Thunderbird marks messages as read immediately on download

[Robert M Jones]

Dell Laptop, windows 8.1, Thunderbird latest version 38.0.1 UK English.
Thunderbird mail access set up as pop3, and leaving a copy of messages
on the mail server, (as it is not my main machine - my desktop downloads
the mail by pop3 in MSOutlook and then deletes messages on server). I
choose not to run an IMAP set up.

Mail is polled regularly using Mailwasher (Firetrust), as a spam
filter/control and unwanted mail deleted via the Mailwasher interface,
and reported/blacklisted as necessary.

In TB, using Options-display - Advanced - Reading - I have the box NOT
ticked so that TB should NOT automatically mark messages read. But TB
does that anyway - the messages are downloaded, they are bold for a
fraction of a second, then are marked read, and unbolded.

I have tried a workaround to tick the box to automatically mark messages
as read, and then tell Thunderbird to mark the messages read only AFTER
999999 secs have expired. But that doesn't work either - they are still
marked as read immediately after download.

If I then go to MSOutlook on my desktop and download the same messages
using the MSOutlook pop3/download and delete settings, the messages
appear in the MSOutlook Inbox as UNread.

I have no extensions on that installation of TB.

Does anyone know why this behaviour occurs please, and how I can get TB
to do what it is being asked to do?

Many thanks.

[Wolf K.]

Try running Tbird without Mailwasher.

--
Best,
Wolf K.
kirkwood40.blogspot.ca

[Robert M Jones]

When I was doing tests for my earlier post, the test emails were sent
and then immediately downloaded by TB without any Mailwasher intervention.
But they loaded as READ in TB.
I then checked them in Mailwasher, and downloaded them to MSOutlook,
where they showed as UNread.

So I don't see how Mailwasher can be responsible as it didn't get near
those test emails before TB got them.

[Wolf K.]

Ok, try the change setting --> restart TB --> change setting --> restart
Tbird trick. For some reason, settings sometimes fail to stick, or
change in the background. The trick works often enough to be worth a
try, but there's no guarantee.

If that fails, back up Profiles + profiles.ini, and try a simple
uninstall and reinstall (simple uninstall preserves the profile, but
back it up anyhow).

If that fails, do a complete uninstall with Revo or similar, then reinstall.

If that fails, uninstall, and install an earlier version of Tbird. Maybe
the glitch will be fixed in 39.

To get the old profile back, copy the backed up Profiles + profiles.ini
over the new ones.

FWIW, I haven't updated to 38.x yet. Also, I back up the /Mail folder
about once a month, just in case.

[Robert M Jones]

Thanks, I'll try all that. TB isn't critical for my mail, as I don't
keep copies on the laptop, merely use it to check new mail, then delete
it. The mailstore is on the desktop machine in MSOutlook and is
regularly backed up.

[Robert M Jones]

Thanks for your help.

I think I've cracked it by digging through all the settings tab by tab.

What was happening was that the junk mail settings were to mark email
thought to be junk as "read". And TB was classifying everything as junk
- marking it with the orange junk icon and marking it as read. It's a
new installation and had very little email downloaded through it so very
little training of the junk mail filters.
I've switched off all the junk mail settings, as I don't need them
(because I check mail in Mailwasher). New mail is now downloading as
"UNread".

Hope this helps someone else.