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Program "not responding" - 10,000 emails & 4.5gb storage

  • 14 ŋuɖoɖowo
  • 1 masɔmasɔ sia le esi
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  • Nuɖoɖo mlɔetɔ HY

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Opening the program, can't read emails and program constantly states "not responding"...

I have 100k emails on the AOL server, saved for business, legal, you get the idea. Using Thunderbird, only 10K will show up...deleting from the bottom up it seems. The storage folder is 4.5gb. I need to be able to reference emails "off-line" as I travel and not able to always have internet...but must reference emails on a regular basis, hence needing an email client that will store off line...and I don't like outlook!

I'm wondering if I can create folders on the server, year ending for example, so that there are no more than 10K emails in each folder/year? Then, maybe uninstall the Thunderbird program and delete the storage folders. Then, reinstall. Would having different folders solve the 10k emails and storage problem?

Otherwise, I don't know how to continue using the program.

Thoughts?

Opening the program, can't read emails and program constantly states "not responding"... I have 100k emails on the AOL server, saved for business, legal, you get the idea. Using Thunderbird, only 10K will show up...deleting from the bottom up it seems. The storage folder is 4.5gb. I need to be able to reference emails "off-line" as I travel and not able to always have internet...but must reference emails on a regular basis, hence needing an email client that will store off line...and I don't like outlook! I'm wondering if I can create folders on the server, year ending for example, so that there are no more than 10K emails in each folder/year? Then, maybe uninstall the Thunderbird program and delete the storage folders. Then, reinstall. Would having different folders solve the 10k emails and storage problem? Otherwise, I don't know how to continue using the program. Thoughts?

All Replies (14)

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Improved but not fixed. The "not responding" error seems to have stopped for now. So, that's good...and there is less delay in my typing to screen...but still there and makes it difficult to type an email.

Also, It shows that I now have 100k messages, although if I select all in the inbox, it shows 5414+ if that means anything to you. On the AOL server, shows I only have 88,000. Also, bottom left says "downloading xxx of 99,xxx. The 99k number keeps getting smaller as emails download. However, every time I start TB, it's back up to the 99,999 or so number.

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It shows that I now have 100k messages

What or where is it shown that you do have that many messages?

On the AOL server, shows I only have 88,000.

Is that the grand total no. of messages in your account distributed across multiple folders? Or is that the no. of messages in Inbox?

christ1 trɔe

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Please see attached screenshot. Not sure why after it downloads all 100k messages...then it does it again. Slowing down loading and typing...may have to get a different email client even if I have to pay for it...don't like outlook, any other suggestions are appreciated. Thanks

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Attempting to store 100k messages in Inbox is suicide. Best practice is to keep Inbox as tidy as possible. Also Inbox is most susceptible to corruption, as the file is constantly re-written to disk. Hence anti-virus software real-time scanner is scanning (and blocking the file for Thunderbird) all the time when your inbox is huge, which sooner or later leads to file corruption. Presumably this is what happens in your case.

So you should

  • create an exception for the Thunderbird profile folder in your anti-virus software, that it will not be scanned by the real-time scanner, and
  • clean up your Inbox and move messages to other folder(s) than Inbox.

Also see https://support.mozilla.org/kb/archived-messages

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On the aol website, I created subfolder (in archive) for each year. Then, I deleted/reinstalled TB to keep it all clean. It's all syncing now. I'm still getting a few odd behaviors and trying to sort it out. Please see below..

Noting some of the Support notes... one thing you pointed me to in the link: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/archived-messages

I'm curious about the screen shot of "copies & folders". Do I need to select "place a copy in..."? Simply, if my email is already saved in my "sent" folder...do I even need to have this box checked?

Also, in the first link you sent me... do you know the difference between: export.imap.aol.com versus imap.aol.com in the IMAP server settings

Thanks!

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Then, I deleted/reinstalled TB to keep it all clean.

I don't know why people think re-installing the application would magically fix anything. It doesn't. Profile files are stored separately from the Thunderbird program files. The program files are static and do not change (except when you upgrade the Thunderbird application version). Because we store profile and program files separately, you can uninstall Thunderbird without losing your messages and settings, and if something goes wrong with a Thunderbird update your information will still be available. It also means that you don't have to reinstall Thunderbird in order to delete your information or troubleshoot a problem.

I created subfolder (in archive) for each year.

Just creating subfolders without actually moving messages to those folders won't change anything.

I'm curious about the screen shot of "copies & folders". Do I need to select "place a copy in..."? Simply, if my email is already saved in my "sent" folder...do I even need to have this box checked?

No, you don't.

do you know the difference between: export.imap.aol.com versus imap.aol.com in the IMAP server settings

The export.imap.aol.com server is supposed to show more than 10k messages per folder.

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After creating subfolders, I sorted thru all my emails and dropped them into the new subfolders. The goal was to reduce the # of messages in the "main" mailbox in hope to reduce the overall file size and subsequently speed up the program. Deleting the program and reinstall was to clear out the program and all data just to have a clean start.

However, I am still seeing a delay when I'm typing. I suspect that it's due to (looking at the bottom of the page) "downloading # of total #" takes up TB's resources... that's also why I'm asking about export.imap vs just imap. It seems that when it's set for export.imap... TB gets caught in an endless loop of always downloading messages. For example, if it's downloading 287 of 12,000 messages...once it get's all 12k messages it stops. However, the next time I open TB, it starts downloading all over again. This is when it's set for export.imap. I'm trying it now without export. Not sure why it starts from 0 downloaded after it's gone through it once before.

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I'm confused by the link that references back to the 1st reply. Since I moved all the emails into separate folders, are you simply referring to "create an exception for the Thunderbird profile folder in your anti-virus software, that it will not be scanned by the real-time scanner"? If so, please advise how this is done? I'm not familiar with exceptions. Note I'm Win10 no added AV, just Windows defender. Thanks

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are you simply referring to "create an exception for the Thunderbird profile folder in your anti-virus software, that it will not be scanned by the real-time scanner"?

Exactly right. There is a reason why this was suggested.

If so, please advise how this is done? I'm not familiar with exceptions.

When looking through the Defender options I'm sure you'll find it. For more information about how to find the Thunderbird profile folder see https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-thunderbird-stores-user-data#w_how-to-find-your-profile

I'm Win10 no added AV, just Windows defender.

Defender is a full featured anti-virus software. There are benefits running it compared to 3rd-party anti-virus solutions, however, it can still cause problems with Thunderbird.

christ1 trɔe

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So, is the goal to open AV / Defender and exclude the whole folder:

C:\Users\-----\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\7neblmp6.default-release

Rather is there a specific folder, exe file, or what should be the exact exclusion?

Thanks

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Rather is there a specific folder, exe file, or what should be the exact exclusion?

The entire profile folder.

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created an exclusion in defender av and ccleaner. still downloading all emails starting at 1 of ### each time i open TB