Please provide more information. What is TB searching for?

downloaded TB on to win 7 laptop. then got screen to set up mail address. so i had correct settings for the 2 working addresses on win10 laptop, printed off the settings & passwords. entered these one by one on the form & assumed it would automatically find my addresses. no such luck. one said could not be found, other search went on interminably without result. then tried manual set ups. one was found, but said server already exists & did not know what to do next any thoughts

Thunderbird has some common email host info available to it, but not all. If your email host isn't known to Thunderbird, you need to know server name, port, and security setting. The 'server already exists' message is usually associated with the issue where there is a mixup in server settings. Check for a unique server for input and output for each account.

my e mail addresses have been working for about 11 years,so I don't understand why TB cannot find them ,when I have entered into the set up page,the settings which are working on another computer. I would have thought all the settings were accurately recorded, but the search identified one address as an IMAP server when it has always been a POP. am being urged to dump TB altogether if it can't respond

Please post a screenshot of the email setup page with the information you entered that is failing. That may help.

thank you David,. had wondered about doing this , but was concerned about the safety implications of putting all my settings & passwords on line

I agree, passwords should not be included. On earlier comments, Thunderbird cannot 'remember' your settings on other computers. Each time a person sets up an account, TB has to search to find it. As far as IMAP, Thunderbird makes an initial assumption, not a recommendation, and it assumed IMAP. So, although it may be incomplete, please share incoming server name, security setting and port, and also the outgoing server name, security setting and port. That isn't a lot and may be insufficient, but it may suffice.

hello David, had a weeks hol, away from computer problems, but on first booting up my 'working' laptop, I am even less endeared to TB, as I found the SENT box has disappeared from both addresses ! ? That aside , I will try to copy you some screenshots to see if we can resolve the set up problem, which seems to centre on the outgoing server not being recognised