![Thunderbird logo](https://assets-prod.sumo.prod.webservices.mozgcp.net/media/uploads/products/2024-02-12-07-36-53-599028_1.png)
thunderbird stopped working with gmail - cannot fix - uninstalled & reinstalled thunderbird to no avail
I am running windows 10 64 bit pro.
I have been using thunderbird and gmail (pop) for several months without issue. Last weekend, I was unable to retrieve email. I reconfigured pop without success. I have set gmail to single authentication, and enabled it to pop email.
I also have a test gmail account that has the same issue. I can pop to other mail servers without issue.
Using a separate computer that has never had thunderbird installed on it, I was able to successfully configure thunderbird to get gmail via pop.
Going back to my mail computer, I uninstalled thunderbird, and then reinstalled it. That did not solve the problem. I uninstalled thunderbird, and deleted my profile directory. I also deleted all files and directories in my user profile that had the word thunderbird. I then reinstalled thunderbird. That did not solve the problem.
When I try to configure an account, I use the defaults for pop, which are SSL, 995, and SSL/TLS. I get a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark in it, saying Configuration could not be verified - is the username of password wrong?
I think I can work around the issue, but doing a fresh install of the OS, but that will not address the bug that is causing me to be unable to connect to gmail. I would really like to get this issue fixed.
Chosen solution
Reading what I can on the avast issue. I can see some glaring holes in what they claim to do and what they actually do.
Take this page for example. https://help.avast.com/en/av_free/10/settings_troubleshooting.html
"For the Web, Avast normally monitors only communication through port 80." IF you are reading this on the Mozilla support web site you are not communicating on port 80. Any web page starting with HTTPS (and that is most of them these days) do not use Port 80. It is reserved for non encrypted connections. (ones starting with HTTP).
Then we have the next worrying statement "For Mail, the default ports are the standard port numbers for the four basic email protocols." I get the feeling that again they are only scanning non encrypted mail traffic.
Looking further I managed to find a note on managing the redirect settings where the advise that the ports used are
By default, standard port numbers are specified for each protocol as listed below:
SMTP port(s): |
25,857 |
Secure port(s): |
465 |
POP port(s): |
110 |
Secure port(s): |
995 |
IMAP port(s): |
143 |
Secure port(s): |
993 |
NNTP port(s): |
119 |
Secure port(s): |
563 |
What Avast do not say is they can not scan any of your SSL communications (Secure) because it is encrypted. You have to install their security certificate so the can undertake a man in the middle hack of all of your communications. They can silently install they security defeating certificate in Windows. But they can not do it in Firefox or Thunderbird. So they offer instructions for you to do it on their web site.
Personally I think the cure is worse that the disease. Having no email scanning is preferable to breaking the chain of trust on which all encrypted communications occur. If avast what to be a certifying authority. There is a process that they can go through. It is expensive and requires all sorts of auditing of their business and business practices to ensure they are trustworthy.
It is worth remembering that the company you have in charge of your security is registered in the Czech Republic. Can they be trusted? I have no idea. They have not submitted to the audit process required for certification Authorities.
Read this answer in context 👍 1All Replies (2)
Chosen Solution
Reading what I can on the avast issue. I can see some glaring holes in what they claim to do and what they actually do.
Take this page for example. https://help.avast.com/en/av_free/10/settings_troubleshooting.html
"For the Web, Avast normally monitors only communication through port 80." IF you are reading this on the Mozilla support web site you are not communicating on port 80. Any web page starting with HTTPS (and that is most of them these days) do not use Port 80. It is reserved for non encrypted connections. (ones starting with HTTP).
Then we have the next worrying statement "For Mail, the default ports are the standard port numbers for the four basic email protocols." I get the feeling that again they are only scanning non encrypted mail traffic.
Looking further I managed to find a note on managing the redirect settings where the advise that the ports used are
By default, standard port numbers are specified for each protocol as listed below:
SMTP port(s): |
25,857 |
Secure port(s): |
465 |
POP port(s): |
110 |
Secure port(s): |
995 |
IMAP port(s): |
143 |
Secure port(s): |
993 |
NNTP port(s): |
119 |
Secure port(s): |
563 |
What Avast do not say is they can not scan any of your SSL communications (Secure) because it is encrypted. You have to install their security certificate so the can undertake a man in the middle hack of all of your communications. They can silently install they security defeating certificate in Windows. But they can not do it in Firefox or Thunderbird. So they offer instructions for you to do it on their web site.
Personally I think the cure is worse that the disease. Having no email scanning is preferable to breaking the chain of trust on which all encrypted communications occur. If avast what to be a certifying authority. There is a process that they can go through. It is expensive and requires all sorts of auditing of their business and business practices to ensure they are trustworthy.
It is worth remembering that the company you have in charge of your security is registered in the Czech Republic. Can they be trusted? I have no idea. They have not submitted to the audit process required for certification Authorities.
I agree with everything you said. Somehow, without telling me, the behavior of avast changed, and broke a working email system I had.
I am not going to install their cert, and let them see my encrypted in transit email.
At least if anyone else has this weird issue, a fix/workaround is now documented.
I truly appreciate all of the help. I was quite frustrated, as I couldn't imagine that an A/V product would interfere with the ability to download email from gmail, but not my other email provider.