Suggestions? Thunderbird quitting upon attempt to get e-mail off of server

[Black]

The last message Thunderbird took in was from 3:21 this afternoon (I leave this mac on usually). Woke mac this evening to find T-bird had quit.
It relaunches but as soon as I type in password and it starts to get mail it quits again. Would be interested in suggestions as to what you would try.
There's still >80 GB free on the drive so it's not a capacity thing.

[Black]

Here's what I've done:
Moved a year's worth of messages from the inbox to a local folder (didn't help).
Looked at webmail and deleted a likely suspect with attachment
(didn't help).

Currently in the process of moving everything else in the inbox into a local folder (very slow going.)

Just realized I should have compacted the inbox as it still shows the same 2049 MB as it did before I started trying to move mails out of it.

Also realized I'm running a 2008 version of T-bird-- just downloaded the current version and have it ready to install if need be.

Any further suggestions appreciated.

This is kind of bad . . .

[Black]

OK, once I got the inbox empty and compacted down to 0k, it took the new mail without quitting. Moving the last year's worth back over now . . . Used to be very finicky about the inbox file being over 2 GB-- maybe it's still that same issue (ought to be under 1.1 GB once made whole again.)

I'm thinking there's a reason I stopped updating the app but can't remember . . .

[space-time]

pop3? imap?

EDIT: posted at the same time with your last message, seems like you fix it (for now)

[Black]

space-time wrote:
pop3? imap?

Can't remember. How do you tell?

[space-time]

usually you can tell by the server name.

or if you mark a message as READ on your Mac, does it show up as READ on all other machines, also in Web interface? then it's IMAP. other wise it's likely POP

[Black]

Doesn't function like IMAP. Account settings say "POP mail server."
(Fastmail.)

[Black]

Doing OK with the inbox restored. Leaning towards the "2 GB" bug.

[Black]

Just upgraded to current version of T-bird. Some changes but able to find everything I need.
Anyone know what setting to change so I don't insert 300 lines of header when forwarding something?

[Black]

So it seems selecting to view headers either "full" or "normal" also determines how they get dropped into a response. I don't like it but I can live with it . . .