IMAP - is the email LOST?

I was using a new piece of software (new to me anyway). I clicked a wrong button, and POOF! An email was deleted.

Since the account was set up for IMAP - it was never really on my computer, right?

Any hope of finding that email somewhere on my dreamhost server? Oh please say it's there!!!

Jalpuna! - personal blog
this is the box - radio blog
robsdemo - self explanatory :)

IMAP email is synchronized between your server-based account and local inbox. The good thing about IMAP is that whatever you read from home, can be read for work too. The bad thing about IMAP is that whatever you delete from home is gone for good and will never be viewed from work (or anywhere else) ever again. Though, there is hope. You may have just experienced a momentary server lapse rather than losing everything. If that is the case, the first place to check would be your webmail. If there's nothing there, then everything is unfortunately gone for good.

Well then, it's gone. Sigh. And I'm done with IMAP. I've switched back to POP.

Jalpuna! - personal blog
this is the box - radio blog
robsdemo - self explanatory :)

If the mail was there long enough, it should be recoverable in the .snapshot (hidden) directory.

https://panel.dreamhost.com/kbase/index.cgi?area=2585

Mark

Note that IMAP clients typically default to not actually permanently deleting an email message until you tell it to by issuing the 'Expunge' command. Most of the time the message is moved to a folder on the server (Trash or Deleted Messages or something) or marked for deletion (and can be undeleted).

I suspect your message is not completely gone and is still on the server in either a Trash mail folder or marked for deletion and ready to be undeleted.

POP is actually more destructive because there is only one copy of the message ever and if you delete it, there is no likely to not be a backup on the server. It is simpler to understand and use however and many people prefer it.

- Dallas
- DreamHost Head Honcho/Founder