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Can't download email from a specific POP server

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  • Last reply by coffent

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I have several POP Mail Server accounts from which I download emails to Thunderbird, including two accounts with Gmail and two with Zoho. I have them configured the same way on both a desktop and a laptop computer.

Up until Sept. 26 all were working fine. After that date, however, I've been unable to download mail from Zoho on either computer, even though I still can download from Gmail. Strangely, I get an error message when I try to download using the desktop computer, but don't get one with the laptop. In neither case, though, will the Zoho email download. The error message, titled "Error with account Zoho_cof", says:

"Unable to write the email to the mailbox. Make sure the file system allows you write privileges, and you have enough disk space to copy the mailbox."

I have plenty of disk space on both computers and have not changed write privileges.

Since the problem is restricted to Zoho and occurred simultaneously on both computers, I thought the problem lay with Zoho. They, however, claim that the problem lies with Thunderbird.

I've attached screenshots of the configuration page for one Zoho account (which stopped working) and for comparison one Gmail account (which continues to work).

I've run Thunderbird in Troubleshoot mode and still get the problem. Can anyone offer a suggestion as to what to do? Thanks!

I have several POP Mail Server accounts from which I download emails to Thunderbird, including two accounts with Gmail and two with Zoho. I have them configured the same way on both a desktop and a laptop computer. Up until Sept. 26 all were working fine. After that date, however, I've been unable to download mail from Zoho on either computer, even though I still can download from Gmail. Strangely, I get an error message when I try to download using the desktop computer, but don't get one with the laptop. In neither case, though, will the Zoho email download. The error message, titled "Error with account Zoho_cof", says: "Unable to write the email to the mailbox. Make sure the file system allows you write privileges, and you have enough disk space to copy the mailbox." I have plenty of disk space on both computers and have not changed write privileges. Since the problem is restricted to Zoho and occurred simultaneously on both computers, I thought the problem lay with Zoho. They, however, claim that the problem lies with Thunderbird. I've attached screenshots of the configuration page for one Zoho account (which stopped working) and for comparison one Gmail account (which continues to work). I've run Thunderbird in Troubleshoot mode and still get the problem. Can anyone offer a suggestion as to what to do? Thanks!
Attached screenshots

Chosen solution

I believe everything is working now, but unfortunately I have no idea why.

As I mentioned, after disabling Avast on my desktop as you suggested I could download new messages. However I can continue to download new messages now even with Avast active. Was it just coincidence that Avast was scanning the Profile folder for over 2 weeks and then stopped doing so yesterday?

Disabling Avast on my laptop did *not* fix the problem. I finally copied the Thunderbird Profile and Addresses folders as well as the folder where email messages are stored from my desktop to my laptop and now the laptop version of Thunderbird downloads new messages.

So the problem is fixed, but I don't know what caused it. Thanks again for your suggestion, which I can only assume somehow fixed the problem.

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I suggest you create an exclusion in your antivirus program to prevent it scanning in the Thunderbird profile folder while the application is running. When a file to be updated is locked, the error looks much like a lack of space

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Yes! I disabled Avast and when I checked for messages Thunderbird downloaded a gazillion or two messages dating back to Sept. 26.

Problem solved - almost. When I did the same thing on my laptop, stopping Avast didn't help. Once again it downloaded nothing from my Zoho account and once again I did not get a lack of disk space error notice.

I don't know why this should be. I'll do some more checking tomorrow. In the meantime thanks for your very helpful suggestion!

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Chosen Solution

I believe everything is working now, but unfortunately I have no idea why.

As I mentioned, after disabling Avast on my desktop as you suggested I could download new messages. However I can continue to download new messages now even with Avast active. Was it just coincidence that Avast was scanning the Profile folder for over 2 weeks and then stopped doing so yesterday?

Disabling Avast on my laptop did *not* fix the problem. I finally copied the Thunderbird Profile and Addresses folders as well as the folder where email messages are stored from my desktop to my laptop and now the laptop version of Thunderbird downloads new messages.

So the problem is fixed, but I don't know what caused it. Thanks again for your suggestion, which I can only assume somehow fixed the problem.

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