Fredbargate

My ISP is shortly going to stop hosting emails. gibraltar.gi
My account is IMAP.
After the ISP ceases to host will there still be a copy of my emails on my PC that I can access into the future?

Chatter Static

You would be better archiving them to PDF and burning them to a disk for longevity.

Fredbargate

Thanks
Unfortunately I have no idea how to do as you sugest
I am using Thunderbird.

BuckinghamshireBoy

There is an Export/Import add-on available for Thunderbird, but I have never used it, so have no idea if it would do what you need.

Thunderbird allows you to create a new local (on-disk) subfolder. Having set that up you could create subfolders below that to match your existing structure, and copy mails over from the IMAP source to the new local target.

It's not a very elegant solution, I suppose it depends on the number of folders in your IMAP account.

Fredbargate

Thanks
What I am finding is there is conflicting information.as to where the emails are stored, POP is suposed to download to the PC whilst IMAP is suposed to leave them on the server which of couse I will shortly have no access to.
However if I unplug my PC from the internet I can still access my emails on my PC?
I have three machines all running Thunderbird which if I retain te emails on them is sufficient backup for my needs.

BuckinghamshireBoy

Yes, POP3 downloads the messages whereas IMAP holds them 'up there'. As far as still accessing the emails when disconnected from the internet, there is a cache involved as far as IMAP is concerned. Stay disconnected and reboot the PC, likely those emails will have 'gone' from view.

If you opt for the Thunderbird 'local folder' route, then the messages will only be visible on the PC that you use to do the deed, unless the 'local folder' is on some kind of shared (by your three machines) storage, such as NAS or even clunkier, an external USB disk.

Late edit: Just read the Important Notice from Sapphire, seems to have some helpful stuff...

calman014

Luckily you are using thunderbird for your mail.

There is a simple example on youtube.


Best just to do this on one machine.

Later you can move them back to your (new) IMAP service if you like and sync across your 3 machines automatically via the new e-mail service.