I do not see what logging into the Mozilla support site has to do with your emails. They are unrelated.

The password for your email will be whatever you provider issues and has nothing to do with Mozilla or any website they maintain at all.

Ok - thanks for the clarification. But my problem remains. I reinstalled Windows and now Thunderbird on my desktop and do not have my password nor user name. I thought I did because my I phone e-mails through TB mirrored what I had on my desktop but when I use my I phone log in credentials - user name and password - on my desktop, I get an authentication error. I cannot create a new account with my current e-mail which I have had for many decades so I am stuck.

One followup - so TB had prefilled my incoming and outgoing server under Configuration Found in Mozilla ISPDB. It shows the IMAP incoming server settings and my correct e-mail address under the "user name" as well as the SMPT outgoing server settings. But no matter what password I try (even the one from my phone) , it does not work.

So right now I cannot access my e-mails on my desktop.

if you want support an excellent starting point is to actually say what mail provider you use. There are some particularly painful ones out there not the least of which is Microsoft and their outlook offering. Yahoo is a mess if this support forum is anything to go by. So who are we dealing with.

Do you have an antivirus? They are number one on the list of things that prevents the adding of a mail account. Do you use any sort of other security software like a VPN or ccleaner? They are also chronically involved in making adding an account difficult.

You will notice I do not mention Thunderbird here. That is because it is most rare for Thunderbird actually be the problem. So the starting point is always third party product and their associated helper applications and security breaking use of self signed certificates.

The disabling of cookies and blocking access to localhost form another raft of failures that again have nothing or little to do with the way Thunderbird installs and are often the result of misguided security settings.

I am not sure what you are asking. I thought I was clear that I am using Thunderbird. My provider is Spectrum. This is an old roadrunner e-mail ending in wi.rr.com My virus protection I have temporarily off except Windows Firewall. This is my desktop and after putting in what evidently is not the correct user name or password, I get a message "Authentication Error. Unable to log in. Probably wrong configuration, user name or password." I obviously do not want to change my e-mail address after all these decades but Thunderbird recognizes it and I am now at a standstill regardless of what passwords and user names I thought would work. Clearly the one that works for my phone does not work for reestashlishing TB on my desktop.

Folks - simply put, if you have something wrong with your log in info is there an alternative way to add Thunderbird to your new computer but needing to keep the same prior e-mail address?

I double checked my Spectrum web based e-mail log in and changed my password there to log in. I can access my webmail. But when I use my e-mail address and that new password for the Thunderbird log in - it STILL DOES NOT WORK.

You had to completely wipe the computer and reinstall the Operating System Windows 11. That would have killed everything on your computer.

You then installed Thunderbird. Where did you get that installation from ? eg: the official Thunderbird website or via the 'Windows App Store' ?

I'm going to advise you work through the following to ensure all is set up correctly and uses the default location for profile that Thunferbird uses by default and not the profile location as used by Microsoft/Windows.

But first do make sure you computer keyboard is not stuck on 'CapsLock' as that will cause a password problem :)

1. I would strongly advise to always use the one from the official website because it auto puts the profile information in a location that's easier to locate and is mentioned in just about all help articles. So, if you got it from Windows App Store then uninstall it and get it from here:

• https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/all/

2. You need to make sure nothing is blocking Thunderbird from accessing internet and various ports etc. Otherwise it will not locate server. Firewall - this might be controlled by the default that came with OS or if you installed an Anti-virus product then it might be controlling the Firewall.

• Access the Firewall
• Please make sure that the Thunderbird program is set up as 'Allowed'
• Confirm - you have set up Thunderbird as an allowed app.

3. VPN query Make sure your OS and Anti-Virus has not inadvertantly enabled a VPN. You would be amazed how many people did not even realise one had been enabled. Most servers do not like VPN because it hides you IP address and the server may block you because it thinks you are a hacker. So, humour me and double check your computer and the Anti-Virus - if there is a VPN make sure its switched off.

• Confirm you checked and the VPN is disabled.

4. In Thunderbird, disable the 'New Account Hub' just in case it's causing a problem.

• Settings > General
• uncheck this checkbox 'Create accounts in the new Account Hub'

5. Create the account. But first please check the password you are using is correct - logon to the webmail account via a browser- if you get access then you know password is good.

• Menu icon > New Account > Email
• Enter your full name
• Enter email address
• Enter Password - that's the same one you use to access the webmail account
• Select checkbox to remember password
• Click on 'Continue'

You will find that Thunderbird usually defaults to searching for IMAP server settings. According to Spectrum, all email addresses that use wi.rr.com should be using the following:

IMAP

• incoming server settings : mail.twc.com
• port:993
• connection security: SSL/TLS
• Authentication Method: Normal Password
• username : full email address
• password: same as used to access webmail account

SMTP

• outgong server settings : mail.twc.com
• port: 587
• connection security: STARTTLS
• Authentication Method: Normal Password
• username : full email address
• password: same as used to access webmail account

Check you have all those server settings.

Please confirm you have worked through and completed all the above.

Thank you for your extensive response Toad Hall. I only got so far. Yes I had the correct TB installed but removed it and reinstalled it again. It shows in my programs (although I obviously am not logged in yet). However when I got to Firewall and Add Allowed Apps, it DOES NOT see my Thunderbird app. Then I tried to copy it from All programs and paste it but it would not allow me to do so.