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

Upgrade to 68 Causing So Many Issues: No Calendar Loading, Ignored Settings And Options, No New Automatic Email Downloads, Not Responding On Blank Page

  • 58 replies
  • 6 have this problem
  • 9 views
  • Last reply by Toad-Hall

more options

I upgraded to 68 yesterday and Thunderbird just blew up after a decade of virtually no issues:

1. Upon initial TB loading, won't get new emails, won't load Lightning, ignores all options and account settings

2. Immediately goes to a white page, shows "Not Responding"

3. Immediate goes back to my email, no calendar, no automatic download of email

4. Today's Pane is turned off, have to manually change it to see my calendar

5. Today's pane shows no schedule events

Rinse, Repeat.

What has happened?

Went back to 60.8, all is well.

This is unbelievable that so much core functionality on my desktop is broken.

I upgraded to 68 yesterday and Thunderbird just blew up after a decade of virtually no issues: 1. Upon initial TB loading, won't get new emails, won't load Lightning, ignores all options and account settings 2. Immediately goes to a white page, shows "Not Responding" 3. Immediate goes back to my email, no calendar, no automatic download of email 4. Today's Pane is turned off, have to manually change it to see my calendar 5. Today's pane shows no schedule events Rinse, Repeat. What has happened? Went back to 60.8, all is well. This is unbelievable that so much core functionality on my desktop is broken.

Chosen solution

There seems there may be bug fixes due in version 68.1.2

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (20)

more options

Have you uninstalled 'gcontactsync' then restarted Thunderbird to fully remove then installed 'Provider for Google Calendar 68.0' addon and then restarted Thunderbird to fully install.

Then check all really is connected. File > New > Calendar Select 'On the network' and click on 'Next' Select 'Google Calendar' and click on 'Next' select gmail email address. and click on 'Next' select checkboxes as required and click on Next - if the one and only one you use is already selected then Next will be greyed out, so all is ok and click on 'Cancel' open Calendar and make sure the Calendar is selected in checkbox.

After closing 'Calendar' tab I can see eg: Events forthcoming etc via Today Pane.

Modified by Toad-Hall

more options

Today Pane either with or without Calendar open. I am discovering that if I have 'Provider for Google Calendar 68.0' enabled then Today Pane etc works ok only after first restart to enable the addon, but subsequent restarts end up with an empty 'Today Pane'. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1560547

more options

I solved the issue by reverting to Tbird ver 60.9.0, 64 bit. Added the versions of Lightning (ver 6.2.5) and gcontactsync (ver 2.1.13) that work with this build of Tbird, and everything is now fine. Calendar loads and updates, contacts sync. Also disabled auto update in Tbird to make sure I keep this version till I decide not to.

more options

Chosen Solution

There seems there may be bug fixes due in version 68.1.2

more options

What exactly are the bugs they are fixing?

I saw a few things in Bugzilla, but nothing that is specific, and the same "you need a new profile because your profiles is corrupt" response.

In Firefox, as an example, I have had 17 new profiles since Quantum was released, I still have the same problems I did when it launched, I am no closer to a solution.

I've had 2 new Thunderbird profiles since 60.xx, the issues are getting worse.

I only run a single extension, the calendar.

more options

Interestingly ( well I think so anyway) the not automatically downloading new email messages issue affects TB in my wife's log-in to the computer, which is not an admin account, but not mine, which is. And it definitely appeared as a problem since the update.

more options

terrybernstein As you do not have all the same issues, please ask your query in a new question.


Theo1352 1. Upon initial TB loading, won't get new emails, won't load Lightning, ignores all options and account settings 2. Immediately goes to a white page, shows "Not Responding" 3. Immediate goes back to my email, no calendar, no automatic download of email

No calendar etc: It is possible the upgrade did not fully load correctly. Please access the following and delete the 'Mozilla Thunderbird' folder. If your computer is Windows OS 64 bit and you use Thunderbird Windows 32bit :

  • C:\Program Files(x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird\

Also check to see if there is a Thunderbird version here and delete 'Mozilla Thunderbird' folder.

  • C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\

then empty the Recycling Bin. Download and install current version from the following link choosing the 'Windows 32 bit version' for prefered language.

re: Today Pane - this is a bug and is planned to be fixed for version 68.1.2

more options

That's the site where I download both TBird and FFox - I won't do an upgrade in place, I always download the newest version.

more options

Theo1352 said

That's the site where I download both TBird and FFox - I won't do an upgrade in place, I always download the newest version.

That is actually a bad idea. Starting with the fact that you have probably downloaded a V68, but it is not generally released to updates due to some bugs in the update that will rear their ugly head only on existing profiles. It is also a great way to bypass updates that modify the profile and only run the once on update, not on a new install as there is nothing to update.

Some things have become known.

Deleting the file global messagesdb.sqlite has been reported to fix the "goes white" issue you reported.

Failure to get messages on startup is attributed to having local folders set as the default email address. If you go to Account settings and scroll down to the outgoing server (SMTP) entry. What account is shown as "default"?

more options

1. I don't understand your first paragraph, not at all.

2. Where is the solution about deleting messagesdb.sqlite? Looked all over, this is new, didn't see it on Mozillazine either.

3. Local is not my default, my corporate address has always been my default.

more options

re :That's the site where I download both TBird and FFox - I won't do an upgrade in place, I always download the newest version. Did you uninstall the version currently running on computer before downloading new version or try to run an install of new on top of old?

Did you attempt to download version 68.0 or 68.1.1 ?

re :Deleting the file global messagesdb.sqlite has been reported to fix the "goes white" issue you reported.

A large global database file can cause a high disk IO and show a 'not reponding' issue. Slight typo - this is the file 'global-messages-db.sqlite' - it is in the 'profile name ' folder and needs to be deleted after exiting Thunderbird. When you restart Thunderbird it gets rebuilt using current data. See info on how to do it: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/rebuilding-global-database

more options

1. What don't you understand?

You said" I won't do an upgrade in place, I always download the newest version. " I said that is a very bad idea.

Simples really

2. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/ I don't recall which bug, I am following hundreds of them. I filed dozens of those.

Note Mozillazine is closing down, so best move on for a solution location. http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3055133

3. Check the config editor to be sure. See https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1584861 comment 15 about mail.accountmanager.defaultaccount

more options

1. I always uninstall, have since v1 of both TBird and FF, then I go to the site. That is the reason I don't allow an update.

I downloaded both 68 and 68.1, yes. Created new profiles for both versions.

2. Matt, if you want to cite a reference somewhere that says it's bad, I would be happy to read it.

What I can't understand is why - after all this time - downloading a current version from the Mozilla web site is not advisable.

Again, where is the background that supports the statement?

3. I know about the Mozillazine announcement. There are options being explored.

more options

Thanks everyone for the discussion. For now, I'm taking the conservative approach and sticking with TBird ver 60.9.0 until the next update (or however many updates it takes to get the bugs out). The two extensions I care about are Lighting and gcontactsync, and both are working flawlessly now. So I'm sitting tight and following this forum, and wait until I see that it's working for others before I upgrade.

And one tangential question: When I reverted to 60.9.0 I installed the 64 bit version, despite having the 32 bit version of 68.1.1. Should I have stuck with 32 bit? Does it make any difference? I'm running Win 10 with all the latest updates, 64 bit os and x-64 bit processor. Anyone able to enlighten me?

more options

I could have missed it but I don't see anywhere mentioned what antivirus is being used.

Also, starting in Windows safe mode is something which should be tested.

more options

toad-hall I raised this here because it might be a symptom of the same issue. Not for a separate solution. The underlying issue was. The log-in difference may be a red herring. It's poor diagnostic practice to dismiss additional symptoms

Modified by Matt

more options

Best I can tell it's not compatible with itself and updated profile settings making your previous profile obsolete. When I installed it made me create a new profile that resulted in a blank slate of all my email activity over the past years. I was able to uninstall, turn off automatic updates and reinstall an older version to access the thousands of emails I have stored there for work but because of a decade of rock solid, flawless operation apparently I never backed up my contacts so they are all still missing. I had to go back to previous emails to find the addresses I needed asap for work. Some kind of backwards compatibility with itself or our profiles would be AMAZING. Not to mention a warning that it's going to dump everything you know as opposed to auto updating when you open it and tossing EVERYTHING! This just happened with the update that installed last week, before that everything was just fine.

Modified by ealiston

more options

I'm also sad to see what had been a bullet-proof email client fail so miserably. Like ealiston, I reverted to an older stable version of Tbird (60.9.0) which is working just fine for me.

more options

Same, as posted earlier - reverted back and no issues.

I have tried multiple times to install TBird 68.xx, even with new profiles, I can't get it to work.

I still have the same issues that I mentioned at the top of this post, nothing has changed.

I am out of answers, I have no clue why this has happened.

more options

A general note to this using 60.X because you having issues with 68. It will not get better by itself and no one will be working on your personal issue. whatever it is because you not having on. So while you might be enjoying the personal interactions, it is nether helpful nor going to result in a better long term outcome unless you participate in your own fix.

That is why we actually ask people to file their own personal support topic, instead of chiming in on one you think meets their issue and needs. Rarely is it the case, and I actually am of the opinion we have at least two and probably three different issues in this thread, all nicely commingled and impenetrable. I really do not know which is which at this point.

@ealiston I am almost certain that which you are on about have nothing to do with the topic at hand. It is probably discussed here https://thunderbirdtweaks.blogspot.com/ But I have no intention of muddying the water in this topic trying to assist you further. File you own topic is the linked information does not help you.

@Larry47, You have not contributed to the resolution of Theo1356's issue, you have made multiple posts here that are off topic apparently seeking to get support for your issues. If the information available in this thread does not fix you issue, please post your own question. Further post that do not offer something constructive will be removed.

@The Theo1352.

Wayne Mery said

I could have missed it but I don't see anywhere mentioned what antivirus is being used. Also, starting in Windows safe mode is something which should be tested.

Crickets to his attempt to elicit useful information. So are we going to get this topic back on track, or will I lock it as no one here wants help getting Thunderbird 68 Working.

This is a support forum, not a place for a meeting to discuss the merits of the latest release, nor is it a place to suggest you should revert to a previous version. Thunderbird 68 makes that harder, next years release will probably see your contacts disappear irrevocably into the new address book format. So going back will not be an option for most folks who want to keep their contact.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3