I should add now...it seems to eventually bring up the folder...it just takes a while....again, though - any suggestions would be very helpful!

What is your anti-virus software?

Do you need the 'All Mail' folder visible in Thunderbird in the first place?

Do you understand the Gmail label concept in general, and the meaning of the 'All Mail' folder in particular?

I have ZoneAlarm antivirus(hadn't thought of the antivirus angle). Also, I really do want the 'All Mail' view as I occasionally delete an email I wanted by mistake(such as when Thunderbird is lagging behind my keystrokes). I'm pretty sure I understand the 'All Mail' folder concept, although I hadn't considered that maybe the message would be gone from that folder, too, if I delete it. Would that be the case? If so, then no - I wouldn't particularly need the 'All Mail' view... Thanks much for helping!

To determine whether anti-virus software is involved 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?

I hadn't considered that maybe the message would be gone from that folder, too, if I delete it.

Quoting from this article: https://support.postbox-inc.com/hc/en-us/articles/202200580-Delete-Behavior-for-Gmail-Accounts

Even though the article is for Postbox, it applies to Thunderbird too.

The default setting for a Gmail account in Thunderbird when deleting messages is 'Move it to this folder [Trash]'.

In Gmail accounts, you can not specify a different folder for Trash.

When using this default setting, if you delete a message from Postbox's Inbox, it is then:

• Removed from the Postbox Inbox, but NOT the Gmail Inbox until you empty the Trash in Postbox.

• Placed into the Postbox Trash folder AND the Gmail Trash folder.

• Removed from Postbox labels AND Gmail's labels (although the Inbox will show messages with labels, but label selection will not)

• Removed from Postbox's All Mail folder AND Gmail's All Mail folder.

Therefore I'm not sure why you would need 'All Mail' in Thunderbird at all.

As an additional troubleshooting measure you can try to unsubscribe from 'All Mail' in Thunderbird.

Thank you for the continuing ideas. I'm not sure I understand what you mean by unsubscribing from 'All Mail'....do you mean to use Pop email instead of IMAP? Could you please explain? Thanks again! -Al

With IMAP you can unsubscribe from a folder, and thus remove it from the view in Thunderbird. It does not by any means alter the folder on the server. File (Alt-F) - Subscribe

Thank you for explaining what you mean! Again, my root problem is that I accidentally delete messages on a somewhat regular basis due to lag on my computer and I want to be able to recover them somehow. Perhaps I should adjust to using pop email instead?

Also, I'm in the habit of using shift delete to delete messages, to save a step or two. Am I 'shooting myself in the foot' by doing this? Thanks!

Well, I gave up - I just setup a pop account for my gmail to use instead - a pain, b/c I tried to copy messages from my imap local folders to the new pop local folders and it wouldn't let me - guess I have to rebuild their contents and message filters again. Doh - really wanted those historical emails....not totally sure why I couldn't just copy/paste them to these newly created local folders on the pop account, but whatever. I'm sick of struggling with it!

my root problem is that I accidentally delete messages on a somewhat regular basis due to lag on my computer and I want to be able to recover them somehow.

Please re-read my earlier post. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1235405#answer-1159197 I suppose you know what the Trash folder is about?

Perhaps I should adjust to using pop email instead?

Up to you. With POP you don't have 'All Mail' either.

I just setup a pop account for my gmail to use instead

To achieve what exactly?

I tried to copy messages from my imap local folders to the new pop local folders

Not sure what you were doing. There is no such thing as 'imap local folders'. It's either your 'Local Folders', or an IMAP folder.

see attached screenshot...

Well, I eventually had enough. I've made one final backup of Thunderbird and transferred everything to another 3rd party email program I found while researching....rip thunderbird - used ya for years successfully.

Cya.... you might want to do the same thing with your anti virus if Thunderbird has been lagging. Number one cause of slow update, slow display timeouts on folder access. You name it. But the normal response is dump the software you can see not working, never to actually fix the dud that causes the issues. It is "accepted" that computers with ANti virus run around 10% slower. More if the product is misbehaving or a bad release.

Most of the time spend on this forum is spent fixing anti virus programs and their firewalls. Mostly they are rubbish that has become as invasive as the pests they are supposed to keep under control.

You are, you say, using malware bytes anti virus, so you anti virus engine is from Kaspersky. Malwarebytes don't make their own. So when looking at issues, the two are mostly interchangeable. Kaspersky is so slow they offer support articles on it. https://support.kaspersky.com/13923

I just verified....in fact, I don't still have Zone Alarm on here, though I had it in the past and must have uninstalled it recently w/o remembering that I did so(sorry - I'm a stroke survivor with compromised memory). I remember at one point, I used Microsoft Security Essentials with Windows Firewall, but I wasn't overly confident that I was well-protected. What would you think of that scenario? I've always resisted the idea of paying for any of it, partly out of principle and partly out of having limited Social Security income being disabled. Any thoughts on that combo(MSse+windows firewall)? Thanks, again! -Al

I see you are running windows 10. In that case you will probably get sufficient protection using windows defender and windows firewall, as long as you use a limited user account on windows 10.

One of the biggest issues everyone faces is the trade off between access and security. For a general computer user that is not installing new software all the time, a limited access user account on windows is that best fit trade off. By default most computer users use administrator accounts. The problem with that is any malware that does slip through gains full control by virtue of your access level in your user account.

There are instructions for setting up limited user accounts here https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/limited-user-accounts-windows-10

Do not repeatedly use the same passwords, especially on your local computer. While many security people will tell you never write down your password, for those with memory issues and everyone else as well, writing them down can be good practice. Very few of us are using passwords to stop the person in our living room that can read the piece of paper. We are also likely to be more adventurous with the passwords used if they are written down.

While I do not advocate writing passwords on the lid of a laptop, writing them on a card can be beneficial.

I see you are running windows 10. In that case you will probably get sufficient protection using windows defender and windows firewall, as long as you use a limited user account on windows 10.

One of the biggest issues everyone faces is the trade off between access and security. For a general computer user that is not installing new software all the time, a limited access user account on windows is that best fit trade off. By default most computer users use administrator accounts. The problem with that is any malware that does slip through gains full control by virtue of your access level in your user account.

There are instructions for setting up limited user accounts here https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/limited-user-accounts-windows-10

Do not repeatedly use the same passwords, especially on your local computer. While many security people will tell you never write down your password, for those with memory issues and everyone else as well, writing them down can be good practice. Very few of us are using passwords to stop the person in our living room that can read the piece of paper. We are also likely to be more adventurous with the passwords used if they are written down.

While I do not advocate writing passwords on the lid of a laptop, writing them on a card can be beneficial.

Thank you for your tips, contributors....I had honestly forgotten about not running with an administrator account....a lesson I learned at my last it job when I had a stroke and became disabled....we used an account with no special privileges and had an admin account to give credentials for only when necessary...