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Thunderbird 52.9.1 update, POP stopped working, does not ask for server password, says connecting ....

  • 14 replies
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by christ1

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on after 2018925 could not download Emails, Thunderbird update, Windows 10 Update, Bitdefender update on 20180927 locked all documents directories with their new File protection feature, This has been disabled and turned off! Thnuderbird says it is connecting to Email server, no password prompt comes up. ( I do not save Passwords })

on after 2018925 could not download Emails, Thunderbird update, Windows 10 Update, Bitdefender update on 20180927 locked all documents directories with their new File protection feature, This has been disabled and turned off! Thnuderbird says it is connecting to Email server, no password prompt comes up. ( I do not save Passwords })
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Thunderbird doesn't even get to the point to prompt you for the password. See https://support.mozilla.org/kb/cannot-receive-messages

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good start, I am past these step. I know for a fact that Bitdefender locked the directory where I have my shared mail boxes, accounts : C:\Users\Public Documents\Application Data\Thunderbird

We have multiple shared Email servers accounts... This solution using Pop keeps us both synced up no matter who logged -in last to get emails on our shared home computer.

Is there a way to re-install Thunderbird, and or rebuid popstate.dat files? typically we pull mail from servers which is not happening.... As the latest Mails are still there.

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Is there a way to re-install Thunderbird

You can re-install Thunderbird as many times as you want, but it would be a complete waste of time and change nothing at all.

or rebuid popstate.dat files?

I don't understand how this is related to your OP.

I know for a fact that Bitdefender locked the directory where I have my shared mail boxes, accounts

Try to start Windows in safe mode with networking enabled. - Win10 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12376/windows-10-start-your-pc-in-safe-mode

Still in Windows safe mode, start Thunderbird in safe mode. - https://support.mozilla.org/kb/safe-mode

Does the problem go away?

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No, Safe modes did not help. Still just hangs Since I run Pop3 to get messages off the servers I figured the popstate.dat files could be corrupt?

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I think you did what Google told you to do and turned off the use less secure apps and locked out Thunderbird.

Check here. https://myaccount.google.com/lesssecureapps?pli=1

Was it turned off?

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A snap shot of the Error console; all options turned on : Asked to retrieve all new emails[Get all New Messages];

Error in parsing value for ‘box-sizing’.  Declaration dropped.  start-style.css:96:14

Error in parsing value for ‘box-sizing’. Declaration dropped. start-style.css:152:14 Error in parsing value for ‘box-sizing’. Declaration dropped. start-style.css:212:14 Expected media feature name but found ‘-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio’. start-style.css:339:8 Unknown property ‘-moz-osx-font-smoothing’. Declaration dropped. fontawesome-all.css:10:25

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My observations is most Google "problems" are one of the following.

1. Less secure apps is turned off and the account is still configured to use passwords instead of oAuth. Check here. https://myaccount.google.com/lesssecureapps?pli=1

2. POP is not allowed in the settings at gmail. POP has to be explicitly allowed and somehow appear to get turned off by some folks when they do those security update things.

3. two factor authentication has been enabled but no app password has been created. This appears to be particularly an issue at Google as this forum sees a fair amount of complaints about application passwords suddenly stopping working and having to be reset.

4. anti virus products scanning mail or playing with the SSL/TLS certificates and trying to insert themselves into a man in the middle hack so they can scan your mail.

5. Firewalls blocking Thunderbird from accessing the internet. This is particularly an issue in the weeks following the release of a new version.

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No I did not change Google Account Settings But i will check?-) My old RoadRunner ->with TWC-> who knows Who : account has the same issue. I cnt even POP that account? So I dont think that is the issue; The Java debug console shows:

Error in parsing value for ‘box-sizing’. Declaration dropped. start-style.css:96:14 Error in parsing value for ‘box-sizing’. Declaration dropped. start-style.css:152:14 Error in parsing value for ‘box-sizing’. Declaration dropped. start-style.css:212:14 Expected media feature name but found ‘-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio’. start-style.css:339:8 Unknown property ‘-moz-osx-font-smoothing’. Declaration dropped. fontawesome-all.css:10:25 Property contained reference to invalid variable. Error in parsing value for ‘background-color’. Falling back to ‘initial’. webconsole.css:406:9402 Property contained reference to invalid variable. Error in parsing value for ‘border-top-color’. Falling back to ‘initial’. webconsole.css:407:9459 Property contained reference to invalid variable. Error in parsing value for ‘border-top-style’. Falling back to ‘initial’. webconsole.css:407:9459 Property contained reference to invalid variable. Error in parsing value for ‘border-top-width’. Falling back to ‘initial’. webconsole.css:407:9459 Property contained reference to invalid variable. Error in parsing value for ‘background-image’. Falling back to ‘initial’. webconsole.css:444:10354 Property contained reference to invalid variable. Error in parsing value for ‘border-bottom-width’. Falling back to ‘initial’. widgets.css:85:2908 Property contained reference to invalid variable. Error in parsing value for ‘border-top-width’. Falling back to ‘initial’. widgets.css:84:2850 Property contained reference to invalid variable. Error in parsing value for ‘min-height’. Falling back to ‘initial’. widgets.css:82:2742 Property contained reference to invalid variable. Error in parsing value for ‘margin-bottom’. Falling back to ‘initial’. widgets.css:87:3041 Property contained reference to invalid variable. Error in parsing value for ‘margin-top’. Falling back to ‘initial’. widgets.css:86:2972

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I looked at the security issue we have 2 user accounts on the PC in question. Again i will check Google but TWC has not changed since the dinosaurs were in vogue9-}

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Thunderbird is updating to a new version, that usually means some of the dinosaurs of the anti virus / software firewall industry will start blocking new versions of Thunderbird from accessing the internet. So my guess is still with Number 5, make that a certainly if your anti virus product/suite has the words Norton in the name.

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Disabled the firewall did not produced results. Enabled the fire wall, able to send messages and be prompted to server password ; All 3 accounts were able to send messages.

Issue is "downloading" messages to my home computer. off he mail servers; have a text file of Error log if tht would help?

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No, Safe modes did not help. Still just hangs

Please confirm you did start Windows in safe mode.

Since I run Pop3 to get messages off the servers I figured the popstate.dat files could be corrupt?

That would be a possibility after there was a password prompt and you logged in successfully.

No I did not change Google Account Settings But i will check?-)

Please confirm you did 'allow less secure apps' for your Google account as previously suggested by Matt.

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After going through each folder, compacting, and folder->properties->repair folder! Found one old folder with Issues, folder would not delete (in, using) thunderbird mail application. Had to use the file manager to do so. This restored the Emil application to full functionality. Most likely this happened when Bitdefender decided to "enable" file protection as default. Which locks the (user and public documents), pictures, video, ... directories/folders to READ only.


May have developed a serious case of carpel tunnel using the REPAIR folder under the folder/properties sub menu. REPAIR doe not Repair hierarchy so sad......

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Chosen Solution

When your problem is fixed, can you mark the topic as 'Solved' please? Thank you.