• AT&T , ATT-Yahoo related settings for TB. • Yahoo , ATT-Yahoo related settings for TB.

Thank you. Although there may be something I missed or didn't understand, I don't think the previous posts and solutions addressed my specific problem. Thunderbird is is going through machinations of downloading the emails, but the process does not conclude (I don't think). I was previously getting the "server error" message, but once I inserted the secure mail key I don't anymore, although I still don't get my emails. Any specific suggestions addressing my specific issue would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

The specific problem is "Normal Password" does not work unless you use a mailkey password issues by ATT, but nothing works if your anti virus/ Firewall are on the blink. Hence the following standard advice to test if it is so. The first generally disables the forced inserting of anti virus components into Thunderbird, a common point of failure post update. The second generally disables the anti virus and it's application firewall.

• Restart Thunderbird with add-ons disabled (Thunderbird Safe Mode). On the Help menu, click on "Restart with Add-ons Disabled". If Thunderbird works like normal, there is an Add-on or Theme interfering with normal operations. You will need to re-enable add-ons one at a time until you locate the offender.
• Restart the operating system in safe mode with Networking. This loads only the very basics needed to start your computer while enabling an Internet connection. Click on your operating system for instructions on how to start in safe mode: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, OSX

If safe mode for the operating system fixes the issue, there's other software in your computer that's causing problems. Possibilities include but not limited to: AV scanning, virus/malware, background downloads such as program updates.

Matt, thank you. Your suggested solutions didn't resolve my problem. Btw, this problem only arises with ATT/Yahoo emails, my other accounts' emails download fine in TB. I was able to do what you suggested except, due to the manner in which my LAN is set up, I could not get into safe mode with Networking and I'm not skilled enough to figure out how to resolve this. I did, although, negate the anti-virus, firewall etc. protections in order to check the ability of TB to download ATT/Yahoo emails without success. I think that is has something to do with the Server Settings for the ATT account, but I'm not smart enough to figure out a resolution. To reiterate, once I started using the ATT issued secure mail key I stopped getting an error message and the download process appears to commence, but no emails are downloaded. I appreciate anybody's time and suggestions. Thank you.

Go to the troubleshooting information on the help menu and copy and paste the Mail and News accounts information into a reply here. Perhaps there is something there that will help.

I will do that Matt and send it out. Of course, anybody else with suggestions, please ... anything would be appreciated. Something that may be relevant, I can successfully send emails through TB from the the Yahoo/ATT account, I just cannot receive/download emails from the Yahoo/ATT account into TB. Also, I added a new secure mail key but, everything's the same. The download process starts, but doesn't proceed. Another thing that may be relevant is a while back Yahoo deleted and restored thousands of emails. This resulted in a lot of duplicate emails in Thunderbird. At the time, that did not appear to adversely effect TB. Thanks again and I will send the Mail and News accounts information.

I'm baffled, I'm sure there's an answer out there. Account1 is the only one that is a problem, with downloading emails. Thank you.

Mail and News Accounts ID Incoming server Outgoing servers Name Connection security Authentication method Name Connection security Authentication method Default? account1 (pop3) inbound.att.net:995 SSL/TLS Normal password outbound.att.net:465 SSL/TLS Normal password true account2 (none) Local Folders None Normal password account3 (pop3) outlook.office365.com:995 SSL/TLS Normal password smtp.office365.com:587 STARTTLS Normal password true account4 (pop3) pop.gmail.com:995 SSL/TLS Normal password smtp.gmail.com:465 SSL/TLS OAuth2 true

Just to be sure things are not hidden. Ensure the View > Folders menu entry is set to all Right click the inbox and select properties and then repair. Sill nothing? Let us try something "off the wall" Change the server name from the ATT one to pop.mail.yahoo.com Port 995

My understanding of the arrangements between yahoo and ATT is that it works out to be basically the same thing, but we will see Once the server name is changed change the authentication method to oAuth. (not available for ATT servers) Make sure your username is given as your full ATT email address and try and retrieve mail.

This is truly off the wall. It might work or it might just error. Only trying will tell. but "putting it back is not hard if it fails.

Just so I understand, change Server Name from inbound.att.net to pop.mail.yahoo.com. Then change Authentication method from Normal Password to OAuth 2. Right?

Then see what happens. Thanks

Matt, I tried what you suggested and the same thing happened. At the bottom of the screen it says "downloading message 1 of 527 ..." then it just doesn't proceed. Strange. I switched back to the att server and the same exact thing happened. Thank you for trying; any other ideas would be appreciated.

The only time I have sen this as you describe is when an anti virus messes up. Recently it was ESET. What do you use?

I notice you have not mentioned that yahoo asked for a confirmation of password....

Please confirm that after changing the server settings as advised:

• Server Name: pop.mail.yahoo.com.
• Authentication method :OAuth 2.

Outgoing Mail (SMTP) Server

• Server name - smtp.mail.yahoo.com
• authentication method: OAuth2

you also made sure that cookies are allowed

• Select 'Menu app icon' > 'Options'
• In 'Options' left Pane select Privacy & Security
• Select checkbox 'Accept cookies from sites'

Finally, exit and then restart Thunderbird. When prompted enter the account password to alow Thundrebird access. See advise: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/thunderbird-and-yahoo

if you use "OAuth2" as auth-method then Which Exact OAuth2 Related URLs Should Be Allowed In TB's Cookie Exception List ? (please upvote my Q+A both, in above linked page, if its useful/helpful) check OAuth2 related sections/paragraphs.

TB = Thunderbird . auth = authentication. MSP = Mail Service Provider.

imho , using App-key (aka: Mail-key, etc) with "Normal Password" auth-method ( over/through the TLS/SSL based security/encryption ) , is better than "OAuth2" based auth-method.

"StartTLS" security/encryption has various weaknesses, vulnerabilities, etc , so please avoid it , if your MSP uses StartTLS then push/tell them to switch/upgrade into higher strength TLS/SSL based strong encryption/security.

I'm on the road and will check these suggestions when I return. My anti-virus is bitdefender. The one thing I haven't tried yet is atErik's last suggestion. Thank you all, I'll return in a few days, hopefully with a resolution click.

Bitdefender's Advanced Threat Defense module has been a source of issues:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1275164#answer-1276081

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1275787

You might also be experiencing the common problem of a corrupted message that is preventing newer messages from being downloaded:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1301414