You can't remove the default account or Local Folders. Set another account as default from Account Actions at the bottom of the left pane of Tools/Account Settings, then remove the unwanted account from Account Actions.

Thanks for the help but the account I want to remove is not the default account, its one I've never been able to use and if I go into its settings it tells me its "A special account and there are identities associated with it"

Is this a regular mail account? If you select the account in the left pane of Account Settings, then Manage Identities in the right pane, does deleting the non-default identities then allow the account to be removed?

Thanks but this didn't work. The account I'm trying to get rid of lodge @jamesgeddie1.plusnet. As you can see from the attachment screen shot across the top it says this is a "special account" and the manage identities pane does not appear. James

I think if you look in the local directory entry you will find that the last part of that is "local Folders" and at some time in the past you have changed the name to suit yourself. It might be time to rename it to what it is. "Local Folders". Then the confusion can end as the advice you get will match the folder named.

Hi Matt,

Failed again I'm afraid. Snapshot attached shows account settings, the local directory shown is C:\Users\Geddie\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\14vtymff.default\Mail\Local Folders

If I click on browse there no file. So do I change this entry the Local Directory

James

Go back to this image.

See where it says account name? Change the to "Local folders" and click ok.

Now you have "Local Folders and all the good advice you received about not being able to delete it as it is a special account become far more obviously correct.

I have this problem as well.

I have an email account that I can't remove. The Remove Account is greyed out.

For the SMTP server it is set to default.

I try changing it to another server and I can't. Nothing happens when I click on the OK button. Not even an error.

I click on Manage Identities and nothing happens.

It keeps trying to check the pop server but I can't turn that check for new messages off because it is set to the default server.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, dan

Hi Dan, Sorry I have no idea I've still got the account I can't get rid of. The Thunderbird advice I got was to change the folder's titles to “Outfox” and “Trash” and get rid of the other's. With no better advice or any reason why I can't get rid of it I guess I'm stuck with it, it's annoying. If you do get a solution please let me know. James

Hi James,

Like you I am stuck with it. I haven't been able to figure out any way to get rid of it. I tried deleting the files in the profile folder for it and it just recreated the basic files.

Every time I open Thunderbird it tries to check for email and wants me to enter the password. I can't because the email account no longer exists and neither does that domain.

If I stumble across a solution I'll post it.

Regards, Dan

Obviously I have to make this simple.

@ James, let me make this as clear as it is possible to.

YOU CAN NOT GET RID OF THE INBUILT SPECIAL ACCOUNT.

There was an add-on way back in history, version 2 or so that allowed you to do it, but it required binary changes to modify what is an integral part of Thunderbird code base. It caused other odd issues, like folks being unable to find the outbox because it is hard coded into the special account. So if you do find some developer still trying to hide the folders for "Local Folders" with an add-on you will have other issues that will appear and the advice you get will confuse because you simply do not have these standard folders.

What you showed in your image was the special account which is named "Local Folders" when you install the program. The name of this was changed to your email address. All I did was tell you to rename the account to what it was when the program was installed. So now you do not have an account for some oddball non existent email address, you have the bog standard Thunderbird "local Folders". It will probably have more folders that normal as you have obviously previously used "local Folders" as a global inbox for that account at plus.net

@Dan. I have no idea if your issue is the same as Dans, but I severely doubt it as you are being asked for a password. The special account has no capacity for a password. Or server settings or any of the trappings of a real mail account. It is a special account to provide local storage of items on the local machine.

As you can see in the image in my last reply to James on the topic, the "Special Account" is clearly marked as such. Yours is not. But given the thrashing you have obviously done to get such poor advice as to rename things to "outfox" and to physically delete folders from your profile I would guess your profile may be irrecoverably corrupted. Perhaps it might be recovered, but it is NOT the same issue as James has. I suggest you open your own topic and ask a question of the forum.

Make sure you provide links to other sources of information you have used and if possible the steps you have taken in the order you have done it so someone might have a chance to workout just what state your profile is in. Broken is about all I can be sure of at this point.

Matt I will do as you suggest by posting a new topic.

I'll post some screen shots and what I have attempted to try and resolve the issue.

Thanks, Dan

I know I said I would post a new thread but figured since I fixed my problem I would post what I did in this thread in case it will help anyone else.

I was trying to figure out where Thunderbird kept information stored to see if I could delete the email account that way and came across this page; Thunderbird Configuration Files .

It gives a warning when you go to use the Config Editor. I took my chances and did a search for the email address that was the problem. To my surprise you can edit a value but not delete it.

Not willing go give up. I noticed there was a "Reset" option. By clicking it the address was removed. No email address but the server information was still there. I selected "Reset" for the server information as well and it was gone.

I guess "Reset" means to default which would be blank.

Keep in mind if you use the Config Editor you do so at your own risk.