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POP3 and SMTP settings getting deleted upon exiting PMail

Hi - not immediately, but several days after upgrading to 4.81 every time I close Pegasus, and restart, the POP3 and SMTP profiles I use disappear from the opening window in Tools, Internet Settings. If I then click on Add, I can recover them but it means doing this every time I start up.


End of year rush, I forget really the sequence of things as I also updated the IE renderer, I think some days later. It is possible it started then (though it does not seem logical really. I updated to the beta fairly soon after it was released and things seemed ok. I only noticed this a few days ago when I got SMTP errors.


Anyone else experiencing this? I will if needed roll back to 4.80 but just trying to understand and see where the problem lies first. Thx


Hi - not immediately, but several days after upgrading to 4.81 every time I close Pegasus, and restart, the POP3 and SMTP profiles I use disappear from the opening window in Tools, Internet Settings. If I then click on Add, I can recover them but it means doing this every time I start up. End of year rush, I forget really the sequence of things as I also updated the IE renderer, I think some days later. It is possible it started then (though it does not seem logical really. I updated to the beta fairly soon after it was released and things seemed ok. I only noticed this a few days ago when I got SMTP errors. Anyone else experiencing this? I will if needed roll back to 4.80 but just trying to understand and see where the problem lies first. Thx
edited Jan 8 '23 at 12:26 pm

Anyone else experiencing this? I will if needed roll back to 4.80 but just trying to understand and see where the problem lies first.


The 4.81 public beta was pulled due to some problems but I am not aware of this being one them. I did not experience it.


PMAIL.INI is where the selected POP3 and SMTP definitions are stored for each identity.
What you describes sounds like a failure of PMAIL.INI to update when Pegasus Mail shuts down. Look at the date/time stamp of PMAIL.INI, it should not be any older than the last Pegasus Mail shutdown.


[quote="pid:54828, uid:30154"]Anyone else experiencing this? I will if needed roll back to 4.80 but just trying to understand and see where the problem lies first.[/quote] The 4.81 public beta was pulled due to some problems but I am not aware of this being one them. I did not experience it. PMAIL.INI is where the selected POP3 and SMTP definitions are stored for each identity. What you describes sounds like a failure of PMAIL.INI to update when Pegasus Mail shuts down. Look at the date/time stamp of PMAIL.INI, it should not be any older than the last Pegasus Mail shutdown.

What you describes sounds like a failure of PMAIL.INI to update when Pegasus Mail shuts down.

Yep, sounds exactly like this. And for the record: PM 4.81 installs the currently available latest IER version, so this is very unlikely to cause a new issue. Hunting down an issue on shutdown (which would be a silent crash) would be rather difficult, though ... It isn't impossible but even using the Debug option of the MiniDump extension might not provide any details other than just reporting there actually is a crash. Even using WinDbg when duplicating it on my machine (if possible at all) doesn't often help in this kind of crash diagnosis ...


[quote="pid:54829, uid:28772"]What you describes sounds like a failure of PMAIL.INI to update when Pegasus Mail shuts down.[/quote] Yep, sounds exactly like this. And for the record: PM 4.81 installs the currently available latest IER version, so this is _very_ unlikely to cause a _new_ issue. Hunting down an issue on shutdown (which would be a silent crash) would be rather difficult, though ... It isn't impossible but even using the Debug option of the MiniDump extension might not provide any details other than just reporting there actually _is_ a crash. Even using WinDbg when duplicating it on my machine (if possible at all) doesn't often help in this kind of crash diagnosis ...
			Michael
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Brian and Michael - Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I use Peg for my work daily driver so decided not to wait and rolled back to 4.80. Problem disappeared.
Good to know where to look (took a while to locate the ini file you mentioned but it is now updating correctly. I did not mess with it during the 4.81 upgrade so I can't explain it.
And really, if it were something in 4.81, surely something so central would have been noticed by many. I had to reset the settings every time I opened PMail.


One other observation - I use Windows 11 which has a strict security setting that means reverting back to Admin to run the Pegasus installation file (every single file change needed the permission). It is so annoying that I have to turn off the alert to install a version of Pegasus. It is possible I guess that something got corrupted during this (til I turned off the checking alert). But that it would only affect one file, the PMAILINI file seems highly unlikely. And again, 4.80 now working fine.


So - one of those "things" - not easily explained, but have to believe somehow connected to the 4.81 upgrade. Anyway, all seems to have calmed down once I went back to 4.80. So we will just keep an eye on this and if any others experience something similar. Thanks for the quick help in any case. One of the really strong points of the Pegasus community is how helpful people are.


Brian and Michael - Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I use Peg for my work daily driver so decided not to wait and rolled back to 4.80. Problem disappeared. Good to know where to look (took a while to locate the ini file you mentioned but it is now updating correctly. I did not mess with it during the 4.81 upgrade so I can't explain it. And really, if it were something in 4.81, surely something so central would have been noticed by many. I had to reset the settings every time I opened PMail. One other observation - I use Windows 11 which has a strict security setting that means reverting back to Admin to run the Pegasus installation file (every single file change needed the permission). It is so annoying that I have to turn off the alert to install a version of Pegasus. It is possible I guess that something got corrupted during this (til I turned off the checking alert). But that it would only affect one file, the PMAILINI file seems highly unlikely. And again, 4.80 now working fine. So - one of those "things" - not easily explained, but have to believe somehow connected to the 4.81 upgrade. Anyway, all seems to have calmed down once I went back to 4.80. So we will just keep an eye on this and if any others experience something similar. Thanks for the quick help in any case. One of the really strong points of the Pegasus community is how helpful people are.
edited Jan 6 '23 at 8:22 pm

One other observation - I use Windows 11 which has a strict security setting that means reverting back to Admin to run the Pegasus installation file (every single file change needed the permission)


This happened in Win10 but only if Pegasus Mail was installed in a protected directory. Hopefully MS hasn't made it worse in Win11. Pegasus Mail would not function properly if installed in a protected directory though. I am curious what the path was to your Mail directory.


Regardless, the upgrade process would have only replaced program files. It would not have touched anything in the mailbox directories.


[quote="pid:54831, uid:30154"]One other observation - I use Windows 11 which has a strict security setting that means reverting back to Admin to run the Pegasus installation file (every single file change needed the permission)[/quote] This happened in Win10 but only if Pegasus Mail was installed in a protected directory. Hopefully MS hasn't made it worse in Win11. Pegasus Mail would not function properly if installed in a protected directory though. I am curious what the path was to your Mail directory. Regardless, the upgrade process would have only replaced program files. It would not have touched anything in the mailbox directories.

I do and did change the default directory and keep all on the A: partition, but it has not been a problem for almost 20 years, and was not a problem until 2 weeks after the 4.81 upgrade. I did not do any other deep brain surgery, and as you say (and as I thought), the changes should not have touched the Mailbox directory. Who knows - maybe during the copy/rewriting during upgrading, the file got corrupted? It's just odd that it ran fine for 2 weeks- which is why I kind of thought the IE renderer upgrade might have been involved as I did that much later. And I do run the installation as Admin and turn off the file/drive protection. But it doesn't really make sense.


All I can say is going back to 4.80 (using simple upgrade vs full re-installation), and the problem has stopped. (Thank God a.k.a. David for how easy it is t back up Pegasus). Add to the list of life's mysteries. I will surely now wait til the other issues are sorted and 4.82 appears. Or even better, v 5.0!! (smile Appreciate the follow-up. Thanks


I do and did change the default directory and keep all on the A: partition, but it has not been a problem for almost 20 years, and was not a problem until 2 weeks _after_ the 4.81 upgrade. I did not do any other deep brain surgery, and as you say (and as I thought), the changes should not have touched the Mailbox directory. Who knows - maybe during the copy/rewriting during upgrading, the file got corrupted? It's just odd that it ran fine for 2 weeks- which is why I kind of thought the IE renderer upgrade might have been involved as I did that much later. And I do run the installation as Admin and turn off the file/drive protection. But it doesn't really make sense. All I can say is going back to 4.80 (using simple upgrade vs full re-installation), and the problem has stopped. (Thank God a.k.a. David for how easy it is t back up Pegasus). Add to the list of life's mysteries. I will surely now wait til the other issues are sorted and 4.82 appears. Or even better, v 5.0!! (;) Appreciate the follow-up. Thanks
edited Jan 8 '23 at 12:29 pm

I have been having the same problem. I don't believe there was anything unusual about my installation. I also am using 4.81. It is annoying, though not a enormous problem. I have 2 identities and it only happens with the default one, for the other the hosts defined for POP3 and SMTP remain after exiting. It would be good to find a cure.


I have been having the same problem. I don't believe there was anything unusual about my installation. I also am using 4.81. It is annoying, though not a enormous problem. I have 2 identities and it only happens with the default one, for the other the hosts defined for POP3 and SMTP remain after exiting. It would be good to find a cure.

I have been having the same problem. I don't believe there was anything unusual about my installation. I also am using 4.81. It is annoying, though not a enormous problem. I have 2 identities and it only happens with the default one, for the other the hosts defined for POP3 and SMTP remain after exiting. It would be good to find a cure.


This is report #3 that I have seen with 4.81 on Win11.


@Eruption & @rocketboy, are either of you a beta tester beyond running the public beta version that was pulled?

[quote="pid:54915, uid:37923"]I have been having the same problem. I don't believe there was anything unusual about my installation. I also am using 4.81. It is annoying, though not a enormous problem. I have 2 identities and it only happens with the default one, for the other the hosts defined for POP3 and SMTP remain after exiting. It would be good to find a cure.[/quote] This is report #3 that I have seen with 4.81 on Win11. @Eruption & @rocketboy, are either of you a beta tester beyond running the public beta version that was pulled?

Hi - no, not a beta tester. I rolled back to 4.80 and since then, no problems. I'm not so surprised others starting to experience this, just that it took a while.
I certainly changed nothing before upgrading to the 4.81 build, and have to believe it is indeed some kind of bug there. Or the way it works with Win 11. 4.80 is rock solid.


Hi - no, not a beta tester. I rolled back to 4.80 and since then, no problems. I'm not so surprised others starting to experience this, just that it took a while. I certainly changed nothing before upgrading to the 4.81 build, and have to believe it is indeed some kind of bug there. Or the way it works with Win 11. 4.80 is rock solid.

I am leaning towards Win11 since it has not been reported on Win10. I can't imagine why Win11 would make a difference though. Michael inferred that we don't know whether the problem is with Peg updating PMAIL.INI during shutdown or whether a silent crash on shutdown prevents the updating of PMAIL.INI. I hope that at least one beta tester is running Win11.


I am leaning towards Win11 since it has not been reported on Win10. I can't imagine why Win11 would make a difference though. Michael inferred that we don't know whether the problem is with Peg updating PMAIL.INI during shutdown or whether a silent crash on shutdown prevents the updating of PMAIL.INI. I hope that at least one beta tester is running Win11.

Just wondering. Try to start pegasus and create the POP3 and SMTP profiles.
Then set the *.PND files as read-only for now. That way they files should not get deleted, and should remain after closing and reopening Pegasus. Think the issue with 4.81 was with it doing the conversion of gmail accounts to the new OAuth2. I've got 4.81 running, but never clicked on that option to do conversion. Still using the old authorization method. Also, have it setup to use stunnel to connect to Gmail, so is using a 127.0.0.1 address..


Just wondering. Try to start pegasus and create the POP3 and SMTP profiles. Then set the *.PND files as read-only for now. That way they files should not get deleted, and should remain after closing and reopening Pegasus. Think the issue with 4.81 was with it doing the conversion of gmail accounts to the new OAuth2. I've got 4.81 running, but never clicked on that option to do conversion. Still using the old authorization method. Also, have it setup to use stunnel to connect to Gmail, so is using a 127.0.0.1 address..

mikes@guam.net

As I understand it, the problem is not that the definitions are getting deleted but that the selected ones are not being saved between sessions. It appears that PMAIL.INI is not being updated. Cause unknown.


As I understand it, the problem is not that the definitions are getting deleted but that the selected ones are not being saved between sessions. It appears that PMAIL.INI is not being updated. Cause unknown.

I'm not a beta tester either and also am using Win11. I have noticed that the pmail.ini file is updated correctly if I change the hosts selected. It seems it is just not reading this part of the ini file for the default identity. I did use the new gmail set up option when I installed the new version on a new laptop. I found it didn't work for the default identity so went back to the host definitions I had been using with the earlier version. The *.PND files do not get deleted, this is not the problem.


I'm not a beta tester either and also am using Win11. I have noticed that the pmail.ini file is updated correctly if I change the hosts selected. It seems it is just not reading this part of the ini file for the default identity. I did use the new gmail set up option when I installed the new version on a new laptop. I found it didn't work for the default identity so went back to the host definitions I had been using with the earlier version. The *.PND files do not get deleted, this is not the problem.

In the beta, the gmail set up is identity specific.
First let me explain that is is a two step process. The first is that a gmail OAUTH2 profile gets created. The second is that the definitions are created based on the profile. Here's the rub: You can create a gmail OAUTH2 profile from any identity by clicking the Gmail button and entering your gmail address on both screens, but only that identity can see that gmail profile. I suspect if you also create the gmail definitions in that identity, and then try to use them in a different identity, you will have problems.


@Eruption, does this sound like something you did?

In the beta, the gmail set up is identity specific. First let me explain that is is a two step process. The first is that a gmail OAUTH2 profile gets created. The second is that the definitions are created based on the profile. Here's the rub: You can create a gmail OAUTH2 profile from any identity by clicking the Gmail button and entering your gmail address on both screens, but only that identity can see that gmail profile. I suspect if you also create the gmail definitions in that identity, and then try to use them in a different identity, you will have problems. @Eruption, does this sound like something you did?

I don't believe so, but to be honest I am not certain. I am not longer using the OAUTH2 profiles. All I remember is that it didn't seem to work for the default identity. I have deleted them.


I don't believe so, but to be honest I am not certain. I am not longer using the OAUTH2 profiles. All I remember is that it didn't seem to work for the default identity. I have deleted them.

Ok. A synopsis of the problem then is that POP3 and SMTP definitions that are added as the active hosts, in the Default identity only, are not maintained between sessions. Those definitions are not OAUTH2 definitions. The PMAIL.INI file is being updated at shutdown.
Edit: This problem has been reported several times by Windows 11 users only.


@Eruption - If you are willing to troubleshoot this further I think it could be helpful to know...

  1. the paths to your home and new mailbox directories per the Info button in Help > About Pegasus Mail.
  2. whether the definition filenames have been recorded in PMAIL.INI after shutdown. The easiest way I can think of to do that is to:

    • remove the definitions via Pegasus Mail Internet Options
    • shutdown Pmail
    • make a copy of PMAIL.INI
    • start Pmail
    • add the host definitions via Pegasus Mail Internet Option
    • shutdown Pmail
    • compare each "POP3 Definition" and "SMTP Definition" entry in the current PMAIL.INI with the saved copy.

Ok. A synopsis of the problem then is that POP3 and SMTP definitions that are added as the active hosts, in the Default identity only, are not maintained between sessions. Those definitions are not OAUTH2 definitions. The PMAIL.INI file is being updated at shutdown. Edit: This problem has been reported several times by Windows 11 users only. @Eruption - If you are willing to troubleshoot this further I think it could be helpful to know... 1. the paths to your home and new mailbox directories per the Info button in Help > About Pegasus Mail. 2. whether the definition filenames have been recorded in PMAIL.INI after shutdown. The easiest way I can think of to do that is to: - remove the definitions via Pegasus Mail Internet Options - shutdown Pmail - make a copy of PMAIL.INI - start Pmail - add the host definitions via Pegasus Mail Internet Option - shutdown Pmail - compare each "POP3 Definition" and "SMTP Definition" entry in the current PMAIL.INI with the saved copy.
edited Jan 25 '23 at 3:08 pm

Sure thing.


The paths are: Home mailbox location: C:\PMAIL\MAIL
New mailbox location: C:\PMAIL\MAIL\Admin


The filenames are recorded in PMAIL.INI. If I remove the definitions, they don't appear after shutdown. After redefining them, they appear again.


It seems the problem is not how the ini file is managed but how it being read.


Sure thing. The paths are: Home mailbox location: C:\PMAIL\MAIL New mailbox location: C:\PMAIL\MAIL\Admin The filenames are recorded in PMAIL.INI. If I remove the definitions, they don't appear after shutdown. After redefining them, they appear again. It seems the problem is not how the ini file is managed but how it being read.

One more test please????


The reported problem is with the Default identity. If you always start PMail as the default identity, I wonder what happens if you start it as a different identity (-ID command line option).


Are the selected POP3 & SMTP definitions gone for that identity?


When you then switch to the Default identity, are they gone in it?


One more test please???? The reported problem is with the Default identity. If you always start PMail as the default identity, I wonder what happens if you start it as a different identity (-ID command line option). Are the selected POP3 & SMTP definitions gone for that identity? When you then switch to the Default identity, are they gone in it?

Just a strange ideal. If problem is only with default identity.
Would it be possible to create another identity with the same setup, and have default identity set to check all identities?


Have my default Identity set to check all, so when I check for mail, it does both my local ISPs connection, and then does my gmail identity as well.


In this case, if the default identity looses the options, the later check of the identity would download the messages, so rather than have to recreate it each time.


Just a strange ideal. If problem is only with default identity. Would it be possible to create another identity with the same setup, and have default identity set to check all identities? Have my default Identity set to check all, so when I check for mail, it does both my local ISPs connection, and then does my gmail identity as well. In this case, if the default identity looses the options, the later check of the identity would download the messages, so rather than have to recreate it each time.

mikes@guam.net

The problem has only been reported with v4.81 public beta on Win11. That seems to be a rare combination among Pegasus Mail users and possibly rarer among beta testers. We don't want everyone who is running Win11 to have to create an additional identity as a workaround to this problem so identifying the cause before 4.81 is released is important.


The problem has only been reported with v4.81 public beta on Win11. That seems to be a rare combination among Pegasus Mail users and possibly rarer among beta testers. We don't want everyone who is running Win11 to have to create an additional identity as a workaround to this problem so identifying the cause before 4.81 is released is important.
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