Irritating and confusing Thunderbird issue.

[Rickster]

Hi all, i have this client that is having an issue with thunderbird, im not much of a thunderbird guy so i really dont know what the issue is.

Ive googled it but nothing matches my situation.

So, i setup automatic mail filtering (Messages go to respective folders automatically) and everything works fine except for attachments, the (PDF) attachments show up as 0KB when downloaded to the desktop or Adobe throws a warning when opening it.

The initial error in thunderbird is "this attachment appears to be empty, Check your firewall/antivirus blah blah"

Its not the firewall/antivirus because if non filtered emails that go directly to the inbox have the attachments working 100%, even if i drag the affected email from the folder to INBOX the attachments work just fine.

Any ideas?


Account type: IMAP

 

[sajunky]

How do you store Emails? In a large database file (default) or as a separate file in real folders? I don't use thunderbird, but I read that the later works more reliable.

 

[Rickster]

How do you store Emails? In a large database file (default) or as a separate file in real folders? I don't use thunderbird, but I read that the later works more reliable.

Not to sure what you mean to be honest, how would i check?

 

[sajunky]

Sorry I don't know how. There was discussion about database corruption and people advised to change the way of storing messages.

As individual message files have embedded attachments in MIME/UUENCODED formats, I expect mail filter will just move these messages to the respective folders.

 

[WAslayer]

I think it will be best to go with a 'rule out' troubleshooting approach.. Right now you are thinking Thunderbird is the issue and you have tunnel vision.. I am assuming of course, that you have not followed this approach since you have not mentioned trying anything else..

Since mail resides on the server and IMAP will sync mail and folders, start with the server.. If there is browser based mail client available for this mail server, access this and verify that the attachment issue exists the same here as in Thunderbird.. If not, Thunderbird or both the server and Thunderbird is at fault.. If it still exists on the browser based mail client, it is likely the server at fault here..

Depending on outcome of above, your next step is a different email client to verify if the issue exists there.. If you end up narrowing it down to Thunderbird, you go to a previous or latest version of Thunderbird to isolate specific version..

Hope this makes sense..

 

[sajunky]

I think it will be best to go with a 'rule out' troubleshooting approach.. Right now you are thinking Thunderbird is the issue and you have tunnel vision.. I am assuming of course, that you have not followed this approach since you have not mentioned trying anything else..

This is a proof that thunderbird is a problem:

Its not the firewall/antivirus because if non filtered emails that go directly to the inbox have the attachments working 100%, even if i drag the affected email from the folder to INBOX the attachments work just fine.

 

[oldhat]

In Preferences, Advanced, General, Config Editor - try changing these 2 setting below to 'false' and see if it resolves your issue:

mail.imap.mime_parts_on_demand

mail.server.default.mime_parts_on_demand

 

[WAslayer]

So I am able to reproduce your problem.. I was unable to continue reproducing your problem after right clicking one of my folders and from Properties clicked Repair Folder..

 

[Rickster]

So I am able to reproduce your problem.. I was unable to continue reproducing your problem after right clicking one of my folders and from Properties clicked Repair Folder..

This works, thanks.