See https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/cannot-send-messages

Thanks, christ1. I've gone through the steps at https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/cannot-send-messages

System information:

• Mail provider: GoDaddy WorkSpace (secureserver.net)
• ISP: Rogers cable
• Antivirus software and version: Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security 8.0 build 1345
• Operating system and version: Windows Server 2012 Standard
• Thunderbird version: 38.7.2 32-bit (the issue has been around for a few months worth of prior versions)

More things I've tried:

• Changed password for email account, deleted the POP and SMTP saved password in Thunderbird, and re-entered it.
• Deleted the SMTP server from Thunderbird and re-entered it.
• Turned off Windows Firewall.

The same error came up when trying to send with the freshly entered SMTP server, even before prompting for the password. After trying to send the test message ~5 times (by closing the error message and clicking 'Send' again) I got the 'Enter password' prompt, typed in the password, and the message sent successfully. So it is still inconsistent.

I've attached screen shots of the settings required by the mail provider, and the POP and SMTP settings in Thunderbird. And yes, I do have the email account using the correct SMTP server from the available servers.

Are there some other troubleshooting steps I can take?

A couple of things you can try: Try to start Windows in safe mode with networking enabled. - Win10 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/change-startup-settings-in-windows-10#v1h=tab01 - Win8 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/windows-startup-settings-including-safe-mode - Win7 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Start-your-computer-in-safe-mode

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

Does the problem go away?

From your screenshot you check for new messages every minute. That seems to be overkill. GoDaddy may limit connections to their servers. Try to increase the interval to 15 min.

I had to take a little time to test these settings and see if they made a difference.

I couldn't try booting Windows into Safe Mode because it's used by multiple people (using Remote Desktop) and needs the regular services.

However, we've been using Thunderbird in Safe Mode. I've also changed the POP check from 1 to 10 minutes.

Thus far it seems as though the error has disappeared. Tomorrow we'll try running Thunderbird in regular mode, but with the add-ons manually disabled.

You collection of mail at less than 10 minutes may well be the issue. 1 minute is not really sufficient time for the download to initiate, complete and logout. Not if your using anti virus software to slow things even more than the normal processes take.

The request to run in Windows safe mode is to disable your anti virus product, the major cause of communications issues in email.

How are you managing your remote desktop sessions? Terminal server sessions or what? Remote desktop normally being one person one computer. (serious security hole almost always)

Hi Thunderbird user poster,

I hope you post when you find a solution. I have had the same problem for about a year with that error showing intermittently, through several TB releases, currently TB 38.7.2. I also have a GoDaddy-provided email address, and it had not occurred to me that the GD email might be a factor. I do have a successful (so far) workaround: 1. When I get the error message, try again. 2. If that doesn't work after 3 or 4 times, hit "X" to close message, then click "Yes" to save message in Draft folder. 3. Try to send draft a few times. If that doesn't work, try saving in Draft folder again. This has always worked eventually, although I do not know if my saving the email in the Draft folder has actually helped, or if all I needed to do was to try sending it one more time while the email I'd composed was still in the Send folder. I'm puzzled why it's an intermittent problem. I'm no expert, but it just seems to me that the SMPT/POP etc. should either work all the time, or never.

Good luck, and thanks, I hope, for sharing a solution if one is found. Marc

P.S. I neglected to add that my POP account has been set to check for new mail every 10 minutes for several years, so I suspect that is not the cause of our problem. However, if any other readers want to check their settings on how often to check for mail, the procedure is Tools > Account Settings > Server Settings

Marc

marcgroenenj said

P.S. I neglected to add that my POP account has been set to check for new mail every 10 minutes for several years, so I suspect that is not the cause of our problem. However, if any other readers want to check their settings on how often to check for mail, the procedure is Tools > Account Settings > Server Settings Marc

I suspect your problems are no more related than I am to the pope. What your describing it classic anti virus program choking on it's breakfast. I suggest you look for clues here, https://wiki.mozilla.org/index.php?title=Thunderbird:Testing:Antivirus_Related_Performance_Issues Perhaps your anti virus is listed as one that is know to mangle mail.

Marc, our experience is similar in wrangling Thunderbird to send a message.

We've been running Thunderbird in Safe Mode but still getting the same problem when sending. Thanks for the link, Matt. I've found some additional settings for Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security and I think it's about as disabled as it can be without running Windows in Safe Mode. I'll monitor and reply back...

My anti-malware/virus programs are: - Malwarebytes, which is not listed at the link Matt provided - Avira Antivirus Pro 15.0.x, which is not specifically listed, although other Avira products are listed

Also, I may not have made it clear in my initial post that my T-bird problem occurs only with sending email.

The problem has not occurred in the past two days, and past history indicates it may not recur for several weeks. Whenever it does, I'll disable Avira from checking outgoing email, and report back results. Regards, Marc

After a few days of disabled Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security, Thunderbird has been displaying the "timed out" send error much less. But it still does come up occasionally. That makes me think that either Trend Micro isn't fully disabled, or that it only exacerbated the problem and isn't the full culprit. I don't know of anything else I can try at this point (I'm somewhat restricted by the fact this is a heavily used server) so I guess it's matter of waiting and gathering data...

Server.... do you have streaming backups? another known issue as the files are large and updated often.

Good point. There is a backup job run at noon and thus users are sending email during that period. I'll disable that particular one (leaving the after-hours backups) and see if that makes any difference.

Could you explain further how these backups would interfere? The backup software (Areca Backup) uses Volume Shadow Copy Service which I understood shouldn't interfere with files in use.

I am not sure volume shadow copy is not also an issue.

At some point the entire file has to be copied, even for the shadow copy. When the file size is measured in Gigabytes that is a non trivial action. Especially as the file may again appear as "updated" a few seconds later.

I see any warnings or caveats that exist for things like SQL databases and exchange message stores to apply to Thunderbird message stores as the use case is very similar, even if the frequency of access is lower. Thunderbird hold most of it's files open while running, but that can cause issues as well.

Have a look here https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:Testing:Memory_Usage_Problems

There are quite a few diagnostics that you can perform, not all memory related.

Two oldies but goodies are windows search integration and Thunderbird own global search index. To save your self space and time on backups, never backup globalmessagestore.sqlite. when delete is will completely regenerate, and seriously is does appear to get out of sync over the years anyway. A occasional delete will only be beneficial. (regenerating can cause the user interface to be very sluggish while it occurs.

I'd hoped to report back saying I'd tried X and our problems are solved but so far I've not been able to narrow it down further.

I have disabled one schedule of volume shadow copy, so now it should only run when users are logged off.

'Allow Windows Search to search messages' is unchecked in Thunderbird settings so that can't be the cause.

By globalmessagestore.sqlite I understand you mean global-messages-db.sqlite in the profile folder. I did delete that and let Thunderbird recreate it.

I expect this is unrelated, but we also often get a prompt for our smtp login password, despite that fact that users enter it and check the 'Save password' box. I can cancel without entering the password and successfully send the message later without the prompt, so obviously the password is saved. Just for further info, in case that is related.

I'll report back as I find out more...

We do get a significant number of postings here that mention connectivity issues and smtpout.secureserver.net.

I get the impression that this is simply an unreliable server. Your mention of it working after a few attempts (where clearly, nothing has been changed in Thunderbird) does suggest to me that the problem is at the server.

I hope you do find a local solution, but i fear that the real problem is outside your sphere of influence.

vt_chris said

I expect this is unrelated, but we also often get a prompt for our smtp login password, despite that fact that users enter it and check the 'Save password' box. I can cancel without entering the password and successfully send the message later without the prompt, so obviously the password is saved. Just for further info, in case that is related. I'll report back as I find out more...

Oh I think this is also related. There is some sort of intermittent connectivity issue..

Some further thoughts. DNS lookups or caching. Perhaps try a direct ip address instead of the server name and see if DNS might be involved.

On a wider front, is this an everyone thing, or only this with say iPhones? While your account in Thunderbird is POP. At the very most you should see two concurrent connections to the server, one receiving and one sending. An IMAP account however often uses more. Thunderbird for instance defaults to five. I mention IOS devices especially earlier as they apparently have no default limit for connections. They just keep on connecting until the pool is exhausted.

As IMAP is really a preferred protocol for mobile devices with their small memory. It might be something as old fashioned as to many connections slowing things, or resulting in connections being denied This could also occur if you have a common outgoing mail address and redentials

Hi Chris,

FWIW, months ago, I was not only getting the SMTP error message, but also either a demand for my password or a note that my password failed. As with the SMTP problem, after a clicking an OK or Cancel, and trying again, T-Bird would work again. I never did actually have to enter my PW. It's only now that I realize that problem stopped long ago, so I have no idea what caused it or what stopped it.

I've continued to follow your posts, but almost all of the content is far beyond my knowledge level, so the only contribution I can make at this point is to cheer your patience and persistence and wish you luck. In the chance I do observe or experience a new aspect on this topic I'll post.

Thanks, Marc

Marc, thanks for the cheer. I could use that! :)

Zenos, good to know that I'm not alone with smtpout.secureserver.net though I do hope it's something I can resolve. It used to be much more reliable in my experience.

Matt, we are using POP for all the GoDaddy accounts, be it iPhone, Android, or Thunderbird on Windows. The only place we'd noticed issues sending is in Thunderbird. I'd like to use IMAP but the email place we have doesn't allow that and we haven't made the change yet.

I've begun protocol logging as per https://wiki.mozilla.org/MailNews:Logging#Windows to see if I can spot something weird in there.

I'll also try the suggestion of using a direct IP address for the SMTP server rather than smtpout.secureserver.net.

I'll report back later...

Hi Chris,

Here is a bit of an update that may (or may not) help you narrow your focus on the problem. I originally wrote:

I do have a successful (so far) workaround: 1. When I get the error message, try again. 2. If that doesn't work after 3 or 4 times, hit "X" to close message, then click "Yes" to save message in Draft folder. 3. Try to send draft a few times. If that doesn't work, try saving in Draft folder again. This has always worked eventually, although I do not know if my saving the email in the Draft folder has actually helped, or if all I needed to do was to try sending it one more time while the email I'd composed was still in the Send folder.

Today I got the error message each time I tried to send two emails, but after two retries they sent. Later I tried sending a third email, and got the error message. But for the first time, instead of giving up after 3 or 4 tries and saving in my Draft folder, I kept trying to send from where I had composed the email. On my 8th attempt, the email was sent. I now suspect that my "workaround" was not really a workaround--that what worked was simply my repeated attempts to send, and that whether I was sending from my composition folder or Draft folder made no difference.

From now on, when I get the error message I'll keep trying to send from where I've composed it, unless I give up after 20 or 30 tries. I'll post if I observe anything new, but in the meantime, I suggest considering my claim that saving in Draft was misleading information, or an unintentional red herring.

Regards, Marc