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How can I correct the search function

Michael Bourdillon
Michael Bourdillon

Recently, the search function in thunderbird stopped showing any messages after May 2017 - even though there are relevant messages in June and July.

Recently, the search function in thunderbird stopped showing any messages after May 2017 - even though there are relevant messages in June and July.

Chosen solution

Right-click the Sent folder, select Properties and then Repair Folder. Perhaps the index file for the Sent folder has become corrupt. Did you remove the Global Database?

Side note: some Windows 10 users experience better performance when disabling Enable Global Search and Indexer in Options > Advanced panel > General tab.

Do you happen to use the Thunderbird Conversations add-on? If so, you may be suffering this issue. The add-on on addons.mozilla.org does not seem to be fit for TB 52, but a patched version can be found on GitHub, though it will only work in Thunderbird Daily builds.

If you don’t use the add-on, could there be another one causing it, i.e. what happens when you run Thunderbird in Safe Mode?

Read this answer in context 👍 2

All Replies (4)

Tonnes
Tonnes

Try this:

  • Go to the Help menu and click Troubleshooting Information.
  • Click the Open Folder button, next to the Profile Folder entry.
  • Close Thunderbird.
  • Delete the file global-messages-db.sqlite in the profile folder that just opened.
  • Restart Thunderbird and wait for the search index you just deleted to regenerate. (That may be quite a while.)

Also see Rebuilding the Global Database.

Did it help?

Michael Bourdillon
Michael Bourdillon Question owner

The activity manager got stuck with the message "Determining which messages to index in the sent folder" I reduced the size of the message base by deleting and archiving, and the sent folder is now just under 700 messages. Then I tried again. After 20 hours the activity manager still appears to be moving with a live green bar, but with the same message.

Tonnes
Tonnes

Chosen Solution

Right-click the Sent folder, select Properties and then Repair Folder. Perhaps the index file for the Sent folder has become corrupt. Did you remove the Global Database?

Side note: some Windows 10 users experience better performance when disabling Enable Global Search and Indexer in Options > Advanced panel > General tab.

Do you happen to use the Thunderbird Conversations add-on? If so, you may be suffering this issue. The add-on on addons.mozilla.org does not seem to be fit for TB 52, but a patched version can be found on GitHub, though it will only work in Thunderbird Daily builds.

If you don’t use the add-on, could there be another one causing it, i.e. what happens when you run Thunderbird in Safe Mode?

Modified by Tonnes

Michael Bourdillon
Michael Bourdillon Question owner

Tonnes said

Right-click the Sent folder, select Properties and then Repair Folder. Perhaps the index file for the Sent folder has become corrupt. Did you remove the Global Database? Side note: some Windows 10 users experience better performance when disabling Enable Global Search and Indexer in Options > Advanced panel > General tab. Do you happen to use the Thunderbird Conversations add-on? If so, you may be suffering this issue. The add-on on addons.mozilla.org does not seem to be fit for TB 52, but a patched version can be found on GitHub, though it will only work in Thunderbird Daily builds. If you don’t use the add-on, could there be another one causing it, i.e. what happens when you run Thunderbird in Safe Mode?

Thank you. Disabling the conversations add-on was the key