Managing Rutgers e-mail accounts includes properly deleting and expunging old or unwanted messages from the Central Server Systems (Clam, Crab, Pegasus, Andromeda, Eden and RCI) from both the e-mail account and from a computer's hard drive.

It is assumed those using this document are familiar with using e-mail software at Rutgers. Help with supported e-mail software is available at http://www.nbcs.rutgers.edu/newdocs or by contacting a campus Computing Help Desk.

How the Rutgers Central Server Backups Work

All messages on Eden and RCI accounts are copied every night into a backup area. These daily backups are saved for one week. In addition, on the weekend, a weekly backup is made which is kept for eight weeks. As long as a backup exists, old and accidentally deleted messages can be copied from the backup to an account's mail folder.
To restore a message from backup, first use your mail program to create an empty folder called "RESTORE", all in uppercase letters. Then, log into RCI or Eden webmail (depending on where your account is) and click first the "Webtools" link, then the "restore mail" link. On the first page, select the date from which you want to restore mail. Click the Submit button. On the new page, select the folder you want to restore. Again, click Submit.
The tool will cause your RESTORE folder to point to the backup folder you requested. You should then open your mail program and copy the needed messages out of RESTORE to whatever folder you want them in.

Deleting e-mail messages from the Central Server Systems

E-mail messages can be retrived from the Central Server Systems in two different ways:

1. Use Internet Message Access Protocol, or IMAP. E-mail programs set to use IMAP retreive only the "header" of the message but not the message itself; only after the message is selected by clicking on it with a mouse will the rest of the message be retrieved from the server. However, IMAP will not remove messages from the Central Servers Systems until it is marked for deletion, then expunged it from the folder in which the message is contained. Computing Services highly recommends IMAP over the older and less effective POP.
   
2. Use the Post Office Protocol, or POP. When an e-mail program uses POP, the entire message is download from the server and saved on the hard drive of a computer. Depending upon the configuration of the e-mail program, the messages may or may not be removed from the server. In any case, using POP will result in messages being stored on that particular computer's hard drive, which may allow anyone else who uses that computer to view them, resulting in a potential security risk.

The steps to delete and expunge e-mail messages from the servers using Pine, all versions of Micosoft Outlook, and Netscape/Mozilla are listed below. Please contact the Computing Help Desk your campus should you need assistance.


Deleting and Expunging Messages in Pine

Deleting messages in Pine consists of two steps: first, mark the message for deletion, and then expunge the message from the mail folder:

1. Marking messages for deletion in Pine only requires pressing the d when a message is highlighted; a "D" will appear to the left of the message. All messages in a folder can be deleted in that manner.
   
2. Once all messages intended for deletion are marked, they can be expunged by pressing the x key, then confirming the expunge by pressing y for "yes."
   
   After the expunge is completed the deleted messages are removed from the servers.
   
   

Note: Messages that have been on the servers for 24 hours or longer can be restored at the user's request.


Deleting and Expunging Messages in all versions of Microsoft Outlook

Deleting messages in Outlook also consists of marking messages for deletion, and then expunging those messages from the mail folder:

Note: Outlook Express does not allow the option to move messages to a deleted items folder, or a Sent folder. Message can be deleted and expunged by setting the program to do so automatically when it is closed.

1. Marking messages for deletion requires the message be selected with the mouse, and then by clicking on the "delete" icon (a red "X") on the Toolbar. The marked message is correctly marked for deletion when either there is a red "X" and a line through the message header or the message disappears from the messages pane.
   
2. Outlook may be configured to move those messages marked for deletion into the Deleted Items folder on the server, but they will not be expunged unless the folder is either compacted (click on File, then select Folder followed by selecting Compact) or by clicking on Edit, then selecting Empty Deleted Items Folder. Contact your campus Computing Help Desk for assistance.
   
   After the purge is completed the deleted messages are removed from the servers.
   
   

Note: Messages that have been on the servers for 24 hours or longer can be restored at the user's request.


Deleting and Expunging Messages in Netscape and Mozilla Mail/Mozilla Thunderbird

Like Outlook, deleting messages may depend upon the program's configuration; messages may need to be marked for deletion, then expunged from the mail folder:

1. Marking messages for deletion in Netscape and Mozilla also requires the message be selected with the mouse, and then by clicking on the Delete icon on the Toolbar. The marked message is correctly marked for deletion when a small red "X" appears on the tiny envelope next to the message header.
   
2. The program also may be configured to move those messages marked for deletion into the Trash folder on the server, but they will not be expunged unless a the folder is manually compacted (click on File, then select Compact This Folder) or the Mail Server Properties are set to Empty Trash on exit to expunge the messages when the program is exited. Contact your campus Computing Help Desk for assistance.
   
   As with Pine and Outlook, after the purge is completed the deleted messages are removed from the servers.
   
   

Note: Messages that have been on the servers for 24 hours or longer can be restored at the user's request.