Mac Mail + web mail

[natasha22]

I'm new here, so forgive me if I posted this in the incorrect forum and/if this question has been posed already.

For the longest time, I've used OS X 10.6–something. I used Mac Mail connected to my Optonline e-mail account. Used Mac Mail at home computer and web mail when away from home. Every once in a while, I'd delete huge amounts of e-mails in web mail in-box to free up space. However, when I'd click into Mac Mail, all those old e-mails were still there. (This is how I wanted it.)

Well, recently my computer's hard drive crashed. (Shame on me, I never backed up my mail.) I got a new hard drive, updated to Maverick. When I set up my Mac Mail and connected to my Optonline account, it flowed in only the messages that appear in web mail. All the e-mails I've deleted through web mail are gone.

So my questions are:
1) As it's my understanding that if you delete messages from the web-mail in-box, you are NOT deleting them from your Mac Mail in-box. Is this still true with Maverick?
2) Is there any way to find retrieve my old e-mails? (I'm guessing not, as it's a new hard drive, and I deleted them from web mail.)

Thank you all.

 

[Altemose]

I'm new here, so forgive me if I posted this in the incorrect forum and/if this question has been posed already.

For the longest time, I've used OS X 10.6–something. I used Mac Mail connected to my Optonline e-mail account. Used Mac Mail at home computer and web mail when away from home. Every once in a while, I'd delete huge amounts of e-mails in web mail in-box to free up space. However, when I'd click into Mac Mail, all those old e-mails were still there. (This is how I wanted it.)

Well, recently my computer's hard drive crashed. (Shame on me, I never backed up my mail.) I got a new hard drive, updated to Maverick. When I set up my Mac Mail and connected to my Optonline account, it flowed in only the messages that appear in web mail. All the e-mails I've deleted through web mail are gone.

So my questions are:
1) As it's my understanding that if you delete messages from the web-mail in-box, you are NOT deleting them from your Mac Mail in-box. Is this still true with Maverick?
2) Is there any way to find retrieve my old e-mails? (I'm guessing not, as it's a new hard drive, and I deleted them from web mail.)

Thank you all.

When you delete mail via the online system you effectively delete them from existence. The copies you see in "Mac Mail" are downloaded and saved. Since you do not have a Time Machine or other backup, those messages cannot be recovered unless your online mail system has a trash or deleted folder which the deleted messages are stored.

Inside of Mail preferences, you are able to configure the behavior for dealing with deleted mail. I recommend that you verify the settings and also begin performing backups.

 

[natasha22]

Thank you so much! Will do that (as soon as I get home).

 

[Altemose]

Thank you so much! Will do that (as soon as I get home).

Don't just copy my settings, . Read through all of the options to ensure they are setup how you need them!

 

[natasha22]

Yes, definitely. In fact, I might use an external hard drive instead of Cloud.

 

[Altemose]

Yes, definitely. In fact, I might use an external hard drive instead of Cloud.

You should have two backups at least. An external hard drive and an off site backup. This could mean bringing a hard drive home and storing it at work or school in event that the Mac is stolen, etc.

 

[natasha22]

This could mean bringing a hard drive home and storing it at work or school in event that the Mac is stolen, etc.

This seems the ideal solution. Thank you.

 

[Altemose]

This seems the ideal solution. Thank you.

Alternatively, you can look at a cloud solution like Dropbox or Google Drive for some files. If you were by chance looking at a Chromebook or some tablets, they sometimes come with a special offer for more space. A Chromebook for instance gets you 100 GB of Google Drive on top of the original 15 GB. Just food for thought if you were interested in getting something along those lines.

 

[natasha22]

Thanks!
I don't use tablets. However, it's good to know, in case I do in the future. Thank you for being so helpful and informative.

 

[Altemose]

Thanks!
I don't use tablets. However, it's good to know, in case I do in the future. Thank you for being so helpful and informative.

No problem! I use Google Drive for some files since I got the 100 GB included for two years with my HP Chromebook 11.