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Thunderbird fault

  • 4 replies
  • 0 have this problem
  • 3 views
  • Last reply by Toad-Hall

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I reported this fault about 3 weeks ago. All of a sudden, Thunderbird fails to display anything, as shown in the screen snapshot below. After many hours, I managed to get Thunderbird to display my emails but only by going back to an old version. Note that I have my emails/profile in a seperate directory from the default location.

Well it just happened again. Note that I had Thunderbird open and I had been using it with no problem. I then went back to send an email and all the content had been blanked out.

Once again, I've sorted it out but I had to go to an old version of Thunderbird (Thunderbird Setup 91.11.0). When Thunderbird failed, it had upgraded it's self to Thunderbird Setup 102.4.0. Re-installation of Thunderbird does NOT resolve the problem.

Note that the underlying email client is working fine. It is a problem with the display of my emails.

I reported this fault about 3 weeks ago. All of a sudden, Thunderbird fails to display anything, as shown in the screen snapshot below. After many hours, I managed to get Thunderbird to display my emails but only by going back to an old version. Note that I have my emails/profile in a seperate directory from the default location. Well it just happened again. Note that I had Thunderbird open and I had been using it with no problem. I then went back to send an email and all the content had been blanked out. Once again, I've sorted it out but I had to go to an old version of Thunderbird (Thunderbird Setup 91.11.0). When Thunderbird failed, it had upgraded it's self to Thunderbird Setup 102.4.0. Re-installation of Thunderbird does NOT resolve the problem. Note that the underlying email client is working fine. It is a problem with the display of my emails.
Attached screenshots

All Replies (4)

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1. (open profile folder) - Help > Troubleshooting info > click the button next to Profile Folder. 2. Exit Thunderbird and rename these files:

  • folderCache.json
  • folderTree.json
  • session.json
  • xulstore.json
  • virtualFolders.dat
  • Click on 'Mail' folder and rename 'smart mailboxes' folder

You may lose some custom settings, and virtualFolders.dat will not have any custom folders, but all the older files will be recreated. (if they don't reappear immediately that is also OK)

Please tell us your results.

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Thanks for taking the time to respond but this doesn't do anything. Even going back to the previous version only works if you uninstall the version of Thunderbird on the machine AND delete the entire Thunderbird directory in "Roaming". I then get all my functionality back.

However, if I then upgrade to the latest version, the problem returns.

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Just for clarity : You would have to:

  1. upgrade first
  2. access profile
  3. exit thunderbird
  4. delete the files as advised

Then start Thunderbird via this method:

  • Right click on shortcut Thunderbird icon and choose 'Run as Administrator'.


It would not work if you exited thunderbird, deleted the files, started thunderbird and then upgraded.

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Assuming you have upgraded and it still fails:

Tools > Developer Tools > Error console Clear the 'Error console' and close the window.

Then restart Thunderbrd. Open the 'Error console' Post an image of the error console in this question.

If you see a load of issues that mention error in calendar then please try this:

  • Menu icon > Help > More Troubleshooting Information
  • Under 'Application Basics' - half way is Profile Folders - click on 'Open Folder' (Windows OS)

In a Mac it may be called 'Open Finder' In Linux it may be called 'Open directory'

window opens showing contents of your profile name folder

  • Exit Thunderbird now - this is important
  • click on 'calendar-data' folder to see contents.

The file called 'local.sqlite' has all calendar stuff.

  • Please rename the 'local.sqlite' as 'local.sqlite.bak'
  • Click on 'backup' folder

You should see a file called 'local.v22.sqlite'

  • Copy the 'local.v22.sqlite' file
  • go back up to the 'calendar-data' folder
  • paste the 'local.v22.sqlite' file into the 'calendar-data' folder
  • then rename the 'local.v22.sqlite' file as 'local.sqlite'

Start Thunderbird. Please report back on results