Avast and Thunderbird

[ddubowski]

I recently downloaded the latest version of Thunderbird (52.5.0) and it will no longer download email messages from my ISP.  The troubleshooting guidelines indicate that I should look at my antivirus settings to ensure the Antivirus program is not blocking this email application.  How do I go about checking to see if Avast is interfering with this program.  I am using Avast Internet Security with its embedded antivirus capability.

[DavidR]

Are you getting any errors, if so what are they ?

Thunderbird is my email of choice and that is working just fine with the latest version of Avast Free 17.8.2318.

Since you have AIS which has a Firewall, you could check to see if thunderbird is allowed internet access in the firewall settings.

[ddubowski]

I only get one error message:  "Failed to connect to server pop.broadband.........".  That is it.  As an update, Thunderbird simply started to work again.  About a month later, it stopped with the same message.  During that time Thunderbird was updated twice to 52.5.2 and then to 52.6.0.  It still will not download messages.  How do I get to the AIS firewall to see if it is blocking Thunderbird?

[DavidR]

I don't use the Avast Firewall so I can't give details.  But you must surely be able to access the firewall settings from the Avast UI Components and allow the Thunderbird process.

Given the message you gave "Failed to connect to server pop.broadband........." there is a possibility that it could also be the avast Mail Shield - Try pausing the Mail Shield and check if you are able to access your email.

[ddubowski]

That worked!  Temporarily disabled the mail Shield and downloaded all my messages.  Tried it again after the Mail Shield lock out period ended and it seems to work.  Thanks.

[DavidR]

You're welcome.

[ddubowski]

Well, had a bit of a setback.  To get my email through Thunderbird, I have to temporarily disable Avast Mail Shield.  Once that is done, I can download messages.   I have no problem sending messages. 

I currently running Thunderbird 52.6.0 and Avast Internet Security build 17.9.2322, and virus definition file 180207-2.  Operating system is Windows 10 Home, OS build 14393-2007

[Pondus]

Have you tried avast repair and reboot?

[DavidR]

What your email port settings for incoming and outgoing email ?

Mine work for SSL/TLS connections.

[ddubowski]

my port settings are the same as the ones you have identified for POP and SMTP.

[DavidR]

Have you enabled SSL Scanning in the Avast Mail Shield settings (I think that should be a default setting) ?

You might also try (Export certificate) Exporting the SSL certificate, that saves it to disk. In the thunderbird email settings try importing the certificate.  That said if this hadn't been done, I would have expected a different error message.

[Richard5226]

I've had pretty much the same problem between my avast antivirus and thunderbird. I have avast antivirus 17.9, thunderbird 52.6 on a windows 7 home premium 64bit laptop. I have just about the same setup on my desktop computer, which is also 64bit windows 7 home premium. The problem, which is that thunderbird has recently been unable to download email messages so that I can see their contents, has only been fairly recent. I tried removing multiple email accounts, and then reinstalling thunderbird, and nothing helped until it occurred to me to turn off avast antivirus incoming email scanning. Once I turned off the email scanning, the downloading process worked, and seeing the contents of recent emails is no problem. If I turn the email scanning on again, the problem of seeing email contents comes right back. I'm beginning to wonder if there are any other settings that I can change that will enable proper display of recent email message contents. Any help would be appreciated, because until I have a lasting answer, I am not doing the incoming email scanning. Thanks.

[ddubowski]

I downloaded the Mail Shield certificate and imported it into Thunderbird.  It indicated that the certificate already existed.

[DavidR]

I downloaded the Mail Shield certificate and imported it into Thunderbird.  It indicated that the certificate already existed.

I wasn't to sure if this would help as you would most likely have received a different error message.

I'm at a loss as to what else to suggest.

Thunderbird is now at 52.6.0, though I don't know if this will help or not.  But since your issues started after 52.5.0 it is worth a try.

[Richard5226]

It looks like my request for some assistance with a similar problem has been ignored. But I fixed it myself by completely uninstalling and reinstalling avast antivirus on my laptop. Thanks anyway.