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Why do my emails take so long to download and send? And the Server 'times out'

  • 1 reply
  • 4 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by Toad-Hall

Luciz
Luciz
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It takes a significant amount of time to download my emails when this has not always been the case. Also, whilst I'm sending emails, I continuously receive a pop up telling me that 'a draft cannot be saved and would I like to retry'. If I say yes, the next pop up tells me that it couldn't complete the action! More annoyingly is that when I'm sending a professional email that requires some time spent constructing it, and attaching files, as well as taking a very long time to send, i.e., a sequence of pop ups, 1. connecting to server; 2. delivering mail; 3. saving to sent folder, Thunderbird seems to have a consistent problem 'saving to sent folder'. For me to be able to send my email, I'm forced to click on 'cancel' otherwise the programme will not send the email at all! Of course, then I have no confirmation in my 'sent items' of what I've sent. I also receive constant messages that the 'server has timed out'. To overcome this, I have to copy and paste my email to a word document, the copy and paste it back into a new email, the it's all ok. I used to adore Thunderbird, but lately it's become quite tedious and time consuming to use. Any assistance will be very much appreciated. Cheers, Luci

It takes a significant amount of time to download my emails when this has not always been the case. Also, whilst I'm sending emails, I continuously receive a pop up telling me that 'a draft cannot be saved and would I like to retry'. If I say yes, the next pop up tells me that it couldn't complete the action! More annoyingly is that when I'm sending a professional email that requires some time spent constructing it, and attaching files, as well as taking a very long time to send, i.e., a sequence of pop ups, 1. connecting to server; 2. delivering mail; 3. saving to sent folder, Thunderbird seems to have a consistent problem 'saving to sent folder'. For me to be able to send my email, I'm forced to click on 'cancel' otherwise the programme will not send the email at all! Of course, then I have no confirmation in my 'sent items' of what I've sent. I also receive constant messages that the 'server has timed out'. To overcome this, I have to copy and paste my email to a word document, the copy and paste it back into a new email, the it's all ok. I used to adore Thunderbird, but lately it's become quite tedious and time consuming to use. Any assistance will be very much appreciated. Cheers, Luci

All Replies (1)

Toad-Hall
Toad-Hall
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

If you have an anti-virus package scanning emails when they arrive, open or send then it could be causing a slowdown. Suggest you stop Av product scanning Thunderbird folders.

It is possible that your Sent folder is either too large or corrupted. Archive Options info:

I would suggest you:

  • 'Archive' all the 'Sent' emails you want to keep.
  • delete any sent emails you do not want.
  • Right click on 'Sent' folder and select 'Compact'

This should get you back to an empty Sent folder. All Archived Sent emails are still visible via Thunderbird.


You do not say whether you are using a standard Pop account using it's own folders Or a Pop mail account using Global Inbox(Local Folders) OR whether this is an IMAP mail account or whether this gmail, outlook or hotmail account?

So the answer depends on your setup. Check your settings:

'Tools' > 'Account Settings' > 'Copies & Folders' for the mail account. or right click on mail account name in folder Pane and select : 'settings' select ' 'Copies & Folders' for the mail account.

If imap and gmail or outlook/hotmail: Do not select 'Place a copy in' as by default gmail and hotmail/outlook will put all copies in the gmail 'Sent Mail' folder.

Otherwise:

  • Select: 'Place a copy in'

If Pop mail account using own folders:

  • Select : 'Sent' folder on and pop mail account

If Pop mail account using Global Inbox(Local Folders):

  • Select : 'Sent' folder on and Local Folders.

If IMAP (not gmail or outlook/hotmail) mail account:

  • Select : 'Other' and then choose the Sent folder on imap mail account.
  • Note: that sometimes the 'Sent' folder on server may be called something similar eg: 'Sent Items'

Click on 'OK'.