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Thunderbird Client Date & Time Issue

  • 8 tontu
  • 1 am na jafe-jafe bii
  • 9 views
  • i mujjee tontu mooy Toad-Hall

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Dear Sir,

I have install Thunderbird Client Version 68x and configured with Zimbra Open Source Server version 8.8.15.

Problem Faced: As i test by change my system date say 3 days back or 3 days ahead.

1.) When i use Zimbra Web client to send mail, it shows correct date & time of email message at recipient end irrespective of wrong/ whatever date i set on my system/pc.

2.)But when i try to send mail from Thunderbird Client, it shows the WRONG DATE i set on my system/pc at recipient end.My Thunderbird Client is configured with Incoming Server IMAP Port 143 & with STARTTLS and Outgoing Server Port 587 with STARTTLS.

Please assist . . .

Regards PS Cheema

Dear Sir, I have install Thunderbird Client Version 68x and configured with Zimbra Open Source Server version 8.8.15. Problem Faced: As i test by change my system date say 3 days back or 3 days ahead. 1.) When i use Zimbra Web client to send mail, it shows correct date & time of email message at recipient end irrespective of wrong/ whatever date i set on my system/pc. 2.)But when i try to send mail from Thunderbird Client, it shows the WRONG DATE i set on my system/pc at recipient end.My Thunderbird Client is configured with Incoming Server IMAP Port 143 & with STARTTLS and Outgoing Server Port 587 with STARTTLS. Please assist . . . Regards PS Cheema

All Replies (8)

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How does your server fare sending email with the date and time deliberately messed up? Probably will not work at all because of problems with SSL/TLS

Regardless, Thunderbird uses the local system date and time to set that information when preparing the email. This is best practice really.

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Dear Matt,

Thanks for your response,What do you mean by "Probably will not work at all because of problems with SSL/TLS".You mean to say i must use SSL/TLS Connection Security instead of STARTTLS ?

Please assist . . .

Regards PS Cheema

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Dear Matt,

Greetings of the day !!!

Thanks for your response.What do you mean by :Probably will not work at all because of problems with SSL/TLS"You mean to say i must use SSL/TLS Connection security instead of STARTTLS in Thunderbird Client.

Please assist . . .

Regards PS Cheema

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Dear Matt,

Greetings of the day !!!

Even i test it by change the connection security = SSL/TLS in Thunderbird client , no use.Same issue.

Regards Ps Cheema

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At this point, I do not know what OS you use nor whether your computer has the correct date and time nor what timezone you are using. Can you supply some info ?

What is your OS ?

Computer Date:

  • Is the date and time shown in bottom right corner of computer screen correct?
  • What timezone are you using?

re :But when i try to send mail from Thunderbird Client, it shows the WRONG DATE

  • What date is it showing ?
  • What date did you expect?
  • Is the date wrong or the time?

In 'Sent' folder, for email in list:

  • Is the wrong date showing wrong in the 'Date' column header?
  • Select the email so it shows in lower Message Pane, is the date wrong in the actual email ?
  • Is the date in 'Date' column header the same as the date in the email header?

Post image showing what you see.

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Dear Toad-Hall

Greetings of the Day !!!

At this point, I do not know what OS you use nor whether your computer has the correct date and time nor what timezone you are using. Can you supply some info ?

What is your OS ? = Windows 10 Professional

Computer Date: -> Current date is July 17,2020

   Is the date and time shown in bottom right corner of computer screen correct?-> Yes Correct
   What timezone are you using? -> UTC+5:30

re :But when i try to send mail from Thunderbird Client, it shows the WRONG DATE

   What date is it showing ?-> For Testing purpose , i change my PC/System date to Say July 20,2020 & then send mail from Thunderbird Client Version 68X , which is connected to my Zimbra Opensource Server Version 8.8.15 with Incoming Server IMAP Port 143 & with STARTTLS and Outgoing Server Port 587 with STARTTLS. 

-> 1.) Now as i set my Windows 10 PC/System date as July 20,2020 (for testing) , but date of my Zimbra Server is July 17,2020. ->2.) I open my Zimbra Web Client and send a mail to say xyz user (same domain/or different domain) ->3.) So, the mail reached at user xyz inbox is of dated July 17,2020 irrespective of date set at my PC, which is July 20,2020.OK.This is correct functionality. ->4.) BUT, when i send a mail using my Thunderbird Client (to same user say xyz) on same PC (here system date set is July 20,2020). The mail received on user xyz inbox is of date July 20,2020.However it must received/show the date as July 17,2020 as in point no 3. As here also mail pass through my Zimbra Open Source Server. -> 5.) This is the issue ->6.) I hope i clear all my points


   What date did you expect?
   Is the date wrong or the time? 

In 'Sent' folder, for email in list:

   Is the wrong date showing wrong in the 'Date' column header? -> Sent folder also shows wrong date , in this case July 20,2020.

Regards ps cheema

James moo ko soppali ci

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Dear Mr. Toad-Hall

Greetings of the day !!!

At this point, I do not know what OS you use nor whether your computer has the correct date and time nor what timezone you are using. Can you supply some info ?

What is your OS ? -> Windows 10 Professional

Computer Date:

   Is the date and time shown in bottom right corner of computer screen correct?
   What timezone are you using? -> UTC+5:30

re :But when i try to send mail from Thunderbird Client, it shows the WRONG DATE

   What date is it showing ?-> July 17,2020
   What date did you expect?-> Same date
   Is the date wrong or the time? -> Nothing Wrong 

Case Scenario:-

1.) My PC present date is = July 17,2020, which is correct. 2.) I change my Windows PC/System date to say July 20,2020 (for testing purpose). 3.) Now on same PC i open my Zimbra Open Seouce Server's Web Client into Mozila Web Browser and compose a email message to say xyz recipient and send mail to him. 4.)Now i go to that user's inbox and check mail date , it shows email message received of dated July 17,2020. Which is 100% correct. 5.) Now i open Thunderbird Client on my PC , where i set date as July 20,2020 and send mail to same user again . 6.) Now i goto that user inbox again and check mail date, now its showing mail message received of dated July 20,2020.Which is TOTALLY INCORRECT. It must show the message date must be July 17,2020. 7.) As i follow the same procedure for Zimbra Web mail as well as Thunderbird Client mail. But the Web Client as well as Thunderbird Client connected and pass mail through Zimbra Open Source Server. 8.) The only difference is connectivity. The Zimbra Web Client connected through "https" protocol and Thunderbird Client is with Incoming Server IMAP Port 143 & with STARTTLS and Outgoing Server Port 587 with STARTTLS.

In 'Sent' folder, for email in list:

   Is the wrong date showing wrong in the 'Date' column header?
   Select the email so it shows in lower Message Pane, is the date wrong in the actual email ?
   Is the date in 'Date' column header the same as the date in the email header? 

Post image showing what you see-> Thunderbird Client Sent Folder image attached for your reference please.

Regards ps cheema

James moo ko soppali ci

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When you use the webmail account, it is directly using the server which does not use your computer as it's clock.

Thunderbird is a program running on your computer. Thunderbird uses whatever you have set up on the computer. It does not have it's own clock.

If you set up the 20th July, then that is what you will see in Thunderbird.

I thought you had set up computer for 17th, but was getting 20th in Thunderbird, which would have been very unexpected and really odd.

In other words, there is nothing wrong with Thunderbird.