Thunderbird Shutdown

[Bigaldoc]

I'm running TB 5.0 and have not had any problems, up until a couple of weeks ago. I write this to see if anyone else has had this happen.

Just a short time ago, for the THIRD time in the past couple of weeks, I've had TB spontaneously CLOSE unexpectedly with no action on my part. All three times have occurred in the midst of composing an email or a reply to an email. There was no error message or warning of any kind - that sucker just CLOSED, period, and I lost the text of the messages I was composing.

This one really ticked me off because it was about a 2/3 screenful message that I had already written - lost.

I'm a proficient enough user that I KNOW I went nowhere near the FILE, CLOSE command OR the "X" in the upper right corner. Sheesh, it's frustrating when you lose a composition like that.

[Bigaldoc]

It happened yet again a short time ago. I was composing an email and needed to insert a couple of small screenshot clips using the Insert, Image command. The reason I needed the photos "in-line" rather than attached is that I was writing an instruction email to my son about how to do some stuff on his computer.

Well, this time I inserted the first clip after a few paragraphs of text and THEN saved the message in drafts, just in case.

Sure enough, a few minutes later I went up to get the insert command to add another clip and Thunderbird spontaneously CLOSED on me. Once again I was nowhere near the File (exit) command with my mouse. And, even if I had been, I would have thought that TB would ASK me if I want to save as it usually does.

I wish I knew how to contact someone at Mozilla, other than the forum. I probably will go to the forum but I never have much luck there.

[viking33]

It happened yet again a short time ago. I was composing an email and needed to insert a couple of small screenshot clips using the Insert, Image command. The reason I needed the photos "in-line" rather than attached is that I was writing an instruction email to my son about how to do some stuff on his computer.

Well, this time I inserted the first clip after a few paragraphs of text and THEN saved the message in drafts, just in case.

Sure enough, a few minutes later I went up to get the insert command to add another clip and Thunderbird spontaneously CLOSED on me. Once again I was nowhere near the File (exit) command with my mouse. And, even if I had been, I would have thought that TB would ASK me if I want to save as it usually does.

I wish I knew how to contact someone at Mozilla, other than the forum. I probably will go to the forum but I never have much luck there.

And here I thought I was the only one who came up with strange problems.
No, I haven't experienced this one (yet) Al. I'm surprised that TonyE hasn't jumped in here yet. He seems to be the resident expert on Mozilla Fx and TB.
Sorry I couldn't come up with any suggestions.

[Bigaldoc]

I've posted a description of the problem at the Mozillazine forum, but not too optimistic that I'll get any replies or suggestions.

[ChrisGreaves]

I've had TB spontaneously CLOSE unexpectedly with no action on my part.

Al, I think you'll find it's a hot-key issue.
Happens to me once a week.
I'm a two-fingered face-on-the-keyboard sort of guy.
One slip of the fingers is all it takes and whoosh-she-be-gone.

I haven't tracked down what I'm doing, but perhaps if we all start to focus on roughly where our fingers were, or what we THOUGHT we were typing in we can isolate the zone of the keyboard?

[DaveA]

Could be the Control-W as it will close thae tab.

[Bigaldoc]

Al, I think you'll find it's a hot-key issue.
Happens to me once a week...

I wish it were that, Chris. It can't be in my case however because my fingers were nowhere near the keyboard each time. I had my left hand on the mouse, headed up towards the command line when it happened.

I just tried again to replicate the problem and after several tries I can't force it to close when I want to.

Someone at Mozillazine has answered and one of his suggestions is that I submit a crash report which I don't (yet) know how to do. He did also suggest inserting images with drag-n-drop which I will try when I get a round tuit.

Thanks... and if YOU learn anything, keep me posted, please.

[Bigaldoc]

Could be the Control-W as it will close thae tab.

Not in Thunderbird, Dave.

Ctrl-W produces this, which is expected behavior in the midst of a message composition:

2011-08-14_115258.png

[jonwallace]

Hi Al,

I use TB5 at work to access an Exchange mailbox via IMAP, and occasionally Thunderbird disappears on me if for some reason it can't connect to the server across the network (our network gets bogged down occasionally).

Maybe your TB is attempting to download mail etc in the background, failing and bombing out.

Try disabling (temporarily) the auto fetching of mail (I think it's the "check for mail every..." bit in account settings) and see if that helps.

[Bigaldoc]

Thanks for looking, John. I have always had mail checking disabled and I check it manually when needed. The reason is that I use MailWasher Pro and allow it to check email every 10 minutes. When MW alerts me to new mail, I get it manually with TB.

[Leif]

...I use MailWasher Pro and allow it to check email every 10 minutes...

That couldn't be the problem, could it?

[Bigaldoc]

I wouldn't think so, Leif. MailWasher doesn't go anywhere near Thunderbird. It just essentially downloads a "preview" of my email. If I tell it, either directly or by filter, to delete mail, it does so directly at the ISP server (or Gmail, etc.)

Funny thing is, I've been trying to replicate the problem every once in awhile and can't do it. It seems to sneak up on me when I'm least expecting it. (I've gotten in the "protective" habit of Ctrl-A and Ctrl-C periodically )

[Bigaldoc]

Sheesh, where is Detective Lieutenant Columbo when I need him!

I've installed Thunderbird 6 earlier without problems and have been sending and receiving emails. I have a few addons in TB and they all seem to be OK.

Well wouldn't you know, I was in TB 6 just a few minutes ago and was moving my mouse pointer from the lower part of the screen toward the upper left corner to hit the Get Mail button. That sucker CLOSED quicker than a bunny!

I've not had any response from the Mozillazine forum so I guess no one else can replicate it either. It may have something to do with the movement of the mouse, but I'll probably never know.

[jonwallace]

Well wouldn't you know, I was in TB 6 just a few minutes ago and was moving my mouse pointer from the lower part of the screen toward the upper left corner to hit the Get Mail button. That sucker CLOSED quicker than a bunny!

Just a wild guess here, but could it be a mouse problem? In the good old days of ball mice (serial ball mice!!) we used to see the mouse get confused and send random keypresses instead of pointer move instructions. You might also have problems with a cordless mouse as the batteries run down (like I do with my cable box remote, that occasionally mutes the box when the batteries need changed).

Try a new mouse (or at least a different one)

[Bigaldoc]

... could it be a mouse problem? ...

Good point, my Logitech keyboard and mouse are several years old and maybe need replacing. The mouse batteries coincidentally were just changed a week or so ago, so I don't think it's the batteries. BUT it could very well be misfiring - it's a cordless optical.

What's gives me pause however is that TB is the only place I've had any problems, even remotely related to the mouse. It "seems" to work OK, but you're right, one never knows. Unfortunately I don't have another USB mouse available to try, so it means a trip to the store...

Thanks, John!

[Bigaldoc]

Just a wild guess here ...

Wow, now I DO think you hit the nail on the head, John!

A couple of minutes ago, in FIREFOX, not Thunderbird, I moved my mouse pointer to click a button and Firefox CLOSED right before my eyes.

I think my afternoon will include a trip to a local computer store and thanks again for the suggestion!

[stuck]

Before you part with cash, try cleaning anything and everything you can get at on, or in, your mouse. It could be something as simple as a tiny bit of dirt on the optics.

Ken

[Bigaldoc]

Thanks, Ken. I did try that and I don't see anything on the little red bulb or surrounding it.

Well, It's five years and four months old, so I guess I've gotten a good run for my $50 bucks. I'll keep looking though.

[viking33]

Thanks, Ken. I did try that and I don't see anything on the little red bulb or surrounding it.

Well, It's five years and four months old, so I guess I've gotten a good run for my $50 bucks. I'll keep looking though.

You also have to clean the monitor screen, Al. AS the cursor moves, it may be hitting some dust mite or something to make it behave erratically!
Sorry......just couldn't resist giving my old buddy a nudge!

Anyway, if a new mouse isn't the answer, you'll have a good back up available. Does sound like it's the mouse though.

[Bigaldoc]

Thanks, Bob, but I don't have to worry about the monitor. I've always got:

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