Is it normal for Thunderbird to be so slow to display msgs?

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Mahng
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Is it normal for Thunderbird to be so slow to display msgs?

Post by Mahng »

I really want to discover that Thunderbird is as great as it says it is. But I am trying it and after the messages are downloaded, when I click on a message, it takes an AWFULLY long time to load and display. So much that when I try to go elsewhere and click somewhere else on Thunderbird (like on the top window frame bar), the title shows "Inbox - Thunderbird (Not Responding)". Is this normal? If it is it would be much too unbearable. But perhaps it is something I can resolve with a change in settings? I am running Thunderbird on my new 1.73 GHz laptop with 2GB of RAM and Windows Vista. I have very few programs installed on it so far.
Mahng
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Post by Mahng »

PS. The individual emails that Thunderbird is taking so long "loading..." are just plain short text messages so I don't get it. It doesn't seem to be spending this time filtering out junk as none of the junk mail was moved or labeled.
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Daifne
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Post by Daifne »

How recently have you compacted your folders? Compacting is something that needs to be done regularly in any email program. We recommend weekly, but many of us do it daily. When done often enough, it can be an extremely fast process. Not doing so can lead to problems like those you are experiencing. See this about how to and why it's so important: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Compacting_folders

If you haven't been doing that before, and 'compacting' them now (and leaving a long enough time for the process to complete) doesn't fully resolve the problem then do the following on each account:

If you are using version 2.0, right click on the folder in the folder pane and select Properties. Click on "Rebuild Index". If you are using any earlier version do the following.

Close Thunderbird. Find and delete all of the files with the .msf file extension in your profile folder/Mail http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Folder#Thunderbird including your Local Folders, especially if you are using the global inbox. You must have "View hidden files and folders" on http://spywarewarrior.com/viewtopic.php?t=272 and you need to set "hide extensions for known file types" off (just below View Hidden) if you are using Windows. These are your mail summary files and do not hold any messages themselves. They will be rebuilt the next time you open each folder in Thunderbird. Compact all your folders when you have completed this. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Compacting_folders

To avoid this happening again, see the tips in these articles:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Keep_it_worki ... derbird%29
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Performance_%28Thunderbird%29
Mahng
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Is it normal for Thunderbird to be so slow to display msgs?

Post by Mahng »

Thanks for your reply Daifne.
I tried the compacting (though there are only 160 email messages - this is also a new computer) and also the Index Rebuild, but these haven't resolved this problem of loading time. I should mention that this long lag time only occurs on the first time I display the message (when it is bolded). I guess I first want to make sure that this is not just normal behaviour for Thunderbird. Otherwise, perhaps Windows Vista compatibility is a factor? Any other possibilities?
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Daifne
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Post by Daifne »

Is the account POP or IMAP?

I use POP on Vista, version 2.0.0.4 of Thunderbird, with no lag.
Mahng
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S -L-O-W-W load time displaying each email (after download)

Post by Mahng »

Oh ok - that's good to know - then there is hope! Mine is POP too. And I am also running Thunderbird version 2.0.0.4 (20070604) on Vista.

But the thing is that the emails are already downloaded. The problem is AFTER I download the emails . When I highlight/pick any new bolded message, takes about 12-18 secs to load and display in the preview panel or to open in its own window. I've now tried Outlook 2007 and it isn't lagging like this. Any other ideas? Anyone?
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Daifne
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Post by Daifne »

Are there a lot of remote images in the messages that lag? If there are, then every time you open it, it does have to go out and retrieve the images again. This won't happen with embedded or attached images.
Mahng
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Post by Mahng »

No, the same lag occurs with simple text messages. Also, the lag only occurs the first time I display a message.
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Daifne
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Post by Daifne »

Hmmm. This is odd.

Are you using Windows Defender? It is enabled by default by Vista, but I found it causing me lots of problems. Wouldn't let me download my video drivers. I have disabled it and replaced it with Spyware Terminator.
editpo
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Same here

Post by editpo »

Yes I am getting this problem too. Also get the problem when I delete a message, sometimes as long as 12-15 seconds.

Seems to have started on latest update.

Done everything suggested above. On XP2.
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Daifne
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Post by Daifne »

editpo,
Since you are on XP, your problem is different. Please start a new topic so that we don't confuse this one. Thank you.
willem1234
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same problem here

Post by willem1234 »

Hi,

i am having the same problem with a slow global inbox in Thunderbird on Vista x64. Reading and downloading emails is slooooow, especially the first 15-30 seconds in Thunderbird. First thought it was the indexing of Vista, but a new nVidia driver solved my indexing-overdrive so that shouldn't be the problem, secondly the same problem occurs when i start Thunderbird after a longer period of working on the pc. First seconds are impossible to use, then it works but much more slowly than i remember before switching to the global inbox.

Above tips didn't seem to do much for me.
Tomten
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Slow to load messages with embedded images

Post by Tomten »

Hi

I have the same problem.

Tomten
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Daifne
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Post by Daifne »

Tomten, you are not using Vista, so you do not have the same problem. Start a new topic.
willem1234
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Post by willem1234 »

Solved my problem - wasn't Thunderbirds fault (luckily). My virusscanner was bugging, by taking too long to start scanning. Turned the thing off and voila, old speeds return.
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