Octopus Overlords

So, I've been using Thunderbird for many years without issue. It stopped working yesterday. I'm beginning to think some of the settings somehow got corrupt. I'm using POP3, and it won't connect. It looks like it does, but it never downloads email and the status line at the bottom just sits at: 'email address: connected to pop server', but never goes away. I don't know if the issue is on my end or if it's a server issue itself. Possibly a clue, but it never times out.

I know I have email because I can log in to the webmail and see it.

I've tried clearing out my passwords in Thunderbird and that didnt do a thing. It won't even ask for them.

If it is a corrupt settings file, I wonder if there's a server related settings file that I could just delete to force it to rebuild, and I'll happily re-enter my server settings if I have to in order to get this working. I kind of dread having to call my service provider, because they technically don't support it, but I figure, hey an email program is an email program and I don't see why they shouldn't be able to help me.

I use Thunderbird also and its working so you must be on the right track with it.

Yeah, it's been rather solid up to this point.

In searching, I came across someone on MacOS with a similar issue and steps he took to rebuild the database.
https://superuser.com/questions/961476/ ... ld-profile

Finally got a chance to I call my service provider's tech support, hoping for at least some guidance on the issue, and possibly some help in transitioning to something else. Thunderbird is not in their list of supported email clients, but I still figured they'd at least help. But what I had was one of the most nonhelpful experiences with their tech support, and they're usually fairly good.

The tech didn't even pretend to understand my issue, and instead made up a reason as to why Thunderbird wasn't working for me, "We don't support Thunderbird, and because of this, you might have been knocked offline and prevented from using it." Nevermind the fact that I've been using it for as long as I can remember, at least 20 years, until it suddenly stopped working for me. It's such a weak load of bull. Then the tech fobs me off to a list of supported email clients (most of them Microsoft clients) in a confusingly put together list (https://my.eastlink.ca/customer-support ... g-my-email) that is confusing even to me who has experience, and I can't even imagine someone not well-versed finding much help other than exasperation. Not to mention that I found that list several days prior and didn't find it useful then either. I should also mention that the tech also recommend I use Outlook Express, Windows Live Mail, or Windows Mail, two of which have long since been discontinued by Microsoft itself. WTF is that?? At this point, I realize their script is wildly out of date and that they should seriously review it. So, then I ask if the Mail app as part of Windows 10 will work, they don't know if it's supported but I could try. Seriously, what are you trying to do to me??

So, reluctantly, until I maybe figure out my Thunderbird issue, I've switched to Windows Mail. I hate the UI and the fact that I can't have the panes be top/bottom rather than left/right like most other mail clients.

Are you still using POP3 in Windows Mail? A LOT of services no longer support POP3. Thunderbird may work with IMAP for you.

FWIW, you'll likely receive more useful feedback if you post your question on Mozilla's Thunderbird support forum.

Pyperkub wrote: ↑Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:07 pm Are you still using POP3 in Windows Mail? A LOT of services no longer support POP3. Thunderbird may work with IMAP for you.

It actually didn't even give me the option. It went right ahead and configured it for IMAP, which I'm fine with, I suppose. When access to POP3 stopped working, I had tried recreating my account in Thunderbird and it had also configured itself for IMAP, which I guess means it's the preferred option they want people to use. But I'm not even sure of the settings if I were to set it up on my own via my current account.

At this point, I'm just happy to get my email back, but not pleased at all with the tech support.