Tried with your anti virus not scanning mail? That is the usual cause of glacial mail delivery

Disabled Norton email scanning. Still takes 5+ min to login to email server, and is dead trying to download a message. From websearch this is unresolved problem. Maybe I have to only use browser access and dump TB.

TB has managed to download 2 small messages in 1 hour and 20 min. Standby. At this rate, mail comes in faster than it will download.

mgetting said

Disabled Norton email scanning. Still takes 5+ min to login to email server, and is dead trying to download a message. From websearch this is unresolved problem. Maybe I have to only use browser access and dump TB.

If you mean an unresolved problem with Norton, I wholeheartedly agree. If you mean with Thunderbird, I think you may be mistaken. I have used all versions since version 2 up until today's daily build. I have seen no delays in getting mail. It may not be the fastest mail client. I have never done tests. but a few minutes per hundred is my usual experience.

In these support forums I have seen many many people with similar complaints to yours. Almost always because their anti virus is not doing it's job without undue interference or they have an add-on that is not working correctly. That is why we have the following standard response. The first checks for add-ons and the second for dodgy security software.

To diagnose problems with Thunderbird, try one of the following:

• 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 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.

5 downloaded now in 2 hrs 45 min. total size 120Kb.

Thanks for your help. I don't think either are the problem. We have been using TB for about 10 yrs with no problem until now. Of course I never have a problem as I don't use Microsoft - Linux always works. But wife uses windows (Windows 10 for the last 6 months), never had a problem until about 2 wks ago. Things I have seen on the web do indicate it is unresolved, Norton or not. 2 hrs and 45 minutes to download 5 messages of total size 120 Kb is a big problem.

Please what is the link to your support thread with Symantec/Norton where you are seeking their support for this issue?

Any of this sound familiar? https://community.norton.com/en/forums/norton-internet-deluxe-email-scanning-slowing-outlook-2016-mail-downloads-down

Fundamentally Nortons can not scan email. Anything they say to the contrary is old technology. (POP mail on port 110 SMTP sending on port 25) They can not scan SSL/TLS connections not can they scan IMAP accounts.

POP mail accounts on port 110 without SSL are almost as common as the DoDo these days. There are a few small time ISP's and some small Businesses that still do mail that way, but it was largely succeeded a decade or more ago.

Completely turning off email protection will actually change things for a very very small group of people and then they will still be as well protected as if they used web mail. But it will on most occasions see remarkable changes to the computer and the mail client. (Whatever that is. It is not just a Thunderbird issue)

Thanks for the message, We are using POP3 port 110 without SSL. I will look into changing to more secure, but have to do other work for a while.

Earthlink now supports IMAP, so switched to that and turned off norton, we will see how it goes. Thanks for help. M

I have the exact same problem for the last month I have disabled all add-ons and Avast to no avail, I too use Windows 10.

markdouglas said

I have the exact same problem for the last month I have disabled all add-ons and Avast to no avail, I too use Windows 10.

I see you have found that it is not Thunderbird here