Accessing IMSS Email Via Mutt

Mutt is a UNIX-based, IMAP-compatible email program which you may use on the IMSS UNIX Cluster to access your IMSS email.

Please see our Choices for Accessing IMSS Email page for more information about using multiple email programs or multiple computers to access your IMSS email.

Here are the three-part Mutt-specific steps one needs to take if you wish to use Mutt in conjunction with any POP- or IMAP-compatible email programs, including IMSS Webmail.

Part A: Configure Mutt to use the new IMAP server

To configure Mutt to use the IMAP server correctly, simply make sure the following configuration settings are in the .muttrc file in your IMSS Unix cluster home directory. Some of the configuration variables (found in the "set variablename=" commands) may already be set in that file; in that case, replace those settings with the ones below. If the configuration variables are not set in the file, add the ones below to it. If the file doesn't exist, create it with the following contents.

set ssl_starttls=yes
set ssl_force_tls=yes
set imap_user=$USER
set spoolfile=imaps://imap-server.its.caltech.edu/INBOX
set mbox=imaps://imap-server.its.caltech.edu/INBOX
set folder=imaps://imap-server.its.caltech.edu/Mail/
set imap_home_namespace="*"
bind index 'G' imap-fetch-mail

The last command ("bind index") allows you to get new mail from the IMAP server by pressing shift-G.

Part B: Transition your account to use the new mail system

If you were identified as either a POP user or an IMAP user (you would have gotten emailed notices from the IMSS System Administrators to that effect), we may have transitioned your account to use the new upgraded mail system for you. If you elected for us not to do that, or were not identified as either a POP or an IMAP user, then you will need to transition your account yourself.

1. Go to https://utils.its.caltech.edu/ and log in.


2. Go to "Change email settings".


3. Under "Use of legacy mail server", change the Yes to No


4. Submit the change. Do not log out.

Part C: Copy your stored email to the new mail system format and storage location.

1. While you are still logged in to https://utils.its.caltech.edu/ on the "Change email settings page", click on the "Migrate mailboxes from ITS Unix cluster" link.


2. Follow the instructions on the ensuing pages to migrate your inbox or mailboxes to the new system. Note that this does not delete the files from their previous location; it simply copies them, transitions them to the new format, and places them in their new location on the upgraded mail server system.


3. When you have finished, log out of https://utils.its.caltech.edu/.