Since updating to Windows 10, Thunderbird stops responding

[sbeard]

I have used Thunderbird for years without any problems. Since updating to Windows 10, Thurnderbird constantly freezes and stops responding for about 1 minute and 20 seconds. Once the freeze up is over, Thunderbird works again until the next freeze up. I am running the most current version of Thunderbird. I have tried disabling my firewall and anit-virus, but the issue still occurs. This happens while composing an email, while deleting an email or opening an email. I work in sales and need my my computer and my email. This issue is very very annoying and wastes a lot of my time. I have a fast newer computer (desktop). I did not have this problem with Windows 7 or previous versions of Windows. Thunderbird froze twice when I tried to simply register for this forum. I am very frustrated and at my wits end. I like Thuderbird and don't want to abandon it but I can't work with constant freeze-ups. I need HELP.

[DanRaisch]

I need HELP.

What security software are you running under Windows 10? Have you cleared all references to Thunderbird from the permissions list of the firewall and anti-virus software (doing so with Thunderbird shut down)? Have you rebooted the computer after since the completion of the update to Win 10?

[sbeard]

Yes I have rebooted my computer many times. This issue has been going on for 6-8 months. I am running Eset security software. I have temporarily disabled Eset and the problem still occurs. The windows firewall is not turned on because I am using Eset. I have the most current version of Thunderbird.

[DanRaisch]

Thunderbird 38.7.1 runs just fine under Win 10 for me. I'm not running Eset though.

Try uninstalling and reinstalling the program to see if that has any favorable impact. Uninstalling and reinstalling the application itself has absolutely no impact on your Profile, which is where saved data such as account settings, message files, etc is stored.

Clear the browser cache and the Windows Temp directory.
Shutdown any anti-virus software you are running.
Download a new copy of the full installer from http://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/thunderbird/
Delete the directory C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird
Run the installer.
Restart the anti-virus program.

Note that your saved messages, address books, settings, passwords, etc (if any) are stored in a different directory from the program files and will not be removed by deleting the directory identified above.

This thread http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic ... 5#p5239885 has a more detailed version of the above instructions if needed.

[saratojo]

tb runs fine under win10 for me with eset security suite installed.

[tanstaafl]

Try running in safe mode (help -> restart with add-ons disabled) to rule out the possibility that one of your add-ons are causing the problem.
Try modifying the shortcut to run the program in windows 7 compatibility mode. Right click on the shortcut, right click on Thunderbird, select properties, and then the compatibility tab.
What version of Windows 10 does winver state that you are using? I'm using version 1511.

[wsmwk]

Try running in safe mode (help -> restart with add-ons disabled) to rule out the possibility that one of your add-ons are causing the problem.
Try modifying the shortcut to run the program in windows 7 compatibility mode. Right click on the shortcut, right click on Thunderbird, select properties, and then the compatibility tab.
What version of Windows 10 does winver state that you are using? I'm using version 1511.

sbeard, did you have good results?

[Xerxes2]

Had this intermittently, i.e. once every day or so TB would freeze while I was deleting an email or RSS message. The ‘Thunderbird is not responding’ message would then display for about 1min 20 secs, after which TB would be OK.

Tried all of the above suggestions. No clues in TB Error Console or Windows Event Viewer.

What eventually fixed it for me was going to TB: Tools --> Options --> Advanced --> General, and unclicking "Allow Windows Search to search messages".

I am running Windows 10 Professional 64bit.

[CheechGe]

Well I would like to say that disabling the Windows search worked however, on my system it was already disabled. TB goes into non-response for many reasons, but the most annoying is when I attempt to delete a single message and it does that. What I also notice is that it doesn't seem to recognize the first click on the Delete and the second click goes into the non-response mode.

Sometimes it even does that when just scrolling the message panel. I have the latest version of TB and all of the Windows 10 patches. Windows 10 was installed over Windows 7 (by MS). I'm using Windows Defender.

Additionally I notice that Firefox does the same thing at times and wonder if the problem is in code that is shared.


April 29, 2016
Since I posted last I have upgraded to TB 45.0 hoping that it would correct the non-response situation. Unfortunately, It has not.

However, what I have been noticing is that every time TB goes into non-response the hard drive is being very heavily accessed with the access light on solid. As soon as it goes back to normal (flickering on and off) TB completes what ever process it was doing. I've attempted to find out what component was causing the disk to run as it was by using the Process Explorer. Unfortunately, I didn't notice any components where the IO count was rising drastically.

Fortunately I have an old XP system with TB (45,0) on it and I've taken to using that (with no problems), sad as it may be. Something is really broken and since TB is mostly the only software (in addition to FF sometimes which I believe share certain components) that I am having problems with on Win 10 I can only assume that the problem is within TB.

Would someone in development please find out what is going on?

[Xerxes2]

I don’t have problems with Firefox freezing, but after my initial upgrade from Windows 7 I did a clean install of Windows 10 using the Microsoft ISO download. Perhaps that made the difference? Otherwise, I also use Windows Defender and have all the MS patches.

[Mudder]

Well, I've always gotten "Not Responding" in TB ever since moving from XP to W7 (Portable version) but it just goes for a couple of seconds while the accounts get password cleared
and downloading from POP servers, after which all is normal. However with the latest upgrade {TB45} it changed my formatting in the replies to double spacing until I had it sussed out and returned to my default of single spaced lines. What is with the little arrows next to "correspondent" and why even change the words from "sender" and "recipient" to that?
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Also as one poster {CheechGE} said, as for Firefox, I can see now why they added a "restart" button in the File drop-down menu.
Its still better than the others because it retains my desktop colours when in use (both do), instead of using its' own like the other crap does!

[CheechGe]

I'm having the same problem with TB since upgrading from Win 7 to Win 10 and have responded to others' posts.

I might be able to provide additional which might help isolate the problem because right now TB is not usable on Win 10. It runs fine on my XP system. Both are the current versions (45.0).

On the problem system (an HP Laptop) I've shut off MS Defender and at the same time run TB in safe mode, the problem still exists. What I notice when the problem is occurring that something is hitting the disk very hard as the IO light is almost constantly on. Once it goes back to normal TB responds. With nothing else running if I am not active on TB the disk IO light flickers occasionally.

Even a simple delete message action (usually after about 3 of them) the IO light comes on solid and TB goes into Non-response mode. As I mentioned with Defender completely shutoff and TB in safe mode and with nothing else running it still occurs. It seems to me that TB or it's interface with something in Win 10 is causing the problem. I've also attempted to isolate what is hitting the disk so hard by running the Process Explorer, but nothing stands out.

If anyone has any other suggestions as to what I can test to attempt to isolate the problem I'm all ears.

[wsmwk]

If anyone has any other suggestions as to what I can test to attempt to isolate the problem I'm all ears.

There are dozens of possibilities. Most are listed at https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:Te ... e_Problems