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Thunderbird often not responding for 15 seconds

  • 18 ŋuɖoɖowo
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  • Nuɖoɖo mlɔetɔ Tonnes

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Thunderbird often, but not allways, stops responding for about 15 seconds, while a message is being composed (often with several stops) or send. ("not responding" written in the top line, Thunderbird freezes and becomes shaded and the mouse shows a running waiting circle). We have 3 computers running Windows 10 and Thunderbird 45.2.0 on IMAP accounts. All 3 connects to the same (large) 3 IMAP accounts from the same ISP and 1 PC also connects to 1 (small) IMAP account from another ISP. We have no Thunderbird add-ons installed. The problem started 2-3 weeks ago, and happens on all 3 PC´s, no matter the IMAP account or ISP. I have called our ISP´s and ask for recent changes in email setup, but there is none. Our internet line is not down/disrupted when freezing occurs. We can shift to and use any other program on the pc. Initially it happened mostly when a draft of a message is saved (every minute) during composing (data goes all the way thru our internet connection to the IMAP server at the ISP), so I changed drafts to be saved locally. But it made no difference, apart from the message "saving draft" no longer shows when freezing, it just says "not responding" at the top. We have used Thunderbird this way for 5 years, and never seen the problem before. We upgraded to win 10 3 months ago. Nobody else seems to have reported this problem recently.

Thunderbird often, but not allways, stops responding for about 15 seconds, while a message is being composed (often with several stops) or send. ("not responding" written in the top line, Thunderbird freezes and becomes shaded and the mouse shows a running waiting circle). We have 3 computers running Windows 10 and Thunderbird 45.2.0 on IMAP accounts. All 3 connects to the same (large) 3 IMAP accounts from the same ISP and 1 PC also connects to 1 (small) IMAP account from another ISP. We have no Thunderbird add-ons installed. The problem started 2-3 weeks ago, and happens on all 3 PC´s, no matter the IMAP account or ISP. I have called our ISP´s and ask for recent changes in email setup, but there is none. Our internet line is not down/disrupted when freezing occurs. We can shift to and use any other program on the pc. Initially it happened mostly when a draft of a message is saved (every minute) during composing (data goes all the way thru our internet connection to the IMAP server at the ISP), so I changed drafts to be saved locally. But it made no difference, apart from the message "saving draft" no longer shows when freezing, it just says "not responding" at the top. We have used Thunderbird this way for 5 years, and never seen the problem before. We upgraded to win 10 3 months ago. Nobody else seems to have reported this problem recently.

All Replies (18)

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It happens mostly when a message is composed or send, but sometimes also when just clicking to read a message or other non-editori al situations.

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It gets worser and worser, I can hardly click anything in Thunderbird before it hangs, and now also for longer periodes. I have also tried to disable Anti virus and to connect thru a phone to bypass the wireless router installed: No change.

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This is a general reply/question. When I see 'helpful reply' to a question I also have, I can't figure out how to access that reply. I very much want to read what "Hegnsmanden" replied to the hang up problem which is exactly mine. What do I have to do in order to see it?

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What is your anti-virus software?

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DumbOldLady,

if you have any question about a problem on your computer, please start a new topic. https://support.mozilla.org/questions/new

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Malwarebytes which has worked with Tbird for years without this problem, but I suppose it could have to do with some update on one of them.......

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christ1 said

DumbOldLady, if you have any question about a problem on your computer, please start a new topic. https://support.mozilla.org/questions/new

Did this as asked, but also got your question about anti-virus program before reposting the question

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but also got your question about anti-virus program before reposting the question

That was a question for the original poster, not for you.

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Sorry, Christ1. As you can see I'm not too swift at this stuff........

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Antivirus is G-data and we are also running mallwarebytes, but (of course) we have tried shutting them down completely before asking for help (and realtime email check in antivirus are never activated anyway). We have minimised the problem by turning off saving drafts. The problem now comes 1-2 time a day pr. user, but it last about twice as long, 30-40 sec.

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Thanks for this, but it's not a very satisfactory solution! I can't understand why Mozilla TBird can't solve this problem for all of us. I'm inclined to change my email service, but have like TB so much for so long. Feel VERY disgruntled, and sad....# * Numbered list item

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Try to start Windows in safe mode with networking enabled. - Win10 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12376/windows-10-start-your-pc-in-safe-mode

Still in Windows safe mode, start Thunderbird in safe mode. - https://support.mozilla.org/kb/safe-mode

Does the problem go away?

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Trying it out, christ1, thanks. Will let you know tomorrow some time.

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That seems to have done the trick! Today, I'm assuming TBird is no longer in safe mode (is that right?), but I've tried sending some messages with big attachments (which were always certain to hand TB up) and they've gone out and been saved with no issues. Is there anything I have to do further to make sure that continues? Thanks so much for this solution!

DumbOldLady trɔe

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DumbOldLady said

That seems to have done the trick! Today, I'm assuming TBird is no longer in safe mode (is that right?), but I've tried sending some messages with big attachments (which were always certain to hand TB up) and they've gone out and been saved with no issues. Is there anything I have to do further to make sure that continues? Thanks so much for this solution!
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O dear! i was too quick to say the problem is solved. The period that TBird hangs up is shorter and the frequency seems to be down, but it IS still happening. Do you have any other suggestions?

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Do you have any other suggestions?

Please start your own thread as advised earlier. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1134452#answer-915349

You're hijacking someone else thread.

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Hegnsmanden: Try setting the Thunderbird Connection settings to use No proxy (also see this question), and also make sure Windows does not have one set in Internet Connection settings.

Another thing reported to cause delays in Thunderbrid is Windows Search Indexing that you could disable, at least for the Thunderbird profile folder.