Did you try changing the command line for the Thunderbird short cut as mentioned?

In Thunderbird, right click the folder you want to see when Thunderbird starts. Choose "Properties". Select the contents of the "Location" box and copy it (Ctrl-C).

Right click the Thunderbird shortcut you use and choose "Properties". In the window that comes up, click on the "Shortcut" tab. In the "Target" area, you will see:

"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe"

After that type:

-mail

Then paste (Ctrl-V) that "Location" you copied from Thunderbird.

Make sure that there is a space both before and after "-mail".

Does that help you?

When I click the unified inbox properties there is no 'location' box just a name.

OK, going backwards here...

What shows when you first start Thunderbird?

Well I'll be darned. It opens to the inbox. I don't know what I did, but it was opening to a generic startup page with get messages and other buttons.

Thanks

Thunderbird will usually start up showing the folder that was showing when you last quit the program.