local folders

I like the program but I am worried if there is a PC crash, that all the local folders will be shown in the same way after I reinstall the program and restore my data. I am using around 20 or more local folders, with different names, companies, agents etc. and store the mails there. When synchronizing to a new downloaded em client will the folders be restored??? Thanks in advance.
PS: I’m using 7.1.23300

Your data that is stored in local folders will still be there after uninstalling or installing a new version of eM Client. A crash can corrupt the database, and then you may lose all your local data. It is not that common, but it does happen. The best solution is to use eM Client’s automatic backup, then if the database is corrupt, you can restore from your last backup.

Thanks Gary,
I am using the automatic backup. I had an experience with Incredimail before where after re-installing the programm all the mails from my backup came like a salad in one folder. I was worried about the folders that they are all in place after re-installing and the mails are all in there. Other than that this program is just brilliant. I like it and don’t want to change anymore. Thanks again

Fortunately eM Client does not alter the database in any way when installing the application. If in doubt, you can always make a manual backup before installation. To do that use Menu > File > Backup.

Thanks Gary,
can’t simulate that now but hope if my OS has to be set up again one day that the database will bring back all my local folders filled with all the mails stored there. Thank you

When reinstalling the OS, all Windows user data is either deleted or it is stored in a Windows.old folder. So depending on the method you use, you may need to recover the eM Client database directory before doing that. By default it is C:\Users[username]\AppData\Roaming\eM Client. This is the same folder that is copied when making a backup. After reinstalling the OS, just copy this directory to the same location in the new installation. 

Thanks Gary,
I have changed the default location to one of my partitions as “C” could go for a six in case of a crash. Therefore I should be able to install the new program and then feed it from my the automatic backup on one of my partitions. Hope this works like this.
Thank you

If the OS crashes and you reinstall, then after installing and opening eM Client just change the database directory in eM Client settings to the other partition, then restart eM Client. That should be all you need to do, as long as the other partition was not affected.

Of course there is always the chance that eM Client’s database could become corrupt if eM Client was running when the OS crashed. Therefore it is important to have regular backups if you use local folders.

The other option is to move those 20+ folders to your IMAP or Exchange server. Then if there is any crash, you simply add the account to the new installed eM Client and it will resync the data from the server.

Hi Gary,
that should work as I have two hard disc in the PC and they are usually never affected. 
The automatic backup is done daily and the last two backup’s are stored. With that I can live as the last mails I can get from the gmail server if necessary. The other option “to move the folders to IMAP or Exchange server”, sounds also interesting but I don’t know exactly how to do. Do you mean to install all the folders on my gmail server?? Then I have to delete them on em client and they will be automatically updated each time?? Is that what you mean?? But then the synchronization will take ages may be.
Thanks
Bernard

Yes Bernard, the folders will be on the GMail server rather than in Local Folders. Initially the sync may take some time, but then eM Client keeps a cached copy of what is on the server on your computer, so it will not sync everything each time, only new messages.

If you are using more than one device connected to that account, then that is the best solution as all the messages will be available on each device. If you are only using one device, then your current setup is probably quite suitable. 

Moving the e-mails to an imap-server can be especially with many folders counterproductive. Many folderts typically go together with a huge amount of e-mails. Most providers limit the storage. Then you can run into several ways of trouble.

That emClient can mess up its database is something, the developers hopefully are working on. There are several way to avoid loss of data or destruction. A system crash is moreover that something where any program has its problems to save the currently shown/used data.

The most effective way to prevent data loss is a “real” backup. That means to backup the working directory of emClient, which should be in an area outside …/users/… . Easiest way is a directory in your documents folder (moved to  anywhere else than c: )

As described by Gary this is perfectly supported by emClient - use it.

Please be aware, that an autobackup does not prevent data loss. There only data up to the last backup session is stored. A system crash while autobackup will destroy it. It is one part of a data security chain but no guarantee. It’s an additional option only.

You should combine all of that. Set emClient to delete e-mails with a significant longer delay than your autobackup and this should have a shorter time lapse than your general data backup. In this case you can try after a disaster to recover data first from latest backup, if that fails you can recover your databackup. The “data offset” is filled directly from your imap server if there meanwhile no failure appeared – what can happen as well but is typically out of your control.

As a side effect, the sync does not take too long… :wink:

Thanks Gary,
I am using my pc and my phone, that means 2 devices. I am still thinking what to do, but I might try to install one folder first on my google server and see how it works. Each of the 20 odd folder has average 8 Mails, that should not exhaust the storage capacity of gmail. I’ll give it a try and report.
Thank you
Bernard

Thank you, I will give it a try with first one folder and see. The automatic backup is set to daily. In case of a breakdown, I could catch the missing mails from the server. Should be not to bad. Thanks for your idea and support.
Regards
Bernard

Thanks to everyone, I have moved now most of my folders (which I cannot risk to loose it) to IMAP Server. The first synchronization took ages, but the second one went through in a few seconds. Now I feel quite safe. The space I have on IMAP is 15 GB and I have used just 1 GB. A few folders, which are not so important, I kept at “Local Folders”.  

Be aware that you need always a internet connection for reading e-mails now. In case of network failure you will have no option to read older e-mails. I notice this, because network failures happen regularly in my place and then I love having my e-mails locally.

Anyway I need internet and electricity as well as the router doesn’t work without it. We have frequent electricity cuts here in Sri Lanka, but we are used to it. All the mails are coming to my phone as well, there I am using Data. The new folders and the respective mails are on my phone also. And if I cannot access Mails for a day, I will not die.  But thanks for the info.

Well, that is what the offline option is for. Except for linked content, which you wouldn’t see in POP3 either, the message body will download for offline reading.