This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Thunderbird process doesn't end after closing the program

  • 3 replies
  • 16 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by user1127070

danielpicard
danielpicard
more options

Hello Mozilla Community!

Yesterday, as I came home from a longer trip, I upgraded my Thunderbird to the current version 31.0. Since I have done this I have the problem that the thunderbird process is not terminated after I close the last tab. The thunderbird.exe process is still listed in task manager, and if I start TB again I get an error message telling me that Thunderbird is already running.

Even after I have quit thunderbird, netstat -abo says the following:

TCP 127.0.0.1:49796 www:49797 HERGESTELLT 3688 [thunderbird.exe]

As soon as I kill the process in task manager netstat doesn't see TB and I can start TB once more without a problem, but the next time I close it this fails again.

I use G Data Antivirus and have already tried to disable both virus scan and e-mail protection, both had no effect. I even have uninstalled and reinstalled TB (incl. deleting my profile folder and any TB related files I could find), the problem persists.


I wanted to attach the infos found in help -> troubleshooting infos, to this post, however, they are partially in german, I couldn't find a way to get english diagnose information out of my german TB installation.

Maybe someone can give me helpful advise!

Kind regards from Daniel!

Hello Mozilla Community! Yesterday, as I came home from a longer trip, I upgraded my Thunderbird to the current version 31.0. Since I have done this I have the problem that the thunderbird process is not terminated after I close the last tab. The thunderbird.exe process is still listed in task manager, and if I start TB again I get an error message telling me that Thunderbird is already running. Even after I have quit thunderbird, netstat -abo says the following: -------------------- TCP 127.0.0.1:49796 www:49797 HERGESTELLT 3688 [thunderbird.exe] -------------------- As soon as I kill the process in task manager netstat doesn't see TB and I can start TB once more without a problem, but the next time I close it this fails again. I use G Data Antivirus and have already tried to disable both virus scan and e-mail protection, both had no effect. I even have uninstalled and reinstalled TB (incl. deleting my profile folder and any TB related files I could find), the problem persists. I wanted to attach the infos found in help -> troubleshooting infos, to this post, however, they are partially in german, I couldn't find a way to get english diagnose information out of my german TB installation. Maybe someone can give me helpful advise! Kind regards from Daniel!

All Replies (3)

user1127070
user1127070
more options

<In Polish on bottom of this site>

Hello Daniel and All with this same problem. From last week I had this same problem. My PC config is: Windows 8.1x64 Polish, Firefox 32.0.1 (later named FF), Thunderbird 31.x (later named TB) and G DATA Total Protection 2015 (later named TP). My problems was: 1. Unclosed thunderbird.exe process after close program. 2. Long sending e-mails with attachment included. ad 1. step 1: ReInstalling TB, Deleting and ReSetup TB Profile, Reinstalling TP, UnInstalling TB and TP and FF and cleaning Windows Registry did not bring wanted issue. step 2: Format C:\, Install OS + everything except TP and all works fine! Step 3: Installing TP and I get back this same problem with thunderbird.exe unclosed process. step 4: Downgrade (without uninstalation) TB to version 24.8.0 downloaded from http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/thunderbird/releases/24.8.0/ and Finally everything works fine! TP have switched On everything in Setup -> AntiVirus -> Messages Scan included: - Scan incoming messages, - Add raport to incomming infected messages, - Scan outgoing messages, - Scanners - bouth scanners, - OutbreakShield - switched On, - Scan SSL connection - switched On. If above directory and options are named different in your TP don't be shall to correct me, I was translated on-the-fly from Polish. ad 2. Sending e-mails with Attachments for now working fine in TB 24.8.0.

Hope with my Issue you get wanted result. Let Us know if my Issue workd for you or not.

Regards Arek

<Polish> Po Polsku Witaj Daniel i wszyscy z tym samym problemem. Od tygodnia mam ten sam problem. Moja konfiguracja PC: Windows 8.1 Polski, Firefox 32.0.1 (dalej zwany FF), Thunderbird 31.x (dalej zwany TB) i G DATA Total Protection 2015 (dalej zwany TP). Moje problemy to: 1. Niezamykający się proces thunderbird.exe po zamknięciu programu. 2. Długo trwające wysyłąnie e-maili z załącznikami. ad 1. Krok 1: ReInstalacja TB, usunięcie i Reinstalacja Profilu TB, Reinstalacja TP, Odinstalowanie TB i TP i FF i czyszczenie rejestru Windows nie przyniosły poszukiwanego rozwiązania. Krok 2: Format C:\, Instalacja OS + wszystkiego za wyjątkiem TP i wszystko działa! Krok 3: Instalacja TP i znów mam ten sam problem z niezamykającym się procesem thunderbird.exe. Krok 4: Downgrade (bez odinstalowania) TB do wersji 24.8.0 pobranej z http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/thunderbird/releases/24.8.0/ i wreszcie wszystko działa poprawnie! TP ma włączone wszystko w Ustawienia -> AntiVirus -> Skanowanie poczty włączając: - Skanuj wiadomości przychodzące, - Dołącz raport o przychodzących, zainfekowanych wiadomości, - Skanuj wiadomości wychodzące, - Skanery - Oba skanery, - OutbreakShield - włączony, - Scan SSL connection - włączony. ad 2. Wysyłanie e-maili z załącznikami na teraz działa poprawnie w TB 24.8.0.

Mam nadzieję, że z moim rozwiązaniem zdobędziesz wymagany rezultat. Daj nam znać czy moje rozwiązanie działa u ciebie czy nie. Pozdrawiam Arek

<Added> This same Issue works on Windows Vista Home Basic x86 Polish.

<Polish> Po Polsku To samo rozwiązanie działa na Windows Vista Home Basic x86 Polski.

Modified by user1127070

user1127070
user1127070
more options

I've just tested My Issue Problem 2 and I must tell that Unfortunately It not works. Sending and receiving e-mails on IMAP account taking a long time. For now It is only one way to works fast - e-mail scanner must be off :-/

Właśnie testowałem moje rozwiązanie dotyczące problemu 2 i niestety nie działa. Wysyłąnie i odbieranie e-maili w koncie IMAP trwa zbyt długo. Na chwilę obecną jedynym rozwiązaniem żeby pracować szybko - e-mail skaner musi być wyłączony.

user1127070
user1127070
more options

Today I tested same software configuration on Windows 7 Home Premium x64 Polish and I realised identically behaviour of TB v31.1.1. Same Solution works fine. So for now Downgrade TB to version 24.8.0 as temporary Issue. Please feedback Here If works or not on your computers.

Dziś testowałem to samo oprogramowanie na Windows 7 Home Premium x64 Polski i zauważyłem identyczne zachowanie w TB v31.1.1. To samo rozwiązanie działa znakomicie. Więc puki co przeinstaluj TB do wersji 24.8.0 jako rozwiązanie tymczasowe. Dajcie znać tutaj czy rozwiązanie działa lub nie na waszych komputerach.

Modified by user1127070