Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Thunderbird freezes fo 10 seconds when starting new email message - windows 8.1

  • 5 replies
  • 8 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by MisterM

more options

Hi

I have been using thunderbird on a Windows 7 PC for years without a problem.

I have just installed Thunderbird on a Windows 8.1 PC. Whenever i start a new email message, thunderbird will freeze for about 10 to 15 seconds.

I have exactly the same setup on the windows 8.1 machine, as I did on the Windows 7 machine.

The only Antivirus app I have is Norton, with all email settings disabled within it. Mcafee has never been on this machine. My profile is 2.5 GB, which is pretty small compared to other people I know. I have tried deleting all the .msf files from my profile. I have disabled all add ons. I have restarted in safe mode. I have re-installed thunderbird from scratch and restored my profile. I noticed that thunderbird uses about 14% CPU during the time it freezes, which drops to zero when it wakes back up.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thank you

D

Hi I have been using thunderbird on a Windows 7 PC for years without a problem. I have just installed Thunderbird on a Windows 8.1 PC. Whenever i start a new email message, thunderbird will freeze for about 10 to 15 seconds. I have exactly the same setup on the windows 8.1 machine, as I did on the Windows 7 machine. The only Antivirus app I have is Norton, with all email settings disabled within it. Mcafee has never been on this machine. My profile is 2.5 GB, which is pretty small compared to other people I know. I have tried deleting all the .msf files from my profile. I have disabled all add ons. I have restarted in safe mode. I have re-installed thunderbird from scratch and restored my profile. I noticed that thunderbird uses about 14% CPU during the time it freezes, which drops to zero when it wakes back up. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you D

Chosen solution

Excluding the temp location is not a good idea. it is the location most viral infections other than those from the web arrive into. Browse an attachment. It goes in temp. If it is infected that is where it will be detected.

this youtube video shows opening the temp folder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr-m71hR-_U

I also suggest you try the beta from here. https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/channel/ Do a custom install and change the folder name so say Thunderbird 38. That way you can have both the beta and current versions running (just not simultaneously as they will use the same profile)

There have been so fixes in IMAP accounts particularly that might fix the issue, is why I am suggesting it.

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (5)

more options

In addition, I completely removed thunderbird, deleted all app data. re-installed without copying any profiles or installing any addons and added a new email account from scratch, with exactly the same 10 to 15 second freez when i try to write a new email.

I don't knwo what elese to try.

more options

Just something to try.

Disable the resident shield and reboot and try again. Opening the write window by default creates a temp file (The one that causes so much trouble with MCAfee) perhaps Norton is doing something with the files creation.

The easiest way is restart the operating system in safe mode with Networking. This loads only the very basics needed to start your computer while enabling an Internet connection. Click on your operating system for instructions on how to start in safe mode: Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, OSX

more options

Thanks Matt, but I already tried safe mode.

Do you know where the temp file is created? Maybe I can try excluding it's path from Norton.

Thanks again

D

more options

Chosen Solution

Excluding the temp location is not a good idea. it is the location most viral infections other than those from the web arrive into. Browse an attachment. It goes in temp. If it is infected that is where it will be detected.

this youtube video shows opening the temp folder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr-m71hR-_U

I also suggest you try the beta from here. https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/channel/ Do a custom install and change the folder name so say Thunderbird 38. That way you can have both the beta and current versions running (just not simultaneously as they will use the same profile)

There have been so fixes in IMAP accounts particularly that might fix the issue, is why I am suggesting it.

more options

Great! Thank you Matt! Beta 38 works almost perfectly, with just a very slight delay, but nothing compared to my previous install. I will keep both versions installed until the official release.

Thank you for your time Matt, what a time saver, you're a star :)

D