Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

timeout on connecting to Yahoo SMTP and IMAP / password deleted

hoc.tienganh
hoc.tienganh
more options

Dear experts,

after working well for years, some days ago, on one account I stopped getting emails. I found out that the connection to IMAP (and also to SMTP) always times out.

Through another client software (on iOS) I still can access the email accounts and see that actually new emails are there to be fetched. But Thunderbird on Windows can't connect.

Then I found out that the same happened also with other email accounts which I rarely use and therefore don't know how long they might already have been affected.

Somewhere on the web, I found a hint that I should delete the passwords from the password manager. Thunderbird (on Windows 11) would ask for them when trying to reconnect. I did this. There were still the regular password saved and also the new OAUTH2 key. I removed them all and hoped that Thunderbird would re-initiate the generation of a new OAUTH2 key. But nothing happens. No error message or anything. Just no new emails and when I try to send, it gets stuck. Actually, Thunderbird does not even ask me for a password in spite of I have deleted the relevant passwords from its password manager. Therefore I guess the connection attempt seems even not to get to the point when the authentication is needed.

I've been using Avast Anti Virus with Email shield for years. So, there seems to be no change from that side. And I've been using Comodo Firewall for several months. This is also unchanged.

Does anyone have an idea what else I could try?

Thanks and best regards, Joe

Dear experts, after working well for years, some days ago, on one account I stopped getting emails. I found out that the connection to '''IMAP '''(and also to '''SMTP''') always '''times out'''. Through another client software (on iOS) I still can access the email accounts and see that actually new emails are there to be fetched. But '''Thunderbird on Windows can't connect'''. Then I found out that the same happened also with other email accounts which I rarely use and therefore don't know how long they might already have been affected. Somewhere on the web, I found a hint that I should '''delete the passwords '''from the password manager. Thunderbird (on Windows 11) would ask for them when trying to reconnect. I did this. There were still the regular password saved and also the new OAUTH2 key. I removed them all and hoped that Thunderbird would re-initiate the generation of a new OAUTH2 key. But nothing happens. No error message or anything. Just no new emails and when I try to send, it gets stuck. Actually, '''Thunderbird does not even ask me for a password '''in spite of I have deleted the relevant passwords from its password manager. Therefore I guess the connection attempt seems even not to get to the point when the authentication is needed. I've been using Avast Anti Virus with Email shield for years. So, there seems to be no change from that side. And I've been using Comodo Firewall for several months. This is also unchanged. Does anyone have an idea what else I could try? Thanks and best regards, Joe

Chosen solution

Thanks a lot for the additional idea!

Yesterday, I tried everything, including several reboots and disabling the Avast Mail Shield. One exception: I had nod tried the Reboot in Safe Mode.

Today, on the first try, TB asked me for the password, and now, it is working.

So, since several reboots did not solve it, but after the last reboot, it startet working, I still have no Idea what had happened, but I can continue using it.

I'll mark it as "solved" since I can currently use the software. Nevertheless, If someone wants to use the same "solution", I have no idea what you should try. Maybe reboot lots of times or reboot the next day... or try the other suggestion from sfhowes (reboot in safe mode) which I did not try...

Just in case if Thunderbird staff sees it, they might consider investigation the case in order to prevent future occurances.

Thanks to everyone who has considered it.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (2)

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 25 Contributor
more options

Run Windows in safe mode with networking to bypass startup apps like Avast. Mail Shield might have worked in the past with no conflicts, but there's no guarantee it works after TB or Avast or Windows are updated. It's a general recommendation to disable mail shields or scanning of the TB profile folder by all AV apps.

hoc.tienganh
hoc.tienganh Question owner
more options

Chosen Solution

Thanks a lot for the additional idea!

Yesterday, I tried everything, including several reboots and disabling the Avast Mail Shield. One exception: I had nod tried the Reboot in Safe Mode.

Today, on the first try, TB asked me for the password, and now, it is working.

So, since several reboots did not solve it, but after the last reboot, it startet working, I still have no Idea what had happened, but I can continue using it.

I'll mark it as "solved" since I can currently use the software. Nevertheless, If someone wants to use the same "solution", I have no idea what you should try. Maybe reboot lots of times or reboot the next day... or try the other suggestion from sfhowes (reboot in safe mode) which I did not try...

Just in case if Thunderbird staff sees it, they might consider investigation the case in order to prevent future occurances.

Thanks to everyone who has considered it.

Modified by hoc.tienganh