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Chat's "Previous conversations" subwindow shows only in safe-mode. How to show it in normal mode?

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 5 views
  • Last reply by sfhowes

zimon
zimon
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I have been running Thunderbird in safe-mode for some months now. The easiest solution to avoid it hogging 100% CPU time after the process gets old. Disabling add-ons just do not work as a solution.

Anyway, when I then started to use safe-mode, I was delighted to find there is "Previous Conversations:"-side-window in Chat-view (googlechat, XMMP-chat). Very usefull. Didn't know there is that feature.

Well, now I would need to use Enigmamail for time to time and therefore start Thunderbird in normal mode (not in safe-mode). But now the "Previous Conversations" do not show in Chat view and I cannot figure out how to turn it on or what is preventing it showing?

Once again disabling all Add-ons and Plugins does not solve the problem. "Previous Conversations:" are not visible when running in normal mode.

One thing I cannot disable in normal mode, is "Appearance: Default". That is also disabled when running in safe-mode and when "Previous Conversations:"-subwindow is showing. Also when restarting Thunderbird from Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled, it does not disable that "Appearance: Default", if that would be the reason.

Any ideas how to solve the issue?

I have been running Thunderbird in safe-mode for some months now. The easiest solution to avoid it hogging 100% CPU time after the process gets old. Disabling add-ons just do not work as a solution. Anyway, when I then started to use safe-mode, I was delighted to find there is "Previous Conversations:"-side-window in Chat-view (googlechat, XMMP-chat). Very usefull. Didn't know there is that feature. Well, now I would need to use Enigmamail for time to time and therefore start Thunderbird in normal mode (not in safe-mode). But now the "Previous Conversations" do not show in Chat view and I cannot figure out how to turn it on or what is preventing it showing? Once again disabling all Add-ons and Plugins does not solve the problem. "Previous Conversations:" are not visible when running in normal mode. One thing I cannot disable in normal mode, is "Appearance: Default". That is also disabled when running in safe-mode and when "Previous Conversations:"-subwindow is showing. Also when restarting Thunderbird from Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled, it does not disable that "Appearance: Default", if that would be the reason. Any ideas how to solve the issue?

All Replies (5)

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
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If add-ons, including Enigmail, aren't the cause of the Previous Conversations not being displayed in normal mode, you may have a broken layout. Start in safe mode, check 'Reset toolbars and controls' and click 'Make changes and restart'. Does that correct the Chat view?

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_mode#Safe_Mode_options

zimon
zimon Question owner
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I just did that. Started Thunderbird. Took Help > "Restart with Add-ons Disabled..." There [X] Disable all add-ones, [X] Reset toolbars and controls, "Make Changes and Restart"

After restrating, in Chat-tab, there is no "Previous Conversations:"-side-window as there is in safe-mode.

So it does not correct the Chat view.

But if I take "Continue in safe-mode", then the Chat view has "Previous Conversations"


thunderbird is:

  1. rpm -q thunderbird

thunderbird-45.5.1-1.fc23.x86_64

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
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If it's not a broken layout causing the Chat view problem, consider the other aspects of safe mode. Do you have hardware acceleration enabled (Edit/Preferences/Advanced/General)? Are you using the default theme? Any custom userChrome.css file?

zimon
zimon Question owner
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No, I do not have hardware acceleration enabled.

Yes, when in normal mode, the "Add-ons Manager" shows in "Appearance" I have Default theme enabled.

If i could just disable that Default theme in normal mode, maybe Previous Conversation would show. But unlike Extensions and Plugins, that Appearance item cannot be disabled.

No, i do not have any userChrome.css files in the system: # locate userChrome.css (returns nothing)

  1. find /home/zimon/ -name userChrome.css

(returns nothing)

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Since you've ruled out add-ons, themes, hw acceleration, broken layout and userChrome. it's hard to see what makes the Previous Conversations window not show in normal mode. While the Default theme can't be disabled directly, it is effectively disabled if another theme is enabled.

But I would be inclined to create a new profile with Profile Manager, set up an account, and see if the missing window appears. If it does, the mail and other data can be transferred from the old profile.