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How can I get Thunderbird to stop continually downloading?

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by sfhowes

avrhodes
avrhodes
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Windows 10 Thunderbird 68.3.1 (32 bit) IMAP setup. At the bottom of the screen it is always downloading and the software runs extremely slow. For example it says Downloading message 3912 of 5441 in Inbox... Once it is done it says downloading XXXX of XXXX in Sent Items... Once it is done with that it starts right back with the Inbox 1 of 5441 in Inbox. The software runs extremely slow, for example when typing an e-mail, I can type almost an entire sentence before the typed characters catch up and display on the screen.

I installed a few weeks ago and it seems to be stuck in this infinite loop. I've uninstalled and reinstalled - same behavior. Rebooting the computer and Thunderbird does not help either.

I've been searching for days on the internet for a solution without luck. I'm at my wit's end with this software.

Windows 10 Thunderbird 68.3.1 (32 bit) IMAP setup. At the bottom of the screen it is always downloading and the software runs extremely slow. For example it says Downloading message 3912 of 5441 in Inbox... Once it is done it says downloading XXXX of XXXX in Sent Items... Once it is done with that it starts right back with the Inbox 1 of 5441 in Inbox. The software runs extremely slow, for example when typing an e-mail, I can type almost an entire sentence before the typed characters catch up and display on the screen. I installed a few weeks ago and it seems to be stuck in this infinite loop. I've uninstalled and reinstalled - same behavior. Rebooting the computer and Thunderbird does not help either. I've been searching for days on the internet for a solution without luck. I'm at my wit's end with this software.

All Replies (3)

Wayne Mery
Wayne Mery
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gmail account? if not, which provider?

avrhodes
avrhodes Question owner
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It's a work account. We are a very small company. E-mail is hosted by GoDaddy. I have admin access to this if needed. I'm not an IT person by trade but I am a technical person.

sfhowes
sfhowes
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What's your antivirus? If it's set to scan mail folders, disable that by adding the TB profile folder as an exclusion or exception. Running Windows in safe mode is a good test of the effect of startup apps, such as AV, on TB performance.

There are other causes of slow TB, but this is the first thing to check. If making those changes improves TB but you still have the constant re-downloading, that is a separate problem.