Can you provide a screenshot? http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-do-i-create-screenshot-my-problem

christ1 said

Can you provide a screenshot? http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-do-i-create-screenshot-my-problem

Yes I can. Attached is the screenshot you requested.

I am assuming that I posted the screen shot correctly. Can you confirm?

John Gardner

Thanks for the screenshot. Are you saying when you enter your account password you get stuck? No other error message or anything? I'd assume you do have the correct password. Can you confirm? You may want to try to verify your password using webmail.

I don't believe the problem has to do with the password. When I initiate Thunderbird on my desktop, the pop-up requesting my password appears in its usual way. The cursor begins to blink in the space where I should enter the password. If I attempt to enter the password, it allows me to progress for four or five seconds (the initial password characters show up) but then freezes. The cursor stops blinking and I cannot enter any additional characters. It will not permit me to "enter" the partial password I have typed in. If I initiate Thunderbird on my desktop and do nothing when the password popup appears, the cursor blinks for four or five seconds, and then freezes. I cannot enter any characters after that point. Whichever way I tackle it, when I click the "x" box in the upper right hand corner of the "mail server password required" box, (not responding) appears in brackets in the heading of the box. Relevant to the problem is the fact that the identical problem has arisen at the same time on my Macbook Pro. The Macbook has Thunderbird installed and has been working properly. The same outcomes appear if I try to enter Thunderbird on that unit. On both units I have access to the internet for other purposes, going directly into my "yahoo" email account, for example. The fact that the same problem appeared on both machines at the same time and that I can enter my email directly, leads me to believe that outside my computers has caused the information resident with Thunderbird or with Yahoo to have changed with the result that the information regarding my email account resident on my local machine is not longer compatible with the source email server. The fact that I can enter my email account directly by going to Yahoo suggests that the problem is with Yahoo only if there is some specific feature of Yahoo email that becomes dedicated to Thunderbird.

What is your anti-virus software on both computers?

The security on my Lenovo desktop is "Microsoft Security Essentials".

Security on the Apple laptop is provided by the free version of "Sophos Antivirus".

Both sets of security software respective machines for some number of months. Both are instructed to update automatically.

John

I don't know about Apple, but for the Windows computer try to start *Windows* in safe mode with networking enabled.

- Win8 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/windows-startup-settings-including-safe-mode

- Win7 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Start-your-computer-in-safe-mode

- XP http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/boot_failsafe.mspx

Still in Windows safe mode, start Thunderbird in safe mode.

- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/safe-mode

Does the problem go away?

Getting there, but very slowly.

I was able to boot my Lenovo PC into the "safe mode". "Safe mode" was verified by the label "safe" at the corners. The screen had all the usual icons in large size, including Thunderbird. I was not able to boot Thunderbird in the Thunderbird safe mode, because I do not know which key is the "option" on my keyboard. If you can inform me, I will give it a try. I did, however, initiate Thunderbird while in the Windows 7 "safe" mode. It was activated, but the same problem persisted. It froze after about four or five seconds and would not respond. Interestingly enough, on the screen I could not find the "sign in" popup box. I await your instructions. John

Can you try Thunderbird safe mode on the Windows computer please?

I was successful in booting the Lenovo PC up in "safe" mode and then opening Thunderbird in the Thunderbird "safe" mode.

The problem continues. Once Thunderbird was up in the "safe" mode, the "enter password" popup appeared, but after four or five seconds, it froze. I could not enter the password and I could not even close out the Thunderbird software.

My earlier problem with respect to initiating Thunderbird in its "safe" mode is resolved. The instructions at "https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/safe-mode" yesterday told me to activate Thunderbird while pressing the "options" key. This morning the instructions said activate while pressing the "shift" key.

John

I tried Thunderbird in the safe mode on the Windows computer as requested two days ago. I reported the outcome: Thunderbird still did NOT function (please see my earlier reply).

What do I do next?

John

As safe mode didn't help I'd suggest you try with a new profile. Something may be wrong with your existing profile. First of all, create a backup of your existing profile. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Thunderbird_:_FAQs_:_Backing_Up_and_Restoring

Then create a new profile using profile manager, and start Thunderbird with the new profile via profile manager as well. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/using-multiple-profiles

Re-create your account in the new profile. If the account is a POP account, make sure to check the 'Leave messages on the server' option in your Account Settings.

Your last message has enabled me to solve the problem by setting up a new profile. I have delayed writing to thank you until I had the repair complete. As you suggested I backed up the existing profile before creating the new profile. Once I made the new profile the default profile, Thunderbird appears to service me as before.

Most of the time required to effect the repair was involved in recovering the fifteen or so address books I had in the old profile, and in figuring out how to transfer "local" folders from the old profile to the new profile. As far as I can tell, I have been successful on both those fronts.

I checked the "active" folders which were created on the Yahoo server. They appear to be independent of the Thunderbird profile. All the "active" folders I had before appear to be still there.

Question: I believe my old (faulty) profile had a POP setting for the incoming server. Rogers Email settings permit either POP or IMAP for the incoming server. In setting up the new profile I selected IMAP. Does Thunderbird care which it is? Is there an advantage to one over the other?

Finally, is there anything else I should be doing to complete the restoration of Thunderbird email?

I will store this thread of messages and have it available should I need it again.

Once again, many thanks.

John Gardner

There is no right or wrong with using either POP or IMAP. It really depends on what you're trying to achieve. There's plenty of information on the web about POP vs. IMAP, here is an example. http://www.howtogeek.com/99423/email-whats-the-difference-in-pop3-imap-and-exchange For more information about transferring data to a new profile check this article. But I guess you already covered everything you need. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_data_to_a_new_profile_-_Thunderbird

Problem resolved. Many thanks.

John