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Thunderbird won't ask for exception from IMAP server.

  • 4 replies
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by sfhowes

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I am using fastmail.com for my e-mail provider. I overall love Tbird. But Tbird doesn't like the certificates that fastmail provides for IMAP and SMTP. That is a problem with Fastmail mail I am pursuing with them.

My problem with Tbird, though, is it gets into some mode where it won't download/freshen my email from the IMAP server. I think it needs a new exception, but won't prompt for it. Its just stuck "Connected to imap.fastmail.com". The email was working, then one day is just stuck.

When it doesn't like the SMTP certificate, it prompts for it and I am able to continue sending email.

To solve this in the past I have deleted the account and re-add it. After re-entering the passwords and given permanent exceptions to the certificates, then getting mail is good again. The hassle is having to re-load my identities. (although I have now found them in the pref.js file, so perhaps I can paste them back in.)

I have gone through the certificate manager to delete the certificates, but NOTHING will get Tbird to PROMPT again for the certificate exception, which I assume is my problem.

Anyone have any ideas how I can reset Tbird to get my email again WITHOUT deleting the account?

Thanks,

I am using fastmail.com for my e-mail provider. I overall love Tbird. But Tbird doesn't like the certificates that fastmail provides for IMAP and SMTP. That is a problem with Fastmail mail I am pursuing with them. My problem with Tbird, though, is it gets into some mode where it won't download/freshen my email from the IMAP server. I think it needs a new exception, but won't prompt for it. Its just stuck "Connected to imap.fastmail.com". The email was working, then one day is just stuck. When it doesn't like the SMTP certificate, it prompts for it and I am able to continue sending email. To solve this in the past I have deleted the account and re-add it. After re-entering the passwords and given permanent exceptions to the certificates, then getting mail is good again. The hassle is having to re-load my identities. (although I have now found them in the pref.js file, so perhaps I can paste them back in.) I have gone through the certificate manager to delete the certificates, but NOTHING will get Tbird to PROMPT again for the certificate exception, ''which I assume is my problem''. Anyone have any ideas how I can reset Tbird to get my email again WITHOUT deleting the account? Thanks,

All Replies (4)

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Do you have a security app scanning secure connections, such as Bitdefender or Avast? They often interfere and block connections to mail servers. Disable that option if it applies.

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Thanks for the response sfhowes, but I am not knowingly running any security app other than AVG. And note that it works most of the time, for days or even weeks, and then some "glitch" happens and it gets stuck trying to "get" mail, I think the problem is during the handshake, before the login. Usually when this happens I have to accept the certificate exception for SMTP also, but it doesn't ask for it on the IMAP side.

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try disabling AVG. I think the issue may well be there

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AVG is owned by Avast, so if one of them causes problems, the other one likely does too. Disable the Mail Shield (still leaves real-time background scan in place) and any option that scans secure connections. If the problem was intermittent, it may be because one or both of TB and AVG updated and became incompatible.