FutureQuest, Inc. FutureQuest, Inc. FutureQuest, Inc.
Knowledgebase: Email
Removing Unwanted Email Directly from the Server
Posted on 22 November 2003 01:24 AM

There are times when a particularly large email, which your email client may have difficulty in downloading, finds its way into one of your POP email accounts.
Or, perhaps you just wish to delete email that is being stored within an account on the server. Below are some of the options available to you for removing email directly from the server.


Using the CNC to delete email:

After logging in to your CNC, click on the Email Manager menu option. Then, click on the "details" link next to the mailbox you wish to manage. You should now be viewing the "Mailbox disk details" for that email account.

Selecting the "[Inbox Delete Options]" link on that screen will allow you to access delete options that apply to email stored in the Inbox on the server. If there is email stored in any other folder(s) on the server, you will see a "Delete Options" link for that specific folder.

The Delete Options provided are:
* Delete all messages (in the inbox or the specific folder, as applicable)
* Delete all read messages (in the inbox or the specific folder, as applicable)
* Delete all messages xx days old or older (in the inbox or the specific folder, as applicable), where you specify the age of the messages to delete

On the "Mailbox disk details" screen, you will also see a "[Delete ALL Messages]" option, which will result in deleting ALL email that is on the server for that email account.

Note: Before you use the Delete options, make sure that you have a copy of the email if desired. Once email is deleted from the server, it cannot be restored. There will be an option for Forwarding email currently in the Inbox if you have 1 to 500 messages (the Forward option is not available on accounts with over 500 messages). If you use the Forwarding option, make sure that the email has arrived at its destination before you use the Delete option.

Example of Delete Email Options

 

Using QuestMail to remove unwanted email:

You also have the option to access a POP account with QuestMail. Using it, you can selectively delete any email you do not want to save:
http://QuestMail.FutureQuest.net
(Log in using the full email address and email account password.)

A "Getting Acquainted" guide for using QuestMail can be found here.

Using SSH to remove unwanted email:

The attractiveness of utilizing SSH to remove email is that you may select individual email messages for deletion rather than deleting all of the messages within the account. This prevents losing any wanted email that the offending message may be preventing you from accessing.

Instructions for using SSH in this fashion may be found in the "Why am I not able to receive email?" guide.

Using POP3 Scan Mailbox© to remove unwanted email:

For those uncomfortable with using SSH, or having difficulty in removing an unwanted email from their server via SSH, there is another option.

POP3 Scan Mailbox© is a relatively simple to install and operate email utility that can access your POP email accounts on the server and delete individual or multiple emails of your choice, in a similar fashion as SSH, but without the command line interface.

To download POP3 Scan Mailbox and access a tutorial on using it, please visit:
http://service.FutureQuest.net/kba70

Thanks very much to Mike Mann, who has graciously allowed us to provide a downloadable copy of his POP3 Scan Mailbox©.