Why does Thunderbird take over 40 mins to download just 6 e mails?
It can take over 40 mins for just 6 e mails to download. Even then, they arrive one at a time. I then have to click the get mail button, to get the next e mail and so on. I have checked and rechecked my account settings.
All Replies (12)
How big are those emails? Do you have access to your email via a web interface? It may help to login there and check their size, perhaps they are too big to download quickly.
Fabian, Hi. Thanks for your reply. These are not big e mails! eg. I bid for some thing on ebay. I get outbid. ebay sends me an e mail saying I've been outbid. Its only a few lines, but the e mails takes ages to come through. Its the same for all my other e mails. They're all fairly small, with no attachments etc, but its like using snail mail!
do you have anti-virus software scanning incoming emails? If yes, what Anti-virus do you use?
suggest you stop the scanning of emails and see if this improves performance.
Is this an IMAP mail account or Pop?
Toad, thanks for this. I'm a bit dubious about not scanning my e mails: won't that let in all sorts of nasties?? I use Norton by Symantec protection.
For your info, I've recently changed from Outlook Express to Thunderbird, but I'm still using POP . Is IMAP better? Cheers, Ian.
re: I'm still using POP . Is IMAP better?
I also use Pop and Norton. As there is less activity because you're only downloading from one server folder to one mail account inbox. i've always found Pop to be much quicker.
IMAP is a bit different. You see a remote view of the folders. IMAP is really useful if use different computers or other devices to access mail.
more info on IMAP mail accounts:
re: I'm a bit dubious about not scanning my e mails: won't that let in all sorts of nasties? By default (unless you have changed the settings) all emails downloaded to your Thunderbird will not display remote content.
Any attachments you open can still be scanned.
Performance: I would suggest that you do some 'housework' on the Pop mail account to make sure you are getting the best performance. General good info on performance issues:
Larger folders use up more memory, so organising mails into suitable folders and correct archiving can reduce folder size.
1. Organise mail into suitably named folders: If you only use the Inbox, then create some new folders and move emails into those folders to assist with organising and locating mail.
2. Set up 'Archive Options':
select to archive by 'monthly' and select to 'keep exisitng folder structure of archived messages' Then choose a folder, select all emails that are older than a month. Organise in date order. Select the first email you want to archive, hold down shift and select the last one you want to archive. This will highlight a batch of emails and they will dispaly in the Message Pane as 'conversations' click on the 'Archive' button.
when you have done this with all your folders including 'Sent' , you will be able to locate these emails via the 'Archives' folder in the folder pane. These emails are still in your Profile so will be backed when you backup your Profile folder. As an example, if you archived inbox and Sent, they will use this structure:
> Archives > > 2012 > > 2013 > > 2014 > > > >2014-01 > > > > > > Inbox > > > > > > Sent > > > >2014-02 > > > > > > Inbox > > > > > > Sent
3. The Inbox folder:
This folder gets a lot of activity, incoming, moving ,deleting etc.
It is advised that you keep the Inbox for incoming new mail and not use it as a general storage. So keep it low in emails.
As you have now sorted and Archived most emails, you may still have a load of 'marked as deleted' emails which you cannot see but may be taking up space in folders.
As a precaution - not sure if the Inbox may have corruption - move emails from Inbox to Local folders Inbox. You do not have to move the emails - it is only a precaution because if the Inbox folder has corruption, then you may lose emails when compacting.
4. Compact your folders.
- File > Compact Folders.
Now move the emails back into Inbox for mail account. Info - compacting what it does and why it is important.
General info on keeping a healthy Thunderbird:
So now you should have a better organised Profile using smaller files and using less memory to access those files.
see if this improves performance.
Toad, many thanks for the help. I would have replied earlier, only my computer is playing up! Its nearly 10 yrs old, so I guess its getting time to retire it and get another one! Whats frustrating about this problem is that it's so inconsistent. The other day I had 10 e mails and they downloaded in seconds. Today I had just 4 and they took 20 mins. Anyway, I'll keep on plugging away and see what develops. Cheers, Ian..
Disabling AV causes you no harm WRT emails as long as you do not open an *attachment*. In other words, simply opening/viewing a email will not cause problems.
You might try ... Start *Windows'* safe mode with networking enabled - win8 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/windows-startup-settings-including-safe-mode - win7 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Start-your-computer-in-safe-mode - XP http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/boot_failsafe.mspx
Still In Windows safe mode, start thunderbird in safe mode - http://support.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/kb/safe-mode
Does problem go away?
re: inconsistency Have you noticed if something else is working in the background when there is a slow download? for example, a Windows update, adobe update, anti-virus software update etc
Also: other people on the same network: radio streaming, Netflix, BitTorrent downloads/sharing...
Guys, thanks for all your support. What is so frustrating about this issue is that it changes from day to day. I wrote this note because 6 e mails took so long to download. The other day I had 20, and they downloaded in seconds. Today, I have 6 again. One has downloaded, but the other 5 are still downloading, 30 mins after I started the process. I only have about 20 emails in my inbox. I have reduced to the bare minimum the storage details so that compacting takes place regularly. I open my emails about the same time every day. Its the first thing I do on my computer, so no other programs are running, so why such a significant inconstancy in downloading times????
> Its the first thing I do on my computer, so no other programs are running, so why such a significant inconstancy in downloading times????
If we knew the cause, we'd have the answer to that. But the inconsistency is not the most important or interesting aspect of this, relative to the goal of finding out why it is happening.
Again, what are your results in safe mode?
Modified by Wayne Mery
Guys, thanks for all your support. I've solved the problem by buying a new computer! Well, the other one was nearly 10 years old and was running XP, so its future wasn't that bright anyway. Now it takes me about 20 secs from the time I turn the computer on, to reading my e mails. Progress! Cheers, Ian.