Problem downloading large volume of emails with pop from gmail (thunderbird client)

LolaRennt · 12-04-08, 12:02 PM

Hi all,

Question regarding POP3 on gmail, and using Thunderbird as a client. My problem appears to be that Thunderbird does not want to download all emails. Here are the details:

I have 3 gmail accounts:
Account 1: actual gmail account, about 1,500 messages
Account 2: gmail account within Google Apps environment, about 35,000 messages
Account 3: also gmail account within Google Apps environment 25,000 messages

What I would like to do is setting up Thunderbird to download all messages to a local computer using POP3 (leaving a copy of the message on the server though). All connections etc to the gmail servers work, but not all messages get downloaded.

When I click on "get mail" the first time, it will grab something like 300 messages from each account. WHen I click again, it will grab the next 250. Clicking again, then 200 will come, and the number of messages "grabbed" per click decreases to literally 1.

So, for account 2 for instance, I have downloaded about 10,000 messages, and it will grab exactly 1 message per time I click on "get mail".

To top things off, the automatic mail check does not work. I set up Thunderbird to check the accounts every 2 minutes. So, I was thinking it will download one message every 2 minutes. Nope, it's not even doing this. I manually have to click on "get mail", which I now need to to about 20,000 times more. Needless to say, that is not a good way of working.

What am I doing wrong? Does anybody have experience with using a similar volume of emails, using pop with gmail?

Oh yes, before I forget. Account 1 has about 1,500 messages, and I downloaded about 200 of them, and Thunderbird does not want to download any more messages for that account, no matter what I do. I tried rebuilding the Index in Thunderbird, that did not solve the problem either.

Thanks!

Dr Mabuse · 12-04-08, 12:38 PM

There is tons of info on Thunderbird and Gmail on the web, and maybe someone here has specific information.

But in a more general sense, that's enough of a 'big time' usage situation to stress and break Windows components, which if the OS is a year or older they were already in a questionable state. That's a LOT of sockets and TCP/IP SMTP related stuff going on in high volume email transfers.

Thunderbird is going to need a solid OS and Sockets Manager to ride on to handle that type of high volume stuff.

I would so the following before even getting specific on Thunderbird and Gmail:

Run a repair.

You don't mention the OS So I'll assume it's XP SP2 or later.

Disable active anti virus scanning first, right click over the icon down by the clock in the lower right of the desktop and choose to disable the anti virus..

Go to start>run, clear out anything in the text box, type 'cmd' (no quotes) and click 'ok'. This will open DOS, or the command line.

Type 'sfc /scannow' (with no quotes) this command runs the most complete check and repair of IE and windows possible, including all internet and network related stuff, and does a protected file scan for corruption or malfeasance.

If it prompts you for the windows XP CD, you have significant OS corruption, insert the CD and repair. Thunderbird may not be the problem.

Reboot.

Then run a complete reset of all tcp/ip and socket management on the OS.

Go to start>run, 'cmd' should still be in the text box, if not type it again, click 'ok' This will again open DOS or mean the 'command line'.

Type:

netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt (enter)
netsh winsock reset (enter)

The first command if entered correctly gives NO feedback it simply moves to a new line. Then type the second line.
The 'winsock' command if entered correctly will tell you to reboot, do so.

Test email.

LolaRennt · 12-04-08, 06:24 PM

Hi Dr.,

Well, it's official. I am an idiot. But really only because Google allows me to be one.

I solved the mystery. I did not have POP enabled for any of those accounts. I have now enabled it, and all mail is happily being downloaded. Surprising though that I did get some email through POP, despite it not being enabled.

Thanks for your suggestions. I actually had reset my tcp/ip stack already, but I like knowing those commands for fixing the OS (Shittyp sp2 as you correctly guessed).

12-04-08, 12:02 PM	#1
LolaRennt Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 584	Problem downloading large volume of emails with pop from gmail (thunderbird client) Hi all, Question regarding POP3 on gmail, and using Thunderbird as a client. My problem appears to be that Thunderbird does not want to download all emails. Here are the details: I have 3 gmail accounts: Account 1: actual gmail account, about 1,500 messages Account 2: gmail account within Google Apps environment, about 35,000 messages Account 3: also gmail account within Google Apps environment 25,000 messages What I would like to do is setting up Thunderbird to download all messages to a local computer using POP3 (leaving a copy of the message on the server though). All connections etc to the gmail servers work, but not all messages get downloaded. When I click on "get mail" the first time, it will grab something like 300 messages from each account. WHen I click again, it will grab the next 250. Clicking again, then 200 will come, and the number of messages "grabbed" per click decreases to literally 1. So, for account 2 for instance, I have downloaded about 10,000 messages, and it will grab exactly 1 message per time I click on "get mail". To top things off, the automatic mail check does not work. I set up Thunderbird to check the accounts every 2 minutes. So, I was thinking it will download one message every 2 minutes. Nope, it's not even doing this. I manually have to click on "get mail", which I now need to to about 20,000 times more. Needless to say, that is not a good way of working. What am I doing wrong? Does anybody have experience with using a similar volume of emails, using pop with gmail? Oh yes, before I forget. Account 1 has about 1,500 messages, and I downloaded about 200 of them, and Thunderbird does not want to download any more messages for that account, no matter what I do. I tried rebuilding the Index in Thunderbird, that did not solve the problem either. Thanks! __________________ Der Ball ist rund.

12-04-08, 12:38 PM	#2
Dr Mabuse DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: 75 clicks above the Do Lung bridge... Posts: 8,737	There is tons of info on Thunderbird and Gmail on the web, and maybe someone here has specific information. But in a more general sense, that's enough of a 'big time' usage situation to stress and break Windows components, which if the OS is a year or older they were already in a questionable state. That's a LOT of sockets and TCP/IP SMTP related stuff going on in high volume email transfers. Thunderbird is going to need a solid OS and Sockets Manager to ride on to handle that type of high volume stuff. I would so the following before even getting specific on Thunderbird and Gmail: Run a repair. You don't mention the OS So I'll assume it's XP SP2 or later. Disable active anti virus scanning first, right click over the icon down by the clock in the lower right of the desktop and choose to disable the anti virus.. Go to start>run, clear out anything in the text box, type 'cmd' (no quotes) and click 'ok'. This will open DOS, or the command line. Type 'sfc /scannow' (with no quotes) this command runs the most complete check and repair of IE and windows possible, including all internet and network related stuff, and does a protected file scan for corruption or malfeasance. If it prompts you for the windows XP CD, you have significant OS corruption, insert the CD and repair. Thunderbird may not be the problem. Reboot. Then run a complete reset of all tcp/ip and socket management on the OS. Go to start>run, 'cmd' should still be in the text box, if not type it again, click 'ok' This will again open DOS or mean the 'command line'. Type: netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt (enter) netsh winsock reset (enter) The first command if entered correctly gives NO feedback it simply moves to a new line. Then type the second line. The 'winsock' command if entered correctly will tell you to reboot, do so. Test email. __________________ "Mankind have a great aversion to intellectual labor; but even supposing knowledge to be easily attainable, more people would be content to be ignorant than would take even a little trouble to acquire it." - Samuel Johnson "Most people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do." - Bertrand Russell

12-04-08, 06:24 PM	#3
LolaRennt Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 584	Hi Dr., Well, it's official. I am an idiot. But really only because Google allows me to be one. I solved the mystery. I did not have POP enabled for any of those accounts. I have now enabled it, and all mail is happily being downloaded. Surprising though that I did get some email through POP, despite it not being enabled. Thanks for your suggestions. I actually had reset my tcp/ip stack already, but I like knowing those commands for fixing the OS (Shittyp sp2 as you correctly guessed). __________________ Der Ball ist rund.