PCSC
Boston University
 

CONFIGURING Mozilla Thunderbird

Mozilla Thunderbird is the recommended mail client for use with your BU e-mail account. If you are converting to Mozilla Thunderbird from another e-mail program, the installer can adopt all settings, local messages, and address information automatically. (Alternatively, you can manually import your messages and address book into Thunderbird using the Mozilla instructions at www.bu.edu/pcsc/email/manage/newprogram.html.)

Download and configure Thunderbird

  • Download Thunderbird from www.mozilla.com NOTE: If you have been using Mozilla Thunderbird and this download will be an upgrade, you should not need to remove or rename anything related to the previous install of Thunderbird.
  • After the download, you will find the Thunderbird Setup installer on your Desktop.
  • Quit out of any programs you are running (including your Web browser) double-click on the installer, and go through the standard install process.
  • When it is done, you can click on Finish and, by default, "Launch Mozilla Thunderbird now" is selected.
  • If you wish to, you can import settings, mail, and addresses from other mail programs that you have used. You can also choose Thunderbird as your default mail client, and then click on OK.

Follow the instructions below for setting up your e-mail account.

  • Choose Tools-Account Settings and click on Add Account.
  • In the New Account Setup window, indicate that you want to set up an E-mail account, then click on Next.
  • In the Identity window complete Your Name and Email Address as instructed (if they are not already there), then click Next.
  • Indicate that you want to use an IMAP Mail Server and that the server name is acs-imap.bu.edu. Then click Next.
  • Make sure the User Name is your correct BU login name. Then click Next.
  • Create an account name or keep the default. Then click Next.
  • Click Finish.
  • Next, select the name of your new account (on the left -- probably
    username    @bu.edu    ).
  • Next (to the right) set the Organization as Boston University (assuming you want to).
  • Next, click on the Server Settings section and indicate that you want to use SSL (port 993) with your IMAP server (but do not select "Use secure authentication"). Then click on OK.



  • Also indicate that you would like to Check for new messages at startup.
  • Next, set your preferences for deleting mail. For example, you might choose to Move it to the Trash folder. If you do, be sure to also set Clean up ("Expunge") Inbox on Exit and Empty Trash on Exit.
  • On the Composition and Addressing tab, you might want to deselect the option for composing messages in HTML format.
  • Also on this tab, you might also want to indicate that you want to "Start my reply above the quote".
  • You might also decide that you want to search the BU directory automatically when you are addressing. You can do this by setting up the LDAP server as follows:
    1. Click on Edit Directories
    2. Click on Add and set up the following (where o is the letter o not the number 0)
  • Make sure to then specify that you want to use the BU LDAP server when you return to the Composition and Addressing window.
  • Also, if you have a particular folder that you want to send junk mail to, you can indicate that in the Junk Settings area, or have it deleted after X number of days.
  • Finally, you next click on the Outgoing Server (SMTP) area to set up acs-smtp.bu.edu. Use SSL and make sure your BU User Name has been entered.

  • Click on OK and OK to exit the Mail & Newsgroups settings and provide your password when prompted.
  • Next go to the Tools-Options menu and Go to the Composition tab and choose to Forward messages Inline.
  • Optional: Enhance your reply headers to include a date:
    By default, Thunderbird doesn't provide date information when you reply to a message. To enhance that, take the following steps:

    1. Go to Tools > Options > Advanced > Config Editor
    2. In the Filter, search for mailnews.reply_header_type
    3. Double-click on it to open it and change its value from 1 to 2

    Your replies will now show the date and time.

About the Mail directory

If, after configuring your mail program and connecting to the server, you do not see any of your known/existing mail folders, or you see a lot of extra files that you didn't expect to see, set the Root folder path (a.k.a. the IMAP server directory) as Mail. This requirement is rare, but could be an issue for some ACS accounts created prior to February 19, 2008. To make that change, go back to the Server Settings, area of the account setup and click on the Advanced tab. Set the "IMAP Server Directory" as Mail, as shown below, and then click on OK. After making that change, you may then be prompted to refresh your folder list, which you should do.

Mail

Manage your quota

  • You are always encouraged to purge unwanted mail (especially from your Trash, Sent, and spam/junk folders) in order to stay under quota.
  • Note too that, in Thunderbird, you can Detach any particularly large attachments in order to save them (to the local computer) without exceeding your mail quota.