AOL

[chrissa1]

Can anyone tell me why an e mail that comes in when I'm on the PC is not showing in my "old e mails" on the laptop? I thought you could log on anywhere in the world on any computer and your e mail would be the same.

[Buenchico]

If you only use web-based access to your mail, you should see exactly the same screen wherever you log on from. However if you access mail using a 'POP3' mail client (such as Outlook Express, Outlook, Windows Mail, Windows Live Mail or Thunderbird) then the default setting is for it to download mail from your server, deleting the mail from the server as it does so. (i.e. you'll then be looking at the mail on your own PC, not on a remote server). So when you later examine mail on the server using web-based access, it will no longer be there.

If that's what's happening in your case (and you don't want it to) you'll need to configure your email client to leave a copy of your mail on the server when it downloads. Since you've not stated which program you're using, it's rather difficult to provide instructions. However the following works for Outlook Express. (Most other programs are similar):

Click on Tools, Accounts, Mail.
Click on the name of your email account, to highlight it.
Click Properties, Advanced.
Place a tick alongside 'Leave a copy of messages on server'.
Click Apply, OK.

Chris

[chrissa1]

I think I understand Chris. I use AOL. I went to Advanced Properties and I've ticked "Retain all embedded images in read mail". Is this the same as "Leave a copy of messages on server"?

Thanks for your (as ever) detailed response.,

Chrissa

[Answerprancer]

AOL ? ....BLEEEUUUUCH !

[Buenchico]

Thanks for your reply.

However I doubt that the reference to embedded images has anything to do with your problem. AOL is, without the slightest doubt, the worst possible ISP. They try to force their own rubbish software onto users (which is then almost impossible to get rid of). So I'm not even sure, when you say that you're 'using AOL' whether you're using their web browser or their email client. My instructions refer to an email client (which, in the case of AOL, is probably AOL Communicator or AOL Mail), rather than to a web browser (which, with AOL, is probably AOL Explorer).

AOL does support an alternative type of email to 'POP3', which is called 'IMAP'. Ideally you need to switch to using that (because it always leaves a copy of emails on the server) but I don't want to start giving you meaningless instructions if, for example, you're using a browser rather than an email client. So please let me know which program you're using to view your mail (and whether it's the same one on your PC and your laptop). If you're not sure which program it is, go to Help>About . . , which will tell you.

Chris

[chrissa1]

Yes, I've heard many times that AOL are rubbish but it's what we have always used and our e mail addresses for business purposes are *******@aol.com. I'll haved a look at the aol Help.

[chrissa1]

Internet Explorer is my default web browser. I guess we use aol mail do we?

[Buenchico]

Sorry, but I'm still confused. (Where AOL is concerned, that's not surprising!).

If you're only accessing your emails via a web browser (such as Internet Explorer) I can see no reason whatsoever why you would lose some mail when using a particular computer. I assume that you must be accessing them via an email client on at least one machine (which, from your post, appears to be your desktop PC). It's that program which you need to change the settings in, but it can't be Internet Explorer because that's a browser, not an email client .

So I'm still confused!

Chris

[annie0000]

if you have deleted it without reading it, it will be in recently deleted rather than old mail if that helps chrissa - or is it in your spam box?

[chrissa1]

annie, I didn't delete it but thanks.
Chris, if you're confused imagine what I am!! Ha.
Is aol an e mail client? What ISP would you advise me to use if aol is so rubbish?

[Buenchico]

'AOL' is an ISP ("internet service provider") which hosts users' email on its servers. 'AOL Mail' is the name of the program which they offer to users in order to download their email, without using the worldwide web (i.e. it's an email client).

View your mail on your desktop PC and, while that window is displayed on your screen, go to 'Help>About . . .' That will indicate which program you're using. If it's Internet Explorer or AOL Communicator I'm completely confused (because you're using a web browser, rather than an emai lclient). If it's Outlook Express, you're using that email client and the instructions in my first post are relevant. If it's Outlook the same instructions will probably apply, as they may well do in Windows Mail or Windows Live Mail. If it's AOL Mail then you've got AOL's 'own brand' email client. It should have the same setting available somewhere but, since I've never used AOL software, I'm not sure where!

Chris