Let's start with a clean install to make sure of the version you are using.

Thunderbird should have installed in either of the following locations depending upon what version you downloaded and installed. So check both locations and delete the 'Mozilla Thunderbird' folder:

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird\
• C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\

Then download the current version from this link. https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/all/ I notice you are in the United States, so Scroll down to 'English (US)' Make sure you click on the 'windows32 bit' version download which is written in black font.

Then install Thunderbird, but do not select to start OR Exit Thunderbird if it starts.

Access Profile name folder:

• C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\
• delete this file: global-messages-db.sqlite

Start Thunderbird.

Please report back on what happens. The first thing I need to know if it has located the profile and you can see the mail accounts.

Remember to empty the 'Recycle Bin' on computer to fully remove the deleted Thunderbird.

Hi Toad-Hall, unable to proceed, see below. I searched first the (x86), then the other & both were titled "Thunderbird" not "Mozilla Thunderbird". Tried to open the first then the other and neither would open. On 1/17/2020 8:19 AM, Mozilla Support Forum wrote: > C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\ C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird\

• C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird\

I searched first the (x86), then the other & both were titled "Thunderbird" not "Mozilla Thunderbird". Tried to open the first then the other and neither would open.

Are you still using Windows 7 ? You obviously have Windows 64bit computer. As 'Thunderbird' is in both, it seems you've downloaded both windows64bit and windows32bit versions of Thunderbird.

Only Linux and MAC would say 'Thunderbird' Windows OS has always had 'Mozilla Thunderbird'.

Just to be certain you are looking in the correct place, I've attached an image below. Please post an image showing what you see regarding:

• C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird\

Your profile would be in this location and that would have a 'Thunderbird' folder. C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\ You do not want to delete that. Confirm you can see the profile ok.

Put "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird\ " into the search bar and got a listing of files that included "Thunderbird" but I couldn't open or copy the listings. Did the same thing with "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\" got the same results. So unable to copy the profile, because I'm unable to see it.

You are not being asked to open them, simply to press the delete key and remove those folder from your system.

Matt, I proceed to enter both in the search bar: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\

   C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird\ 

Then right click on "Thunderbird" in each. There is 12 choices, delete is not one of them, but there is a "Shred file/folder" is that what I should proceed with? And please give instructions to follow after shredding. Thanks.

re: Then right click on "Thunderbird" in each. There is 12 choices, delete is not one of them, but there is a "Shred file/folder"

Well it sounds as if you have downloaded and installed a program to deal with deleting, cleaning up file etc rather than allow Windows system to deal with it. Have you installed a program that offers Data Shredding to completely remove anything you choose to delete?

Have you installed a program like 'WiseCleaner' or 'CCLeaner? If yes, you need to make sure it does not have any access to any Thunderbird files or folder. It must not be allowed to scan, remove, clean up or do anything to any Thunderbird file or folder. These programs are known to cause all kinds of annoying problems.

If yes, you have downloaded a program that now controls the deleting then it has over written the menu options, removing 'Delete' and inserting 'Shred file/folder'. Click on 'Shred file/folder'.

Then download the current version from this link.

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

I notice you are in the United States, so Scroll down to 'English (US)' Make sure you click on the 'windows32 bit' version download which is written in black font.

Then install Thunderbird, but do not select to start OR Exit Thunderbird if it starts.

Access Profile name folder:

• C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\
• delete this file: global-messages-db.sqlite

Start Thunderbird.

Toad-Hall, after shredding both the Tbird files, installed new Tbird from the link you provided. It looked like all was good except for the contacts listing being not alphabetical, please tell me how to get it fixed by last name first. Also, unable to find the profile file & global-messages-db.sqlite, so still need help with that.

Don said

Also, unable to find the profile file & global-messages-db.sqlite, so still need help with that.

Help menu, troubleshooting information. Click on the show profile button.

re :. It looked like all was good except for the contacts listing being not alphabetical,

Click on 'Address Book' select an address book eg: Personal Address Book 'View' > 'Show name as' > select 'Last,First' to list as surname first. 'View' > 'Sort by' > select 'Name' and 'Ascending'

This will present the list in surname order sorted with A at the top.

Matt, following "Help menu, troubleshooting information. Click on the show profile button" Can't find 'profile button', opened Profile file & still no sign of 'profile button'.

Toad-Hall. went through this: "Click on 'Address Book' select an address book eg: Personal Address Book 'View' > 'Show name as' > select 'Last,First' to list as surname first. 'View' > 'Sort by' > select 'Name' and 'Ascending'" This first time through, it appeared so though it was fixed, but to check it out I did a system reset & it was ruined. Any suggestion on redoing it?

re : Address Book...but to check it out I did a system reset What did you do exactly? What do you mean when you say 'did a system reset'?

RE: unable to find the profile file & global-messages-db.sqlite,

'Help' can be found in two places. It is in the 'Menu app icon' drop down list. It is also on the 'Menu Bar' toolbar.

• 'Help' > 'Troubleshooting information'

Under 'Application Basics' 'Profile Folder' is listed and next to it you will see a 'Open Folder' button. See image below as guide.

• Click on 'Open Folder'.

A new window appears and opens the 'profile name' folder showing the contents. The 'profile name' folder is by default located at the place mentioned below and called 'xxxxxxxx.default' where the x's are letters and numbers.

• C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\

You have not told us whether you have programs like 'CCleaner' or 'WiseCleaner' or similar cleanup file type of program. I believe you do have such a program because you would have found it easy to 'Delete' the Thunderbird program but instead you had 'Shred file/folder'. This tells me you have a program doing some kind of cleanup on your computer.

Those type of programs cause problems because they delete necessary files in programs like Thunderbird.

Toad-Hall, re : Address Book...but to check it out I did a system reset What did you do exactly? What do you mean when you say 'did a system reset'? Click on the start button, put curser on arrow next to shutdown button & then click on restart. I should have said restart instead. Next step would appear to be: delete this file: global-messages-db.sqlite So I will do that now. After that I'm guessing that I should go back to: Click on 'Address Book' select an address book eg: Personal Address Book 'View' > 'Show name as' > select 'Last,First' to list as surname first. 'View' > 'Sort by' > select 'Name' and 'Ascending'

This will present the list in surname order sorted with A at the top. I've run out of time, if you have a change in mind for this let me know & I'll try to do it tomarrow.

OK...Understood - you restarted the computer. But you did not mention whether you had Exited Thunderbird first. When you exit Thunderbird all the session, preferences, etc data is written to the files. If you restarted the computer without properly exiting Thunderbird then data may not get stored correctly.

If you have some program cleaning up files and Thunderbird is not exempt then it is entirely probable that necessary session etc files are being cleaned up before the data is stored in the thunderbird preference files.

Hence, when restarting the computer and Thunderbird, it will not have the stored preferences.

You still have not said what cleanup program you are using nor whether you have made all Thunderbird files and folders exempt from scanning. This is important.

Toad-Hall, sorry cuz I guessed you knew & I didn't need to tell. I use Wise Care 365. Please tell me how to make all Thunderbird files and folders exempt from scanning.

Toad-Hall, another strange thing about this: This will present the list in surname order sorted with A at the top. I've run out of time, if you have a change in mind for this let me know & I'll try to do it tomarrow. Just now I found the all address listing (no other address listings) that's strange too, usually I'll see several. The big strange thing was suddenly the listing of names was in A at the top order. There are more things that may be out of order, but I'm unsure. Yesterday & earlier today I couldn't find the button to click on for putting in a new contact, now it's there. Over the last few days I've gotten a popup message at least once each day that says something like "Tbird can't update" (Before this current repair session began, I'd been getting a similar popup daily for more than a month that read "Unable to install patch") and like now offering to give me the current Tbird update. So my question is: should I proceed to take that offer or do an uninstall first?

I've never used Wise Care 365 This is a link to their forum where you could ask how to make folders and their contents (all folders and files therein) exempt from any scanning/cleaning etc. http://forum.wisecleaner.com/index.php?/forum/2-wise-care-365/