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First, "unable to write," then "unable to open the summary file"

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  • Last reply by Ed

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I'm dealing with a properly updated 'bird: 140.5.0 (32-bit) running on an equally updated Windows 10 desktop. First thing this morning, out of nowhere, I started getting an "unable to write the email to the mailbox..." message when sending, thus I could send but not save. And then I realized I wasn't receiving either, on all three accounts in my Thunderbird. I stopped everything and focused on trying to fix this. It's been an all-day, losing effort. So far.

I tried the various quick checks and fixes recommended here and there: I'm running the program as an administrator. I restarted the program. I rebooted the computer. I think I have enough disk space, but to be sure I deleted some bloat from possibly overly large files. I compacted, even though the program is configured to do that regularly. I temporarily disabled my antivirus program. I went into my webmail and deleted all messages that have arrived since my Thunderbird stopped receiving, in case one of them was corrupted. And probably some other attempts as well. Nothing has helped.

And now a second, even worse issue has fallen from the sky. Thunderbird opens. The folder list is where it always has been. The number of unopened messages in each folder is there in boldface, as always, but...the folders are all blank and I get the dreaded popup: "unable to open the summary file...." Have I lost my years' worth of carefully curated emails?

I've tried folder repair. I've deleted parent.lock. Etc. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

I will be super-grateful for any wisdom sent my way.

I'm dealing with a properly updated 'bird: 140.5.0 (32-bit) running on an equally updated Windows 10 desktop. First thing this morning, out of nowhere, I started getting an "unable to write the email to the mailbox..." message when sending, thus I could send but not save. And then I realized I wasn't receiving either, on all three accounts in my Thunderbird. I stopped everything and focused on trying to fix this. It's been an all-day, losing effort. So far. I tried the various quick checks and fixes recommended here and there: I'm running the program as an administrator. I restarted the program. I rebooted the computer. I think I have enough disk space, but to be sure I deleted some bloat from possibly overly large files. I compacted, even though the program is configured to do that regularly. I temporarily disabled my antivirus program. I went into my webmail and deleted all messages that have arrived since my Thunderbird stopped receiving, in case one of them was corrupted. And probably some other attempts as well. Nothing has helped. And now a second, even worse issue has fallen from the sky. Thunderbird opens. The folder list is where it always has been. The number of unopened messages in each folder is there in boldface, as always, but...the folders are all blank and I get the dreaded popup: "unable to open the summary file...." Have I lost my years' worth of carefully curated emails? I've tried folder repair. I've deleted parent.lock. Etc. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. I will be super-grateful for any wisdom sent my way.

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If anyone in the expert category is lurking and--I hope--planning to swoop in and save me, I note one other (to me) oddness that may help to localize the cause of my woes. As I said, the folders are all visible, but I can also report that 1) the address book is fully usable, and 2) the search function turns up whatever emails I'm looking for in those folders--it's just that I can't read them. Or any emails at all.

Does that tell anybody anything? Anybody? Anything?

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What happens in Troubleshoot mode?

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