I've truly reached my limit how to follow any of these helpful steps. While fairly computer literate, I am 75 years old and short of someone walking me through by phone, I don't see me resolving my issue anytime soon. I just want to say I so appreciate everyone's efforts to help. I've never really liked the Thunderbird email program ... this cinches it for me! I'm limping along by right~clicking on messages in my Inbox I want to reply to ... following the steps to install the 'add on' (especially where it says "exit Thunderbird"after "open folder") just makes no sense to this 'old one'. Cheers!

re:following the steps to install the 'add on' (especially where it says "exit Thunderbird"after "open folder") just makes no sense to this 'old one'. It makes no sense because installing the addon has nothing to do with 'Open folder' etc instructions. Two different sets of instructions were offered. The first instructions checked to see if there corrupted files

The click on the button called 'Open Folder' means a new Windows explorer window will open on the correct directory path - it opens your 'profile name' folder and displays the contents. This window is not in Thunderbird, it shows you where all your Thunderbird profile stuff is stored. The reason you then need to exit Thunderbird, is because you would be wanting to edit/delete some files in the profile. But, when Thunderbird is running, it is using those files, so they are locked from editing, that's why you would exit Thunderbird at that point. To stop it using the files.

Those steps have nothing to do with installing an addon. Do not confuse the two separate sets of instructions as they had different purposes. The 'Open Folder' set of instructions, are steps to see if you had corrupted files. Here they are again: In Thunderbird

• Menu app icon > click on 'Help' > click on 'More Troubleshooting information'

This opens in a new tab in Thunderbird.

• Under 'Application Basics' - 'Profile Folder' - click on 'Open Folder' - see image below as guide.

A new window opens showing contents of your profile name folder.

• Exit/Close Thunderbird now: this is important

Scroll down, locate and delete the following files:

• folderTree.json
• global-messages-db.sqlite
• panacea.dat
• session.json
• virtualFolders.dat

• Click on 'Mail' folder

see image below as guide It will show you a list of any pop mail accounts you have created. It will also show you a folder called 'Local Folders'

• If you see a folder called 'smart mailboxes' - please delete: 'smart mailboxes'

Start Thunderbird Check the Inbox emails.

So, did you actually follow those instructions or not ? Do you still have the problem after following those instructions?

Regarding the addon - that is entirely different - you will need the addon if the instructions above did not work. I'll post another comment with additional help, although the help article I provided does offer alot of info. Perhaps it was too confusing to be told there is more than one method to install an addon.

Many people have reported that adding this addon has worked for them. Do this to install the addon called Folder Flags. I have just gone through the entire process, logging the images, so this should make it easy for you as it is very specific for the addon you need to install. Unlike the Help Article - I have only mentioned one method because it is less confusing.

Menu app icon > select 'Add ons and Themes' This opens a new tab called 'Add-ons Manager'

In the left pane select the 'Extensions' - it has a jigsaw icon.

In the top 'Find more add-ons' type: FolderFlags and then either press 'Enter' key or click on the magnifying glass icon. See image below as guide.

A new tab opens showing search results. Locate 'FolderFlags' and click on the 'Add to Thunderbird' green button. See image below as guide.

You will get a pop up - click on the 'Add' button. See image below It needs permission to access otherwise it cannot download and install necessary files in Thunderbird. Then you will a similar pop up saying it is installed - click on 'OK'.

Select the 'Add-ons Manager' tab again. You will now see the 'FolderFlags addon installed. See image below.

Now you can use that addon. Right click on 'Inbox' and select 'Properties' The 'Folder Properties' window opens - select the 'Flags' tab The 'Inbox' checkbox should be the only checkbox to be selected. But, you may see the 'Drafts' or 'Templates' selected as well. click on the 'drafts' checkbox to clear it, so only the 'Inbox' is now selected. Click on OK see image below.

If the images below seem too small. In this question viewed in the forum, you can click on each image to make it a lot bigger.

I have same problem and above remedies seem complex. I have found another method, until this gets fixed.... Just open TB, go up to the view button, then layout. Click on; the Classic view, Folder pane, and Message pane. The email message that is highlighted will come up on bottom of screen, without the yellow banner at bottom. Only single click on message. ( If you double click, a small mess. with banner will come up.) Message will have a narrow band on top, with "this is a draft", which can be X'd out on right side of the band. This seems to be the bug,, all incoming messages are made into a draft?? The reply and other buttons will be at top of the window now. You can move the message window up or down to reveal more of the list of incoming emails. I like to have 6 or 8 visible. BTW, my OS is Linux Mint. And, I'm 79 yrs. young :-)

This takes FAR more time than what I'm currently doing which is to open emails in a new window. I don't know why folks recommend TB so much, it's performed so crappy for me! Thanks for trying though. Time is sacred to me and I try not to waste it...

This seems to be the bug,, all incoming messages are made into a draft??

It is far more likely that the drafts folder is incorrectly set in the account settings > copies and folders.

I it truly is in error (I has seen it occur a couple of times over the years.) you can use the folder flags addon to correct the flag that make the folder a drafts folder. But only if you are sure the accounts settings for this or another account do not specify that inbox as a drafts folder. https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/folderflags/?src=ss

re : and above remedies seem complex.

Have you checked the Account Settings > Copies & Folders' to see if you have your 'Drafts' set to the 'Inbox' when it should be set to 'Drafts' ? Worth checking the 'Templates' as well. This might solve your problem. Do you know how to access the Account Settings and check the Copies & Folders settings? Do you need more details on how to do this?

re: Addon It's not any more complicated than checking all your Account Settings > Copies & Folders. You can see very clearly from the images supplied that you 1. perform a search for FolderFlags, 2. click on a download button, 3. select to add and ok it. 4. Then you can use a menu item added to the folder properties.

I know of people in their 80's who are timid when it comes to changes who can follow my instructions expecially when I provide step by step images as a guide which are specific to that addon. So I'm aware that the instructions are solid, but I'm open to improvements.

re:This takes FAR more time than what I'm currently doing which is to open emails in a new window. It took me about half a minute, maybe less. It took me longer to create the images and type up all the info to help others.

I see some people have used the info to fix their problem. In fact quite a few people have used this information and fixed the problem. But others are not providing any feedback and seem to be content to do nothing about the problem. Feedback on whether the Copies & Folders are set up correctly would be useful. Feedback on what you do not understand about the instructions and images on using an addon would be useful. At what point do you get lost? I need to know if my instructions contain something which causes a misunderstanding. Or have you not attempted the fix, so you are not in a position to say whether the instructions are good or whether there is something a bit confusing?

Toad-Hall,, (The Wind in the Willows?)

I have checked all preferences in the account pages. I have two addresses with same ISP, only one is doing this with settings the same? And, seems after some update? As only one address is doing it, I do not want to add any other programs/ band aids, add ons, until I figure this out or someone else does. Some remedy pages you have put here do not look like mine, and I have tried directions from others that do not work on my OS edition, Linux 20.2, Cinnamon. So,, my caution.. I know how to use the add-ons feature, but have had problems with add-ons in the past. I do appreciate that you seem to be only person interested working on this, I have used and liked Thunderbird for many years. I use a dual OS install on my ASUS, of Linux and Windows 10. But, I only do my email on Linux. (Windows hate),....but need it for GPS updates to Garmin equipment...and some other things... I will keep banging away, until this culprit gives up..:-) I find it somewhat disconcerting that Mozilla does not support TB any longer... And, interesting that some users by re-installing TB solve the problem? It did not solve it for me?

Thank you for your continued interest/help.

Well, I uninstalled the account again, saving the message data, and SHAZAM back to normal inbox?

However, lost all my "sent" messages???? Which I did not the first two times I did this?

Appears each re-install gets a dash number in the TB files.. I was now on -3. When I looked at them, only one has data in the "sent" icon file, which is -2, which appears to be all my sent messages. Tried trashing the other dash files except -2, and re-installed TB again, but it just put a new dash number in the sent Property box.. It now shows -4, and that file has no data in it's "sent" icon file.

TB files image attached:

No way I can find to re-direct sent box to correct file?

just copy the send file that contains mail from the -2 to whatever the latest iteration of your reinstalls has created. This is one reason we rarely recommend removing and re adding an account and are even more reluctant to do so with a pop account. However the general user appears to think removing and re adding is going to change something. About all it does is make recovery from whatever causes the issue harder.

I have given information, Toad has given information and as far as I can see you have ignored all of that and are still looking for a solution in a file in the profile folder or from repeating actions that did not fix it last time.

The solution will be in modify setting in the program, not in banging away reinstalling the same stuff over and over. The unique identity is because Thunderbird expects an identity from which to get the details to send mail. Each account can have many identities as some people use a web service to aggregate their mail. So mail in XXX@YYY.com can have mail in it addresses to many unique email addresses, say Bill@mydomain.com.

When Thunderbird opens the compose it tries to populate the fields relating to from using the identity associated with the emails To: address. That in my example would be bill@mydomain.com. If one does not exist then it tells you it can't find a match and is instead using the default for the account the mail is in.

A mail account can have a basically unlimited number of identities for replying. When you are in account setting and click on an account the information displayed if for the default identity for that account. Down the bottom you have a button to configure more.

In this tread we have two issues. One is that some replied generate an error that a unique identity is missing. So create one.

The second is about inbox messages being marked as draft. It is not difficult to see if the drafts folder set in any of your accounts is identified with the problem inbox. If it is not use the addon to remove the drafts flag from the inbox folder. Again problem solved.

Sorry folks, but I value my time as well and at this point all I am is confused what it is that is being discussed or why.

Can someone tell me why this is so complex and dragging on?

pilot180

re :Appears each re-install gets a dash number in the TB files.

Yes. Because you just created a new mail account. As it uses same name as a previously created and removed account, it is issued with a number so that it does not overwrite saved emails.

It depends upon what you are trying to achieve what occurs next.

Normally, people want to use the original account files - so at this point you would not allow any download and you then point the new account eg: pop.earthlink-3.net to use the old account. Account Settings > Server Settings Bottom right 'Local directory' - click on browse to open showing contents of pop.earthlink-3.net, go up to 'Mail folder and select pop.earthlink-2.net folder and click on 'Select Folder' button. This is a new mail account but it is using the original account folders.

But an alternative would be to keep using that new account, after all it will download everything still stored on server. But then copy over any missing files that hold data. Exit Thunderbird Access profile folders: example: copy 'Sent' mbox files from pop.earthlink-2.net and paste them into pop.earthlink-3.net. Start Thunderbird.

But I'm not sure any of deleting of mail account will help - so I suppose you are the test case as an alternative more complex attempt.

But as the problem may be within the profile and not the account folder, I cannot say whether what you are doing will work.

I would be more interested to hear what results you got after deleting the files as mentioned in an earlier comment: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1363650#answer-1492398

AS you use Linux - I'm posting info specifically for you: Please do the following and post results because I know this particular method did fix issue for some people.

In Thunderbird

• Menu app icon > Help > More Trounbleshooting information
• Under 'Application Basics' - 'Profile Folder' - click on 'Open Directory'

A new window opens showing contents of your profile name folder.

• Exit thunderbird now:

• Scroll down, locate and delete the following files:

1. folderTree.json
2. global-messages-db.sqlite
3. panacea.dat
4. session.json
5. virtualFolders.dat

• Click on 'Mail' folder
• If you see 'smart mailboxes' folder - please delete it.

Start Thunderbird

Getting feedback from people using tried and tested information is more beneficial.

How do I delete my request? Not only have I not solved the problem, which seemed to occur following this company's software upgrade, I simply cannot understand nor make meaningful use of all the attempts well~intentioned folks have made to fix my problem. I'm 75 years old and short of someone leading me through step by step on the phone, I'm completely overwhelmed and not wanting to be rude, I just want to stop. Thanks for all the help ... and first chance I get, I will get rid of this email program, it's a complete waste of time with no responsibility for arising glitches by the originator!

I simply cannot understand nor make meaningful use of all the attempts well~intentioned folks have made to fix my problem.

Why is it so difficult to communicate with me? I have a most generous amount of patience, but you keep saying 'I don't understand' - but you do not say what it is you do not understand.

What is it that you do not understand about the installing an addon instructions? You need to tell me what it is that you do not understand.

Let's start at the beginning.

Instruction part one said this: Menu app icon > select 'Add ons and Themes'

Does this first line confuse you ? You need to let me know.

The 'Menu app icon' has 3 horizontal lines. It is located on the 'Mail Toolbar' which also has 'Get Messages' and 'Write'. When you click on the 'Menu app icon' you will see a drop down menu and then you can click on 'Add-ons and Themes'

Alternative: - If you are more familiar with the top 'Menu Bar' - it typically has...File, Edit, View,.... Click on 'Tools' and then click on 'Add-ons and Themes'

This opens a new tab called 'Add-ons Manager' In the left pane - click on 'Extensions' - it has a jigsaw icon. If the window is too narrow you will only see the jigsaw icon, so click on it.

Do you follow and understand that part of the instructions now that I have added more information ?

OK,, so us ignorant users, after years of no problems with TB, should understand 3 or 4 or more paragraphs of instructions on how to "fix" it. TB caused this problem, and I certainly do thank you "contributors" for trying to help. But, if I, an aircraft mechanic, tried to tell you how to rebuild and time the magnetos on a Continental C-85 engine, which you are looking at for the first time in your life, using this format, I don't think you would understand right away either. I have to print out your instructions then sit here going over sentence by sentence, "OK, what exactly is he saying here?" I managed to move "Sent" files from one old dash number file to the one TB is now using and got some of my emails back, where the rest went ??? However, after that I could not send any emails until I changed the security on outgoing STMP server from; SSL/TSL, Normal password to: None and password sent unsecured? This was recommended some years ago for another similar update problem... Anyway, looking for a new email client, this is becoming a deep hole. I do not want to play with; add-ons or extensions, as TB's trouble shooting, first thing, tells you to disable them. I did follow your instructions they got me to same file I got to with PC's file system: (/home/mike/.thunderbird/p366yo3p.default-release), However, I'm not willing to be the guinea pig deleting files from that area. Right now, TB is working as before this started.

Bless you for your response Pilot 180!!! I couldn't have said it better ... so expresses my sentiments too! <3

Ok I am done here. My time is valuable. So bless you all. I am not playing anymore. Ignorance is bliss.

TB caused this problem, and I certainly do thank you "contributors" for trying to help.

You are most welcome.

But, if I, an aircraft mechanic, tried to tell you how to rebuild and time the magnetos on a Continental C-85 engine, which you are looking at for the first time in your life, using this format, I don't think you would understand right away either. I have to print out your instructions then sit here going over sentence by sentence, "OK, what exactly is he saying here?"

There is no comparison with how to rebuild and time the magnetos on a Continental C-85 engine and the instructions for eg: installing an addon. As a heads up, I do not have the appropriate licence nor a magnito synchroniser, but do not underestimate what can be done when accurately following good instructions. In my case, I would follow advised step by step instructions and ask for clarity on specific points if unsure.

There is nothing wrong with printing instructions if it helps, it's not a race.

But the most important part is this - if you are unsure of what has been written, you should state what the problem is and ask for clarity. I have repeatedly asked - what is it you do not understand - at which point do you get stuck? No one has responded. I can provide additional more explanatory step by step if it is required. But I'm not a mind reader.

I know many people will be perfectly ok with the instructions and sometimes people need additional information to understand the lingo, but if I'm not asked 'what does X mean?' then people will not progress forward and that has nothing to do with age or profession.

Unfortunately, the issue can be caused by more than one error. Sometimes, the error is the User has set up incorrect Draft settings. Sometimes, the error has occured with virtual folders and can also effect the Folder icon. Most times the error has occured with a FolderFlag being set and the simple method of installing the addon can be used to fix it. I wish I knew what is causing it in the first place.

Bless you for your response Pilot 180!!! I couldn't have said it better ... so expresses my sentiments too! <3

Why is it you can respond to make a general comment yet are completely unable to communicate stating what it is you do not understand about any instructions offered ? It seems you have chosen to ignore anything I have said or asked.

I'm with Matt. The answers have been provided and it would seem no more information nor any clarity on any points is required. All my comments asking what is it you do not understand have been ignored, so I cannot spend any more time on this.