Patent ID: 7783706

Claim:
A method for restoring electronic mail messages to a mail server, the method comprising: determining that an electronic mail message addressed to a particular user is resident at a mail server; receiving the electronic mail message at a mail client from the mail server pursuant to an electronic mail downloading procedure that entails deleting the electronic mail message from the mail server; receiving a request to restore the electronic mail message on the mail server following a completion of the electronic mail downloading procedure; and restoring the electronic mail message as though the electronic mail message had not been downloaded from the mail server in response to receiving the request, wherein restoring the electronic mail message comprises creating a temporary message file that includes a re-written header and an original message body corresponding to the electronic mail message, wherein the re-written header indicates that the message is being sent from the original sender of the electronic mail message and to the particular user, and transmitting the temporary message file to the mail server as the restored electronic mail message.