Is this an IMAP or POP account? Are you running Thunderbird on a computer, Mobile, Tablet or something else (please specify)? Which version of Thunderbird are you using? Which Operating System are you using?

It is an IMAP configuration I am running Thunderbird 128.6.0esr (64 bits) on Windows 11 Nom de l'appareil LAPTOP-M7VG39DV Processeur AMD Ryzen 5 3500U with Radeon Vega Mobile Gfx 2.10 GHz Mémoire vive installée 12,0 Go (9,95 Go utilisable) ID du périphérique 451B96E8-C328-465C-886C-8DB628CDE3D2 Identifiant de produit 00325-81491-82801-AAOEM Type du système Système d’exploitation 64 bits, processeur x64 Stylet et fonction tactile La fonctionnalité d’entrée tactile ou avec un stylet n’est pas disponible avec cet écran

J'aimerais que quelqu'un m'aide. Merci!

Can someone help me with this problem?

To know what is happening, with Thunderbird launched, go to: C:\Users\[Users]\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\XXXX.default-release and then access 'IMAPMail'. You should be able to identify the differing accounts in there.

If the normal interface in TB does not show the third account that is disappearing, do you see it in the IMAPMail folder?

If the normal interface in TB does show the third account that is disappearing, do you see it in the IMAPMail folder? Shut down TB and relaunch the program. Has the account disappeared in TB as you say it does? If it has, has it also disappeared in the IMAPMail folder?

If both the normal interface and the IMAPMail don't show the third account, make the account. It should appear in IMAPMail. Then close and relaunch TB and see what happens in both the TB interface and in the IMAPMail folder.

I am not sure what you mean by Normal interface. I have recreated the third account and nothing showed up differently in the IMAPmail. In fact there is no file dated today Jan 23. The latest is Jan 17. which is last Friday. What is it that makes the accounts dissappear at shut down?

I see references in IMAPmail to my two accounts that have been there for years.

I created a 2nd account years ago and it has worked since then. Now when I create a third account, it works well but when I disconnect I loose the account and have to recreate it again. How come?

In every instance of that sort of issue the cause has been Thunderbird being unable to write the updated prefs.js file to disk when it is closed. In Windows this is most usually caused by software blocking Thunderbird (read usually antivirus) but as this is a contention issue it can have many causes> Some examples are the profile being stored on a remote drive or some sort of home brew cloud synchronization that does not really work, only looks like it, or in extreme cases the disk has errors and the operating system can not overwrite the existing file. On non windows system antivirus is less of an issue, but on those folk do things like run Thunderbird in a temp folder and it is deleted on every startup.

So first check in the troubleshooting information on the help menu that your newly added account is truly no longer in the saved settings (look at "Mail and News accounts") then start looking for the cause of the contention.

The exception to the above is adding a POP mail account with the use of the global inbox which will not see the account appear in the folder list as mail will go to local folders.

I recreated and added the account for the 6th time. All acounts are showing correctly and working fine. The imapMails show this:

1. C:\Users\test\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\rm7ha0fz.default-release\ImapMail\mail.grandlacrond.ca 2. C:\Users\test\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\rm7ha0fz.default-release\ImapMail\imap.bell.net 3. C:\Users\test\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\rm7ha0fz.default-release\ImapMail\imap.videotron-6.ca

Then I close Thunderbird. When I restart the new account is gone again. I checked the imapmail files and they are all listed. Why can't it reconnect the the save profiles? See image of printscreen attached. Strangely, when I click on the Local File link in TB C:\Users\test\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\rm7ha0fz.default-release\ImapMail\imap.videotron-6.ca I get a list of all 6 profiles including my two original ones. Strangely, if i go in File Explorer and manually click on Imapmail it only shows two instances Imapmail.bell.net and imapmail.picanoc.ca (an older instance that I do not use anymore) I am totally confused here and just about ready to abandon. Is there a chance that someone find a solution for this or shall I just quit trying? It is strange that I was able years ago to create a 2nd account that has worked since then. I will try to set it up on a different computer to see what is going to happen

What do you see in this location?

• In Account Settings
• Select 'Server Settings' for the third account which keeps disappearing.
• Bottom right - 'Local directory'
• Make window wide enough to show the full details
• Post image showing what it says.

re :Strangely, when I click on the Local File link in TB

You need to be more specific about what you are clicking on. Do you mean you did this:

• In Thunderbird
• Help > Troubleshooting Information
• Under 'Application Basics' - half way - 'Profile Folder' - click on 'Open Folder' button

If you use that method does it open on this ?

• C:\Users\test\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\rm7ha0fz.default-release

re :I get a list of all 6 profiles including my two original ones.

The image is showing mail accounts not profiles. All of them are in the same profile but image does no show the full directory, so unable to be sure where it is.

Check you accessing the correct location by using this method:

• Exit Thunderbird now.
• In windows search type : %Appdata% - see image as guide
• Select : %Appdata% file folder
• Select : 'Roaming' folder
• Select : 'Thunderbird' folder
• Select 'Profiles' folder to see profile name folder
• If you see rm7ha0fz.default-release folder select it to see contents

Look for 'prefs.js' file.

• Right click on the 'prefs.js' file and select 'Properties'
• On 'General' tab at bottom is 'Attributes'
• Is the 'Read only' checkbox selected ?
• If yes, then uncheck it.
• Click on 'Apply'
• click ion 'OK'

Please report on what you discovered.

How many of those 'prefs.js' files do you see? Do you see same file but with an added number eg: 'prefs-1.js ? If you see a few of them - what's the biggest number you see eg: 'prefs-110.js' ?

What Anti-Virus are you using ? Please make sure Anti-Virus in not allowed to scan anything in the Thunderbird profile folder nor fix anything in profile folder. If you have any Cleanup software like CCleaner or Wisecleaner or even some Anti-Virus products offer to clean up temp files, session files etc. Please do not allow any of these products to have access to anything in the Thunderbird profile folder. You do not want anything being auto removed or preventing any file updates when you exit Thunderbird. Please report back on what Cleanup software youhave been using and confirm you stopped/make exceptions to stop those programs from accessing the Thunderbird profile folder or it's contents. eg: C:\Users\test\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird

Thanks for all this ihfo. It ges a bit complicated and I need time to look at it. I am getting ready to leave for a trip in Cuba. So I will continue working on this later either at the beach or when I am back home. It looks promising. Thanks for your help Toad-Hall

I a back from vacation and I give a go at this problem again. However, I use TB in french so it is difficult to follow your english instructions. I am trying to switch to English without success. I select english then I click on restart. It does restart but always return to the french version. I have very little success with whatever I try with TB. I am getting frustrated.

Exit Thunderbird now.

Access : C:\Users\test\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\rm7ha0fz.default-release folder - you can use the following method:

• In windows search type : %Appdata% - see image as guide
• Select : %Appdata% file folder
• Select : 'Roaming' folder
• Select : 'Thunderbird' folder
• Select 'Profiles' folder to see profile name folder
• Select 'rm7ha0fz.default-release' folder to see contents

As Matt mentioned ....let's check the 'prefs.js' file. Maybe for some reason it fails to open Look for 'prefs.js' file. Thunderbird uses the 'prefs.js'. But How many of those 'prefs.js' files do you see? Do you see same file but with an added number eg: 'prefs-1.js ? If you see a few of them - what's the biggest number you see eg: 'prefs-110.js' ?

I think it might be reproducing these 'prefs' files, but need to be sure about it. Please post an image which shows all the 'prefs' files.

See image below as a guide.

prefs-1 prefs-2 prefs-3 prefs-4 I have included Prefs-4 content image attached

I have included a screenprint of all 4 prefs

I have included a screenprint of all 4 prefs

Can't you find a prefs.js file, the one with the actual date and without a number?

I have attached a screen print of a search for prefs that I did in the C:\Users\andre\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.OfficePushNotificationUtility_8wekyb3d8bbwe.

There are no prefs.js file without a number

There are no prefs.js file without a number

Thunderbird doesn't function without a prefs.js file. Are you sure to search in the right location? Your profile path leads to C:\Users\andre\AppData\Local\..... instead of C:\Users\andre\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\... Or is this a particularity of a Microsoft Thunderbird installation?

There is a discrepancy on profile location.

When you post an image it needs to contain vital information on where you are looking and actual contents of the file - not the result of a search.

Initially you said you had located profile here: C:\Users\test\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\rm7ha0fz.default-release But then mention: C:\Users\andre\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<unknown profile name>

They are two entirely different computer user accounts. Q: When you boot up computer - what User Account do you use/logon to 'test' or 'andre' ?

You posted an image showing actual contents of a profile which had 'prefs-1.js', 'prefs-2.js', 'prefs-3.js', 'prefs-4.js' - but it does not show a 'prefs.js' nor does it show the directory so we know what location you are viewing.

Thunderbird does not operate without a 'prefs.js'. So it sounds like one profile is being used to store profile data but it's not pointing to that location. What profile is storing the accounts and what profile you apparently use are not one and the same.

Initially, you downloaded and installed Thunderbird from official website and it put profile in default location.

Q: Did you reinstall Thunderbird by getting it from the Windows App Store ?

Post an image of both of the following directory which shows all the 'prefs' in both of these lcoations:

• C:\Users\test\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\rm7ha0fz.default-release
• C:\Users\andre\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<unknown profile name>

Thanks, give me some time to look at that. I had a problem with my former andre profile and Microsoft created the test environment which I use since then. The problem might come from there. I will look at it later on. thanks

Eureka...I thinkk that we got something here. I logged in my former Andre account and created a 2nd email account successfully. I logged off and logged in and the email account was still there. So the problem seem to be with the Test windows environment. It seems that it is not pointing to the right profile as you mention. How can I correct that?