What is your anti-virus software?

IObit Anti-Malware, Anti-Ransomware with Bitdefender Enabled IObit Smart Defrag 6 is also installed. The problem didn't start until a most recent Thunderbird update.

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?

OK, have been in Windows and Thunderbird Safe Mode for several hours now and it has not stopped responding. It even seems to be faster and responding better. So now we know it can be any one of a number of other things causing it............  :)

Windows safe mode disables anti-virus software, which is most likely the culprit. These are some generic suggestions to avoid problems with anti-virus software.

Create an exception in your anti-virus software for the Thunderbird profile folder, so that the anti-virus real-time scanner will not scan it. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Thunderbird

Don't let your anti-virus software scan incoming and outgoing messages.

Don't let your anti-virus software scan attachments.

Don't let your anti-virus software intercept your secure connection to the server.

Remove any add-ons your anti-virus software may have installed in Thunderbird.

Keep it working. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Keep_it_working_-_Thunderbird

And last but not least, backup your Thunderbird profile on a regular basis. https://support.mozilla.org/kb/profiles-where-thunderbird-stores-user-data#w_backing-up-a-profile

If I don't allow my antivirus program to scan incoming mail, whats the sense in having the it at all?

I assume Bitdefender is the guilty program, do you have any recommendations for a free antivirus program that should be used instead?

If I don't allow my antivirus program to scan incoming mail, whats the sense in having the it at all?

You should still use your anti-virus real-time scanner. With the real-time scan turned on [which it is typically by default] it will scan all the files and attachments and will alert you if there is any infection. It just shouldn't scan the Thunderbird profile folder.

do you have any recommendations for a free antivirus program that should be used instead?

Windows Defender

So I was able to recover all my old emails after an IObit Uninstall and Deep Clean. Thank You to those who helped.

I have since upgraded to TB 68.3.0 (32 bit) however the program still stops responding about every 5 minutes when I am typing a message. A bell goes ding, then a box pops up and says my message is being saved to the Drafts folder. The length of time varies but the program will start responding again after a 3 to 10 minutes. Closing out other programs does not seem to do anything. I have also had IObit looking to see if they can find an issue with their software Malware Fighter /Bitdefender

I thought TB had a new feature in it that automatically saves your work after a selected amount of time but I can't find the setting again. Perhaps I have it confused with open office but if I don't I am wondering if that could be causing the problem since the problem started after a TB update. In the trouble shooting section I found some basic information that I will post after this.

Application Basics

   Name: Thunderbird
   Version: 68.3.0
   Build ID: 20191129091924
   Update Channel: release
   User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; WOW64; rv:68.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/68.3.0
   OS: Windows_NT 10.0
   Launcher Process: Enabled
   Multiprocess Windows: 0/0
             Disabled
   Remote Processes: 0
   Enterprise Policies: Inactive
   Google Location Service Key: Missing
   Google Safebrowsing Key: Missing
   Mozilla Location Service Key: Missing
   Safe Mode: false
 Mail and News Accounts
   account1:
     INCOMING: account1, , (pop3) pop.ipage.com:110, plain, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , smtp.ipage.com:587, plain, passwordCleartext, true
   account2:
     INCOMING: account2, , (none) Local Folders, plain, passwordCleartext
 Crash Reports for the Last 3 Days
 Remote Processes
   Type: Count
 Extensions
     Name
     Version
     Enabled
     ID
       Amazon.com
       1.1
       true
       amazondotcom@search.mozilla.org
       Bing
       1.0
       true
       bing@search.mozilla.org
       DuckDuckGo
       1.0
       true
       ddg@search.mozilla.org
       Google
       1.0
       true
       google@search.mozilla.org
       Lightning
       68.3.0
       true
       {e2fda1a4-762b-4020-b5ad-a41df1933103}
       Twitter
       1.0
       true
       twitter@search.mozilla.org
       Wikipedia (en)
       1.0
       true
       wikipedia@search.mozilla.org
 Security Software
   Type: Name
     Antivirus: IObit Malware Fighter
     Antispyware: IObit Malware Fighter
     Firewall: Windows Firewall
 Graphics
     Features
     Compositing: Basic
     Asynchronous Pan/Zoom: none
     WebGL 1 Driver WSI Info: EGL_VENDOR: Google Inc. (adapter LUID: 0000000000005a43)

EGL_VERSION: 1.4 (ANGLE 2.1.0.8a050090f926) EGL_EXTENSIONS: EGL_EXT_create_context_robustness EGL_ANGLE_d3d_share_handle_client_buffer EGL_ANGLE_d3d_texture_client_buffer EGL_ANGLE_surface_d3d_texture_2d_share_handle EGL_ANGLE_query_surface_pointer EGL_ANGLE_window_fixed_size EGL_ANGLE_keyed_mutex EGL_ANGLE_surface_orientation EGL_ANGLE_direct_composition EGL_NV_post_sub_buffer EGL_KHR_create_context EGL_EXT_device_query EGL_KHR_image EGL_KHR_image_base EGL_KHR_gl_texture_2D_image EGL_KHR_gl_texture_cubemap_image EGL_KHR_gl_renderbuffer_image EGL_KHR_get_all_proc_addresses EGL_KHR_stream EGL_KHR_stream_consumer_gltexture EGL_NV_stream_consumer_gltexture_yuv EGL_ANGLE_flexible_surface_compatibility EGL_ANGLE_stream_producer_d3d_texture EGL_ANGLE_create_context_webgl_compatibility EGL_CHROMIUM_create_context_bind_generates_resource EGL_CHROMIUM_sync_control EGL_EXT_pixel_format_float EGL_KHR_surfaceless_context EGL_ANGLE_display_texture_share_group EGL_ANGLE_create_context_client_arrays EGL_ANGLE_program_cache_control EGL_ANGLE_robust_resource_initialization EGL_ANGLE_create_context_extensions_enabled EGL_ANDROID_blob_cache EGL_ANDROID_recordable EGL_EXTENSIONS(nullptr): EGL_EXT_client_extensions EGL_EXT_platform_base EGL_EXT_platform_device EGL_ANGLE_platform_angle EGL_ANGLE_platform_angle_d3d EGL_ANGLE_device_creation EGL_ANGLE_device_creation_d3d11 EGL_ANGLE_experimental_present_path EGL_KHR_client_get_all_proc_addresses EGL_KHR_debug EGL_ANGLE_explicit_context

     WebGL 1 Driver Renderer: Google Inc. -- ANGLE (Intel(R) G41 Express Chipset (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM 1.1) Direct3D11 vs_4_0 ps_4_0)
     WebGL 1 Driver Version: OpenGL ES 2.0 (ANGLE 2.1.0.8a050090f926)
     WebGL 1 Driver Extensions: GL_ANGLE_client_arrays GL_ANGLE_explicit_context GL_ANGLE_explicit_context_gles1 GL_ANGLE_framebuffer_blit GL_ANGLE_framebuffer_multisample GL_ANGLE_instanced_arrays GL_ANGLE_lossy_etc_decode GL_ANGLE_memory_size GL_ANGLE_multi_draw GL_ANGLE_pack_reverse_row_order GL_ANGLE_program_cache_control GL_ANGLE_provoking_vertex GL_ANGLE_request_extension GL_ANGLE_robust_client_memory GL_ANGLE_texture_compression_dxt3 GL_ANGLE_texture_compression_dxt5 GL_ANGLE_texture_usage GL_ANGLE_translated_shader_source GL_CHROMIUM_bind_generates_resource GL_CHROMIUM_bind_uniform_location GL_CHROMIUM_color_buffer_float_rgb GL_CHROMIUM_color_buffer_float_rgba GL_CHROMIUM_copy_compressed_texture GL_CHROMIUM_copy_texture GL_CHROMIUM_sync_query GL_EXT_blend_func_extended GL_EXT_blend_minmax GL_EXT_color_buffer_half_float GL_EXT_debug_marker GL_EXT_discard_framebuffer GL_EXT_disjoint_timer_query GL_EXT_draw_buffers GL_EXT_float_blend GL_EXT_frag_depth GL_EXT_instanced_arrays GL_EXT_map_buffer_range GL_EXT_occlusion_query_boolean GL_EXT_read_format_bgra GL_EXT_robustness GL_EXT_sRGB GL_EXT_shader_texture_lod GL_EXT_texture_compression_dxt1 GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc_srgb GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic GL_EXT_texture_format_BGRA8888 GL_EXT_texture_rg GL_EXT_texture_storage GL_EXT_unpack_subimage GL_KHR_debug GL_KHR_parallel_shader_compile GL_KHR_robust_buffer_access_behavior GL_NV_EGL_stream_consumer_external GL_NV_fence GL_NV_pack_subimage GL_NV_pixel_buffer_object GL_OES_EGL_image GL_OES_EGL_image_external GL_OES_compressed_ETC1_RGB8_texture GL_OES_depth32 GL_OES_element_index_uint GL_OES_get_program_binary GL_OES_mapbuffer GL_OES_packed_depth_stencil GL_OES_rgb8_rgba8 GL_OES_standard_derivatives GL_OES_surfaceless_context GL_OES_texture_border_clamp GL_OES_texture_float GL_OES_texture_half_float GL_OES_texture_half_float_linear GL_OES_texture_npot GL_OES_vertex_array_object OES_compressed_EAC_R11_signed_texture OES_compressed_EAC_R11_unsigned_texture OES_compressed_EAC_RG11_signed_texture OES_compressed_EAC_RG11_unsigned_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_RGB8_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_RGBA8_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_punchthroughA_RGBA8_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_punchthroughA_sRGB8_alpha_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_sRGB8_alpha8_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_sRGB8_texture
     WebGL 1 Extensions: ANGLE_instanced_arrays EXT_blend_minmax EXT_color_buffer_half_float EXT_disjoint_timer_query EXT_float_blend EXT_frag_depth EXT_shader_texture_lod EXT_sRGB EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic OES_element_index_uint OES_standard_derivatives OES_texture_float OES_texture_half_float OES_texture_half_float_linear OES_vertex_array_object WEBGL_color_buffer_float WEBGL_compressed_texture_s3tc WEBGL_compressed_texture_s3tc_srgb WEBGL_debug_renderer_info WEBGL_debug_shaders WEBGL_draw_buffers WEBGL_lose_context
     WebGL 2 Driver WSI Info: -
     WebGL 2 Driver Renderer: WebGL creation failed:

• tryANGLE
• Exhausted GL driver options.

     WebGL 2 Driver Version: -
     WebGL 2 Driver Extensions: -
     WebGL 2 Extensions: -
     Direct2D: Blocked for your graphics card because of unresolved driver issues.
     Uses Tiling (Content): true
     Off Main Thread Painting Enabled: true
     Off Main Thread Painting Worker Count: 1
     Target Frame Rate: 75
     DirectWrite: true (10.0.14393.1358)
     GPU #1
     Active: Yes
     Description: Intel(R) G41 Express Chipset (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM 1.1)
     Vendor ID: 0x8086
     Device ID: 0x2e32
     Driver Version: 8.15.10.2702
     Driver Date: 3-11-2013
     Drivers: igdumd64 igd10umd64 igdumd32 igd10umd32
     Subsys ID: 04001028
     RAM: Unknown
   GPU #2
     Diagnostics
     AzureCanvasBackend: skia
     AzureContentBackend: skia
     AzureFallbackCanvasBackend: cairo
     ClearType Parameters: Gamma: 2.2 Pixel Structure: RGB ClearType Level: 100 Enhanced Contrast: 50
     Decision Log
     HW_COMPOSITING: disabled by user: Disabled by pref
     D3D11_COMPOSITING: unavailable by default: Hardware compositing is disabled

DIRECT2D: unavailable by default: Direct2D requires Direct3D 11 compositing

     D3D11_HW_ANGLE: unavailable by default: D3D11 compositing is disableddisabled by env: D3D11 compositing is disabled
     GPU_PROCESS: unavailable by default: Multi-process mode is not enabled
     WEBRENDER: opt-in by default: WebRender is an opt-in featureunavailable-no-angle by runtime: ANGLE is disabled
     WEBRENDER_QUALIFIED: blacklisted by env: No qualified hardware
   Crash Guard Disabled Features
   Workarounds
   Failure Log
 Media
     Audio Backend: wasapi
     Max Channels: 2
     Preferred Sample Rate: 48000
     Output Devices
       Name
       Group
       Vendor
       State
       Preferred
       Format
       Channels
       Rate
       Latency
       Internal AUX Jack (2- High Definition Audio Device)

HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0269&SUBSYS_10280400&REV_1001\4&dd1b1a&0&0001

       Disabled
       None
       default: F32LE, support: S16LE F32LE
       0
       default: 0, support: 0 - 0
       0 - 0
       Disabled
       None
       default: F32LE, support: S16LE F32LE
       0
       default: 0, support: 0 - 0
       0 - 0
       Internal AUX Jack (2- High Definition Audio Device)

HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0269&SUBSYS_10280400&REV_1001\4&dd1b1a&0&0001

       Disabled
       None
       default: F32LE, support: S16LE F32LE
       0
       default: 0, support: 0 - 0
       0 - 0
       Speakers (2- High Definition Audio Device)

HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0269&SUBSYS_10280400&REV_1001\4&dd1b1a&0&0001

       Enabled
       None
       default: F32LE, support: S16LE F32LE
       2
       default: 44100, support: 44100 - 44100
       129 - 448
       Disabled
       None
       default: F32LE, support: S16LE F32LE
       0
       default: 0, support: 0 - 0
       0 - 0
       Speakers (2- High Definition Audio Device)

HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0269&SUBSYS_10280400&REV_1001\4&dd1b1a&0&0001

       Enabled
       All
       default: F32LE, support: S16LE F32LE
       2
       default: 48000, support: 48000 - 48000
       129 - 480
       Disabled
       None
       default: F32LE, support: S16LE F32LE
       0
       default: 0, support: 0 - 0
       0 - 0
       Disabled
       None
       default: F32LE, support: S16LE

I have since upgraded to TB 68.3.0 (32 bit) however the program still stops responding about every 5 minutes when I am typing a message.

I think in this topic you've already been given all the information needed to deal with the 'Not responding' problem, with anti-virus software being most likely the culprit.

I thought TB had a new feature in it that automatically saves your work after a selected amount of time but I can't find the setting again.

At the top right of the Thunderbird window, click the menu button > Options - Composition - Auto Save every x minutes

I am wondering if that could be causing the problem since the problem started after a TB update.

It may be the trigger, but certainly not the root cause.

What is the size of your drafts folder?