check settings:

'Tools' > 'Account Settings' > 'Composition & Addressing' for the mail account

• select : 'Compose mesages in HTML format'
• select: Automatically quote the original message when replying'
• then 'Start my reply above the quote' or other option.

If you have a signature:

• select: and plce my signature 'below my reply(above the quote) or other option
• select: Include signature for replies'
• select: Include signature for forwards'

• click on OK to save changes

The problem is that I cannot write anything in the message area of the message 'box' and the message that I am replying to, when it is a reply, does not show up there, either.

Also, when I hit reply, the message box comes up, but no subject shows up nor the e-mail to which the reply is being sent.

Basically, I can send and receive e-mails, but the e-mails that I send are blank because of this.

What happens if you run in safe mode? Hold Shift (Mac:Option) when you launch TB.

I restarted it in safe mode and it doesn't change anything. it still does the same thing.

I think we'll need some more details of your setup: select Help/Troubleshooting Information, click Copy text to Clipboard, paste (Ctrl-V) it into a reply, omit the printer and font details, and state any antivirus or security programs in use.

Are you able to compose new messages, i.e. not replies or forwards? If you select a message in the Sent folder, then right-click, Edit as New Message, does the Write window open correctly, display the message and allow typing?

That's the issue.

I cannot compose messages, but I can send off blank ones.

The write window does open up, it allows me to put in a "send to" e-mail address and it allows me to type on the subject line, but will not allow me to actually compose/type a message in the actual message window, nor does it post the message that I am replying to in the window.

re: and the message that I am replying to, when it is a reply, does not show up there, either.

can you respond to the info I posted to check settings:

'Tools' > 'Account Settings' > 'Composition & Addressing' for the mail account

Do you have the settings as I described?

I double and triple-checked the settings as you described and they are correct. This has not fixed the problem.

I also ran Norton, Malwarebytes, Glary and spybot to see if to see if there was a virus or other nasty in the system. They found issues and resolved them, but it did not fix this problem.

Maybe this occured when you last updated Thunderbird and something did not download correctly.

Suggest you backup you Profile, uninstall Thunderbird and get a fresh download. Uninstalling and reinstalling should not effect your Profile Foldres as they are not stored in the same place, but having a backup is always useful.

Backup Info:

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_backup

Uninstall via Control Panel > Programs and Features, select Mozilla thunderbird and clickon uninstall.

Then download a fresh version from here:

• http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/all.html

choose your prefered language and OS.