re : Had to use backup recovery to get back to v.68.5.0 (32bit).

Not certain what you mean by 'to get back to...' because v.68.5.0 (32bit) is the latest version. If Windows update occurred first and then TB update. If you used Windows backup recovery to go back then it would have gone back prior to TB update or perhaps you only reversed the Windows update. Or do you mean you had a Thunderbird profile backup which you manually reinstalled?

Either way glad to hear all is ok.

re :Turned off auto update because latest TB update..... How exactly did you do that ? Thunderbird 68.5.0 does not have the option to switch off updates, but it does have the option to check for updates, but let me choose whether to install them...is that the option you chose? I use that setting as it gives me some control. Or did you manually alter the registry settings?

re :TB update followed almost immediately after MS's latest MS often downloads updates and does part of the updates and completes updates when computer is closed down and/or rebooted. I must admit, I do not allow any update of any product whilst OS is being updated. I prefer OS to be fully updated and then I allow other updates.

It does sound coincidentally suspious. Makes you wonder if between the completion of MS updates, something in Thunderbird did not get properly updated.

Updates for any program are not irresponsible, they are necessary to plug bugs and security issues that arise and there are various things to numerous that can throw a spanner in the works.

Even programs that clean up data like CCleaner or WiseCleaner can cause havoc cleaning up files they think need removing but are in fact important files. Never let those types of products scan anything Thunderbird file or folder. Never allow any Anti-Virus product to 'auto scan and fix' any Thunderbird file or folder. These products can delete one mbox file not understanding it can contain more than one email. Always best to either not allow scanning or if allowed to scan then ask what to do, so you stop the auto fix.

Sometimes it means sorting out the status quo and getting things back on track. A pain in the butt and consumes time, but hardly a disaster, that's a bit over dramatic.

It becomes a disaster when your computer dies by frying the hardrive and you never created any backups of important documents and stored them on an external hardrive. But not creating a backup is their fault.

A friend of mine in the final months of their degree was in the process of backingup all their degree data from desktop to laptop when the house got hit by lightning and fried both desktop and laptop symultaneously. The year long near completed project and other work to be handed in was toast - poof - gone. Now that could be viewed as a disaster.

Is it fair to assume, that at this point in time, you do not actually have any problems?

Thanks for responding-much appreciated. Regret that I could nto just respond via email. See my comments below.

• You're right-- meant option to choose.

• have to agree. But it did follow- almost immediately after MS update.

• Yes, suspicious.

• I understand precaution against using CCleaner, and other AV-but what are ordinary users supposed to do-just let things happen. I've used CCleaner and other programs (mostly iObit and Glary Utils) after trying others. Overall they have kept my system working well and minimized other issues. So damned if you do and damned if you don't.

I find QUALITY CONTROL these days a missing factor, where many "hotshots" perhaps trying to impress their superiors, release things well before they've been thoroughly or properly checked out. That is why many folks will wait before they upgrade, or even update. After a while the bugs are eliminated and then they process--risking, of course the potential of a serious problem in the interim.

• Yes I hope so. However although I agree in principal with your comments about the necessity of updates for various valid reasons, I am now very, very hesitant to proceed with any future updates as such. How do I know the same thing might occur again? Is it possible to have some sort of explanation or forewarning before the update is processed? What happened here, was that i got a message that the update changed some of my settings and that I would have to create a new profile. Thus it wouldn't let me begin as usual. When I restored the night before Mozilla Thunderbird directory--everything was just as it was at 11 pm when I essentially stopped for the night. However-- when I clicked on the regular TB icon I had been using I still got the update message. So I decided to click on the TB exe file in the directory and create a new icon on the desktop and that worked just fine and am back to where I was. I've also been told that since the version I am using is 68.5.0 that it is already the latest version. So why would I have been alerted to needing to update in the first place. This never happened before in all the years (and they are many) that I have been using TB--which I do think is the absolute best email program. Nevertheless I am very fearful of processing the next update. Anything to subside these fears?

Oh-one more thing. I had also updated my laptop to 68.5.0 during this time as well-- as usual the almost totally automatic way, and there was no problem.

Just when TB seemed to be near perfect---boom another major damn update ala MS. What the---? Add-ons no longer work. Will they be upgarded as well, or what?

You did not mention what you've just updated to, so I'm assuming 68.10.0 Worth checking the addons to see if you just need to update them. There was some bug about failing to check for addon update.