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Win 7- Suddenly folders are empty and cannot receive or send- SMTP error

  • 1 reply
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by Toad-Hall

Larbo
Larbo
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I asked this a couple of weeks ago but the person helping me disappeared. So...

Classic- my 97 year old father in law's POP3 email stopped working 3 days ago. His folders are all empty and he gets a message every time he tries to connect saying that the SMTP failed. He has Earthlink for an ISP and I checked his Web Mail Acct and it is fine so it is not them. I have gone on a remote chat with the ISP and they found nothing wrong with the settings (neither had I). Yet, nothing works. I maintain fully updated Malwarebytes and Windows Security Essentials (virus) monitoring 24/7 and ran scans that are clean.

ALSO-

1. I contacted my ISP and they verified that my settings are perfect.

2. I tried starting TB in Safe Mode AND in Windows Safe Mode.

3. It was suggested that I tried to access TB via telnet to see if it my IP connection or TB but my ISP was not willing to cooperate with telnet.

One thing I haven't done is uninstalled/reinstalled TB. Worthwhile?? If I do so, will the address book be saved or do I manually have to copy and re-import it?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Lar

I asked this a couple of weeks ago but the person helping me disappeared. So... Classic- my 97 year old father in law's POP3 email stopped working 3 days ago. His folders are all empty and he gets a message every time he tries to connect saying that the SMTP failed. He has Earthlink for an ISP and I checked his Web Mail Acct and it is fine so it is not them. I have gone on a remote chat with the ISP and they found nothing wrong with the settings (neither had I). Yet, nothing works. I maintain fully updated Malwarebytes and Windows Security Essentials (virus) monitoring 24/7 and ran scans that are clean. ALSO- 1. I contacted my ISP and they verified that my settings are perfect. 2. I tried starting TB in Safe Mode AND in Windows Safe Mode. 3. It was suggested that I tried to access TB via telnet to see if it my IP connection or TB but my ISP was not willing to cooperate with telnet. One thing I haven't done is uninstalled/reinstalled TB. Worthwhile?? If I do so, will the address book be saved or do I manually have to copy and re-import it? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Lar

All Replies (1)

Toad-Hall
Toad-Hall
  • Top 25 Contributor
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re: His folders are all empty

Q: Should they be empty?

Please post this info: Tools > Account Settings > Server Settings for the pop mail account At the bottom look for 'Local directory'. Put cursor in that text box and use arrow keys to get to the far right - keep going until you get to the end as part will be hidden due to insuffient space. Left click hold down and move to the left to highlight the entire text. right click on highlighted text and select 'copy'. Paste the info into this forum question.

Then do this: Make hidden files and folders visible:

In Thunderbird Help > TRoubleshooting Information click on 'show folder' button 

a new window will open showing profile folder name contents.

click on 'Mail' folder Q: What do you see ? Please post either an image of this window or copy all account names and paste into this question. You should see 'Local folders' plus other account names. I need to know exactly how many and exactly what they are called. If there are similar names but one has a number as well, I need to know all.