Please start *Windows'* safe mode with networking enabled - win7 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17419/windows-7-advanced-startup-options-safe-mode#start-computer-safe-mode=windows-7

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

Does problem go away? Please post to let us know results.

Wayne Mery said

Does problem go away? Please post to let us know results.

Yes, indeed, the problem went away, thanks. Next steps? Could it be an add-on or extension?

Wayne Mery said

Please start *Windows'* safe mode with networking enabled - win7 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17419/windows-7-advanced-startup-options-safe-mode#start-computer-safe-mode=windows-7

Because I can't operate my machine in safe mode..  ;-)

OK - trying to bump here - after starting Tbird in safe mode (both Win and TB), I uninstalled all add-ons and extensions. Problem still persists when I try to start Tbird in normal Windows. Surely this is fixable, no? Thanks.

Thank you for testing both safe modes. Assuming both were done properly then you have eliminated several possible causes.

> Surely this is fixable

Hopefully. But to fix something one must find the cause, and right now what we have only symptoms.

Please find and record size of these folders - Inbox, Drafts, Junk (or Spam), Trash - by right clicking folder and pick properties. Empty both trash and junk - size of both should go to zero or near zero. Drafts folder should be less than a few MB. Inbox preferably is less than 1GB.

Did problem go away?

Wayne Mery said

Did problem go away?

Thanks for the reply! The problem persists. In Win Safe mode I emptied all junk and trash from all the identities, and the only inbox contains only 450mb, although the folders weren't ever very large to begin with. Also, I compact the folders regularly. Once again - I can click with the mouse, but as soon as I type just one key, it's goes into "not responding" mode with a never-ending, circling cursor.

Will I ultimately have to copy/backup my email folders, delete my profiles, restart Tbird, reconfigure the newly-generated profile, and paste the email folders back into the profiles to resolve this? I sure hope not. And something tells me that's not so easy anyhoo. Thanks again for your help.

lilychef said

Will I ultimately have to copy/backup my email folders, delete my profiles, restart Tbird,' reconfigure the newly-generated profile, and paste the email folders back into the profiles to resolve this?

Sorry, I meant to say, 'uninstall and reinstall Tbird ... Although I'm pretty sure a restart of Tbird with no profiles in the profiles folder will create a new generic profile for me, no?

There should be no need to create a new profile.

lilychef said

Wayne Mery said

Does problem go away? Please post to let us know results.

Yes, indeed, the problem went away, thanks. Next steps? Could it be an add-on or extension?

I somehow missed this reply.

Start Windows in safe mode and start Thunderbird normal. If problem is GONE, then cause is a program loaded during Windows startup like antivirus or some tool. If problem RETURNED then cause is likely a Thunderbird add-on

Wayne Mery said

I somehow missed this reply. Start Windows in safe mode and start Thunderbird normal. If problem is GONE, then cause is a program loaded during Windows startup like antivirus or some tool. If problem RETURNED then cause is likely a Thunderbird add-on

The problem persists. As I said, I uninstalled all add-ons and extensions already anyhow. I recently installed the Avast antivirus suite, but otherwise, nothing has changed with my startup configuration. I turned off any and all email protection in Avast and the problem still persisted. I've read it could have something to do with the firewall, so I went in Avast and Tbird is set to be allowed access to everything. I even set the "packet rules" to default in/out "allow," which was previously set to "auto-decide". Is there a known issue with Avast?

Wayne Mery said

Start Windows in safe mode and start Thunderbird normal. If problem is GONE, then cause is a program loaded during Windows startup like antivirus or some tool. If problem RETURNED then cause is likely a Thunderbird add-on

Sorry - I got your answer above backwards. It does not work in Win Safe Mode and Tbird started normally, BUT... I uninstalled all add-ons and extensions... Tbird is bare. And once again - Tbird starts, and I can work with the mouse, but no typing allowed.

try uninstalling Avast. It has developed a habit of stalling Thunderbird. Avast is also not loaded when windows is in safe mode. But is loaded when you allow the system to start normally.

Matt said

try uninstalling Avast. It has developed a habit of stalling Thunderbird. Avast is also not loaded when windows is in safe mode. But is loaded when you allow the system to start normally.

Thanks for your input - that seems a bit drastic... It worked for a while with Avast installed, also, my two other machines are working fine with the combination. But I guess I could try an uninstall/reinstall.

Matt said

try uninstalling Avast. It has developed a habit of stalling Thunderbird. Avast is also not loaded when windows is in safe mode. But is loaded when you allow the system to start normally.

Uninstalling Avast did not fix it. Next steps?

Matt said

try uninstalling Avast. It has developed a habit of stalling Thunderbird. Avast is also not loaded when windows is in safe mode. But is loaded when you allow the system to start normally.

Since it works in Windows Safe mode only, could there be a system file gone awry?

I would suggest you look at what other programs are loaded as startup of Windows. If it is not Avast, my go to is always the ubiquitous anti virus then it will almost certainly be another startup program, most likely security in nature, but not necessarily.

See here https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows

Particularly How to determine what is causing the problem after you do a clean boot

Matt said

Particularly How to determine what is causing the problem after you do a clean boot

Thanks so much for this -- I can't believe in 25 years of using Windows I've been lucky enough to not have had to use this troubleshooter. I found that a startup item, my Widcomm/Broadcom Bluetooth software, specifially BTTray.exe, is the culprit. I disabled that startup item, bluetooth still works, and now Tbird lets me type in it. Thanks for your help!

While I have nothing specific, make sure the bttray is the good one. See https://file-intelligence.comodo.com/windows-process-virus-malware/exe/bttray

Broadcom suggest https://www.broadcom.com/support/bluetooth I would suggest you force a check for the latest drivers as they recommend.

Try turning off bluetooth devices and see if perhaps you have one connected that is no longer functioning correctly. I had a wireless keyboard with a stuck key that demonstrated symptoms that did not indicate the keyboard and I would assume such oddities are not limited to wireless keyboards.