Delete emails from server - not working (Ipone 4 & Netbook)

[Petegee]

I am currently running Outlook 2003 on a netbook and have an Iphone 4 both accessing the same two Sky email accounts.

The Netbook is my main email device (at least the one I use to file / archive all important emails) but am increasingly using the iphone for sending / recieving emails too.

The Iphone email has been set up to use 'recent:' and Outlook was set up to never delete emails from the server so that I can access the same email on either the netbook or iphone depending on where I am. And this seems to be working fine.

However, I am now getting tired of deleting the same unwanted emails on both the iphone and the netbook so I thought I would activate the "Remove from server when deleted from 'deleted items'" in Outlook and "Delete from server when removed from inbox" on my iphone. But despite doing this none of the emails I delete in outlook or on the iphone seem to get deleted from the sky server and so consequently emails I delete from the iphone get downloaded on to the netbook and vice versa and this is despite emptying the 'deleted' folder and clicking 'send / recieve' again?

In addition since fiddling with these settings emails that I have already deleted off the iphone are often redownloaded back into my inbox for no reason???

What am I doing wrong as its all getting a little frustrating. I want emails left on the server unless I delete them from either Outlook or the Iphone - how do I ensure this happens?

Many thanks

[Isitme]

Are you using POP or IMAP?

[Petegee]

it's a pop3 account

[Isitme]

I don't think you can do exactly what you want with a Web mail account. You have only 4 options with what to do with mail after you have accessed it-
Delete it
Keep it in the Inbox
Mark it as read, or
Archive it.

I think 'Mark as read' would be your best option. You would not download it twice and it would be kept on the Sky server until you delete it from there. Alternately, unless you want to keep a backup copy on the server, just choose Delete. It will be deleted from the server when you download it.

You will find the required settings in your web email account, by clicking Mail settings, then Forwarding POP or IMAP. Section 2.

[Petegee]

...sorry couldn't seem to log in for a few days...

Not sure I follow you...

I want to be able to access emails on two different devices Iphone and Netbook which I am currently doing very successfully.

Both the iphone and Outlook appear to have options to delete emails from the server once the email has been deleted (from outlook) or removed from the inbox (on the iphone) but neither seems to be working.

One assumes even if I didn't have an iphone and only had the netbook emails should be deleted from the server once deleted from Outlook using the "remove from server when deleted from 'deleted items'" - but although this box is checked emails remain on the server, but not sure why? Surely if it has this option to check it must be possible?

I'm confused?

[Isitme]

Both the iphone and Outlook appear to have options to delete emails from the server once the email has been deleted (from outlook) or removed from the inbox (on the iphone) but neither seems to be working.

That may work on what I will call a 'proper' email account, for want of a better word, but I don't think it will work on a Web based or 'Hotmail' type account. eg If you were using an @btconnect account, where the only access was through your email client(Outlook) the settings in Outlook would be used to control the server. It does not work that way with a Web based account, the settings must be set up on the Web mail interface.

Have you considered using an IMAP account instead of POP?

[Petegee]

ah I see - I hadn't appreciated I was using a web based email account as I very rarely access it online only via Outlook...A mate of mine keeps going on about changing it to an IMAP account - are you suggesting this would make the difference ie could I delete unwanted emails as described above ok with an IMAP account? Are there any disadvantages with using IMAP over POP for a sky email account holder?

Many thanks for your help - much appreciated

[Isitme]

The big advantage with IMAP is that if you download with different devices, eg your Phone and a PC the messages are synchronised. You will have access to your full Inbox with both your devices. You will still need to delete anything you don't want to keep by moving it to the Trash folder, then deleting it fully from there. If you are regularly accessing mail with more than one device.
Have a look at this article from Google which is the same as Sky Mail.
Getting started with IMAP for Gmail - Gmail Help