How to retrieve old recieved mail?

Why won't my apple mail retrieve or load any new emails? PLEASE HELP!?

• For almost a month now, I cannot get mail to do anything involving new emails. I click "Get Mail" and nothing happens. It doesn't give me the little icon that shows me that there is an error, nor does it show me the icon to tell me my account is offline (well, because it isn't). I have tried taking my account offline and bringing it back online, re-entering the IMAP information, and synchronizing the account. My mail goes through an aol imap and all the information in the settings for my aol account imap seems to be correct and no different than it has been. Unfortunately, I have not found anyone with the same problem online or anyone who can give me proper help! Please, if there are computer geniuses out there, or people who are just incredibly computer (mac) savy, please please please help me! Apple mail was so convenient! I should add that I still receive mail if I go to the direct account on aol.com/mail. This is how I have been checking my mail so I know I am getting a bunch of new emails...but not on my Apple Mail. NOW the latest problem is that it keeps asking me for my password for the account. I enter it and it tells me to enter it again and again and again. I go to mail preferences and I see that the password space is empty. I type in my password and save the changes to the account. Then I press get mail and it tells me to enter my password. I do. and again it asks for it again. I go back to the account info under preferences and my password is missing AGAIN. Now there is a little circle with a triangle with an ! inside of it. It was not there before. It tells me I am unable to connect and can either stay offline or take my account back online. I click online, and it asks me for my password again. It's a never ending cycle :( Someone please put me out of my frustration!

• Answer:

  Check the Apple link below perhaps it will offer some insight Document is for most recent version of Mac mail running in 10.7. Also the second link is AOL's How to Setup Mac Mail. Be certain please if versions of Mac Mail are referenced you have the correct version of Mac Mail on the computer. Given the version of Mac Mail is not mentioned nor the OS being used on the Mac, I hope this information helps.