Check this article, specifically the 'If something else in the windows layout is broken' bullet point.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Toolbar_or_windows_layout_not_working

unfortunately this didn't work, I tried deleting all the files mentioned for layout issues.

starting tb in safe mode is counter productive as its an add-on that has the layout problem. hehehe

Its just weird that there isn't the 'x' to close it or the today pane button that is normally displayed on the bottom of TB.

do you know which file contains the information TB uses for the format of the mail tab? I'm looking and so far I haven't been able to find it.

What exactly did you do?

the last 2 items under

"If something else in the windows layout is broken", as those pertained to the problem I am having.

EDIT: I opened the console and I am seeing this: Timestamp: 3/22/2014 8:59:11 AM Error: Please do not load stuff in the multimessage browser directly, use the SummaryFrameManager instead. Source File: resource://gre/modules/summaryFrameManager.js Line: 85

heres a tid-bit; if I right click a task, everything goes back to normal on the mail tab, when I click ok - then it goes back to the today pane using 1/2 the window size.

It has to be the google task add-in - no?

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/90621425/right%20click%20task.png

I really appreciate you trying to help here Christ1, thank you for your time.

Did you disable the Google Task add-on?
I'm not sure whether tasks work at all in connection with Google Calendar in Lightning.

Press Alt or F10 to restore the menu bar in case it's hidden. Try
View - Layout - Classic View

I actually tried removing it via the add-on manager, when it didn't make a difference I put it back.

When I add it back it displayed my previous configuration, so it didn't totally remove all the config for the add-on when I removed it.

I tried the classic view, it just changes the mail side and not the today pane. Meh, this is so messed up. lol

Is there a more detailed manual add-on removal that you know of?

I'm googling that as well.

Removing an add-on via the Add-on Manager is the correct way. This will remove the corresponding add-on files after a TB restart, but will keep the add-on settings in case it gets installed again. Retaining the settings won't do any harm.

yeah thought so (I used TB years back) I just tried applying a theme to see if it modified the format of the mail tab

TT DeepDark 9.2

Its nice, I like it but it didn't cure the issue.

I am going to remove TB and delete everything and try again. I use IMAP so I just need to wait for it to download what it wants to.

Thanks again, I'll update this with those results later today.

Christ1, ppl like you are why open source works. thank you thank you for your time, it is greatly appreciated.

Did you try View - Layout - Classic View?

yep, it changed the layout of the mail items but didn't change the today pane at all.

I uninstalled TB and reinstalled it. Of course it remembered everything.LOL

Of course. :)

Create a new profile using profile manager and start Thunderbird with the new profile.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/using-multiple-profiles

• Make sure ThunderBird is closed before proceeding.
• Locate localstore.rdf file from your TB profile folder (default Windows: C:\Users\{USERNAME}\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\{randomletters}.default\ ).
• Open it in a text editor: I like Notepad++ .
• Find and edit the line to look like the one below: (modewidths and width; probably have crazy values)

<RDF:Description RDF:about="chrome://messenger/content/messenger.xul#today-pane-panel"

                  collapsedinmodes=","
                  modewidths="200,200,200"
                  width="200" />

• Save the file and open TB.