On your question, you can always check threading for a folder by clicking view>sort by and seeing if threading is ticked. You can permanently stop threading, but it's a bit of one-time work. Here is my info on threading:

This is the official (to my knowledge) documentation. Well worth the read https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/message-threading-thunderbird

Simple Approach if just a few folders Here is my own documentation on threading, duplicating the above, but it may help: You need to highlight each folder and click View>sort by>unthreaded. If this applies to just a few folders, just repeat the process as necessary. If you have many folders or plan to add many new folders, you may wish a different approach, below:

FOR NEW FOLDERS See Settings>Appearance

 ------------

FOR EXISTING FOLDERS These steps may help: To set many *existing* folders, follow these steps: This must be done on an account by account basis.

1. select table view - the icon just to right of 'quick filter' button above message list pane
2. select a message folder and apply all desired attributes - View>sort by from menu bar (if not shown, click alt key)
3. click the icon at right side of column display in message list pane
4. select the entry near bottom 'Apply current view to...'
5. highlight 'folder and children'
6. move mouse left to see account name and move left again to display all account folders. Now CLICK. a small menu will appear to confirm setting all folders within that account.
7. repeat steps for each account

FOR FUTURE THUNDERBIRD INSTALLATIONS

1. -To change default for *new* folders, In config editor, you can change default that applies to NEW folders you set up:

mailnews.default_view_flags 0 =unthreaded (NOTE: Config editor is at settings>general near bottom of pane)

1. - create a simple text file with name of user.js with these lines:

    // Set default threading to UNthreaded  ###   <== this line is optional, just for documentation
    user_pref("mailnews.default_view_flags", 0);

1. - install Thunderbird and exit prior to setting up accounts
2. - copy the user.js file into the profile
3. - now, when you start Thunderbird, unthreading will be the default. Problem solved. #

Thank you for your help. I didn't realize that threading was either enabled or disabled for each folder. As it turns out, it was disabled for the Inbox, but it was enabled for Trash. I will make sure that it is disabled for all folders.

I still need to know if, when I delete an email with an attachment, the attachment is deleted too.

You are quite welcome. Yes, the attachment is also deleted.

Hi David

Thank you for this, I think I followed your instructions carefully. But my emails still show the effects of threading and are not in a simple date order. And also some of header information and date information has been modified or deleted and that is unacceptable.

Since some of my emails are of a legal nature it is impperitive that they are presented complete and unmodified by Thunderbird. Threading does modify them.

I need to delete from my computer all the emails that have been downloaded by thunderbird so that I cansort them out. I have looked in user folders on my c-driive and not found anything relavant. Please inform me where my emails are stored on my computer and how I can delete them. Clearly my emails on my external email server must not be touched.

Can you give me any information as to when Mozilla will update Thunderbird so that, by default, it will allow emails in a form that has not been modified by Thunderbird. Theading does modify them.

Is a solution for me to mount an earlier version of Thunderbird to replace the current version. This would probaby require that the existing version of Thunderbird be removed entirely including the down loaded emails.

I am beginning to realise that I may have to leave Mozilla and its useful software and find another company. In that case I will stop my periodic payment as a contribtion to Mozilla funds that I have willingly given over many years to ensure continuation.

I hope you will be able to answer the points I have raise above. If you are unable to, please will you pass this up your management structure.

Regards

Nick Humphris