Download Thunderbird for windows 8.1 and install that.

Gandi is an email provider that Thunderbird teamed up with to SELL email accounts to people that need one. If you already have an email account then do not use Add New Mail Account. You would use Add Existing Mail Account and provider the info requested for that account.

Thanks to you both, Airmail & Bolaram Paul, for the replies.

@Airmail: I did what you advised, provided the necessary info for the existing account, ( which, btw, is what I've been trying ), clicked on continue, then saw a message pop up that said "configuration found in Mozilla database". I already had the necessary boxes filled in, clicked on "done", and got a "Configuration not found, check to make sure your email address and password are correct". I first used my password that I'd always used to open Thunderbird on my Windows 7 PC, and it didn't work. I have a password keeper, so I don't need to worry about forgetting them. I tried every password I have, that is associated in any way with my gmail account, Mozilla, Firefox, OR Mozilla, and all returned the same message.

@Bolaram Paul AND Airmail: I think I'm going to uninstall the Thunderbird 24 that I have in this computer now, and install Thunderbird for Windows 8.1

No idea what you call Thunderbird for Win 8. Version 24 is an older version but will work on Win 8 just fine. I used V24.6 before upgrading to V31.6 that I have now. V38 just came out but has typical new version problems. I prefer to give new major upgrades time to work out the bugs before installing and have auto upgrade turned off. Thunderbird tries to get your settings right but does not work all the time. Sometimes you need to get server settings from your email provider and use manual setup. Only download Thunderbird from the official site lnked at the top of this forum. Some sites offering Thunderbird like to add in unwanted extras.

Only download Thunderbird from the official site lnked at the top of this forum. Some sites offering Thunderbird like to add in unwanted extras.

I had the whole thing explained right here in this reply box, all nicely typed up, but had taken an hour to try and word it all correctly....did a pretty good job, too, I'd say. Then a flash, and suddenly, it all mysteriously disappeared, poof! So just forget the whole thing, because I'm not doing a good enough job trying to clarify this problem. The Thunderbird app in my Win 8 PC stands alone, and not having a client, unlike Thunderbird and Gmail in the Win 7 PC, which worked together, hand and glove. I type in a master password, T-bird opens and all my Gmail pours in.

Gmail now forwards to my Outlook account, although I never had an Outlook account until Windows 8.1. However, I'd like to once again, join Thunderbird and Gmail, making them mesh like they do on the Win 7. I've also always had a yahoo account on the Win 7, but Gmail never forwarded even one email there, and every one of my Gmail messages forwards to yahoo on this Win 8.1 PC.

In an ideal world, I would just like Gmail & Thunderbird work together like they do on my other PC, while having Outlook and Yahoo by themselves. Can that happen?

Hope that clarifies the thing a little bit. Hope so. If not, please, just ask. Thank you.

Call it what you want. Thunderbird IS email client software. Nothing else. There is one series of versions that runs on Windows, one for MAC and another for Linux. There is no special version for Windows 8.

Thunderbird is client software. Gmail is an email provider. Microsoft likes to confuse things so Outlook could be a provider or client software depending on what product you are talking about. They are still 2 different things.

If you want to use Thunderbird as your email client to manage your Gmail accounts install Thunderbird and add your gmail account info into Thunderbird. Like I stated above You would use Add Existing Mail Account and provider the info requested for that account.

Geez, man, blow a gasket! Apologies if I'm not even CLOSE to being as smart as you are. I think I can take it from here. Sorry to have ruined your day.

My day is just fine. Maybe you need to stick with using webmail and forget using email clients. I was trying to explain what you seem to be so confused about but now I see I am just waiting time with you. Good luck.

Sorry. Ya just caught me at a bad time, in a foul mood. I overreacted. Apologies.

Please allow me another attempt at an explanation to this bigger than expected problem.

In the "Welcome to Thunderbird...." dialog box, I "skip to use my existing email address". Next, type in my Gmail address, that I've had for at least 7 or 8 years, perhaps longer, and 1 of only 2 passwords that I've ever had for the account; in fact, have tried them both, and after clicking the "Continue", getting the "Configuration found in the Mozilla ISP Database" dialog box, get the same message; Configuration could not be verified. Is the username or password wrong"?

As I said, I have tried the only 2 passwords I've ever had for my Gmail account. There has also only been one Gmail address.

I'm stuck. I really want to get my Thunderbird back to working with my Gmail, like I had it before this Win 8.1 PC was put into action.

I would bring up Thunderbird, it would ask for a password, which I provided, then all of my Gmail would arrive. Simple. But figuring out why T-bird is telling me in the one dialog; configuration found", then immediately telling me it can't be verified...well, I guess this is where someone with more expertise than I must step in, if that someone is inclined, and help answer questions, and / or solve problems.

Thanks, everyone, for your time and efforts. I'll try my best to remain calm and civil in the future. And thanks to Mozilla...because I HATE IE!

I'm grateful for any answers or guidance, and appreciate everyone's time. Thanks, kleinscmidt