the POP email accounts configured on your device.

3) Check your inbox one minute later and observe the email arrives.

4) Either left-drag on the email to immediately send it to the trash bin OR click on the email to read it (it displays correctly at this stage) and then hit the trash bin icon to send it to the trash bin.

5) Select the Trash Bin and observe the email you have just deleted. It should have the correct subject text but what does it display for the email body text? It should read "This is a test email".

Does it read "This message has no content" instead?

If it reads "This is a test email" then you aren't seeing the problems that several others including myself are experiencing here.

Otherwise read on.

6) Still in the Trash Bin, click on the email.

What does the body text read?

Obviously it should read "This is a test email" but does it instead display "This message has not been downloaded from the server"?

7) Click the folder icon (move email) followed by the sent icon (to move the email to your sent box). I realise that this will rarely be desired but it should still work correctly however.

8) Select your sent box.

Is the email sitting in your sent box or has it now completely disappeared from your device (not in your sent box and no longer in your trash bin)?

I can demonstrate these issues with 100% success rate so anytime apple feel like addressing the on-going problems with their awful mail app, bring it on.

Hi vwgolfman.

I tried everything you suggested and got through to point 5 with no issues. The message appears as it should in Sent and Trash, and also appeared as it should in my Inbox along the way. I have a couple of POP accounts so I sent the email from one account to another, not just from and to the same account.. Everything appears to be working OK since 9.2 and I am very sorry to read that this is not the case for some others. i share you pain and frustration. Along the way I have lost important material, all of which is irretreivable. I just hope they do not stuff things up again in future iOS updates.

Hi again vwgolfman. Sincere apologies, I spoke too soon! I sent the original emails from my iMac and from there all appeared OK. However, when I checked my iPad (as I should have done in the first place (Duh!), the email came in OK. However, when I then moved the email to trash , the body of the email read 'this message has no content'. When I then moved it over to Sent as you suggested, it was still there, but with the same message. I should point out though that before I opened the email on my iPad, it had subsequently been deleted from the server by my iMac. I can also tell you though, that this message is the only message to behave this way in Trash. Everything else I have trashed recently is still in trash and fully visible. In fact, this is the first time this message has appeared for me since 9.2. In my normal day to day activities, everything is OK, in all folders

I feel your pain. I'm both happy and sad to report that I don't share your particular issue. My own issue is weird enough.

LIke you said though, bring it on. Its way past time to accept that Mail in IOS9&+ is shall I put it... far less than perfect. Maybe its time to cut losses and give us back Mail from 8.4. Just saying.

Enjoy the holidays.