lets get something clear. The "name" is irrelevant. If you can edit settings. Sometimes you can not due to Duplicates of account name. But you do not say you get an error.

Default is a status Thunderbird applies to one of your outgoing accounts. So there is nothing wrong with having that word in the name.

So can we go back to the beginning. What is the real problem?

If it is the name that shows on the left.

Tools menu (alt+T) > account settings > click on the account name and change in to whatever tickles your fancy. The name has no meaning other than as something to display to you.

At the bottom of that list in the outgoing server (SMTP) entry. Again click on an entry and edit it to change the description to anything you like. Again it is just an internal name. so there is no right and wrong.

Thunderbird error was that the ACCOUNT NAME already existed (as stated in DETAILS I provided) and will NOT permit me to alter any settings or even name of the account or duplicate accounts because of that. Following the screenshot instructions 1-6 of 7 provided by my ISP for Thunderbird, both by myself as well as done remotely by techs at my ISP created the duplication which no longer allows me to SEND email via Thunderbird. ISP last remark was "we do not support Thunderbird". I am replying to this only thru Firefox browser logged into my Mozilla "get satisfaction account". The only other way to send msgs now is thru Centurytel's web mail app accessed thru Firefox but I have no "sent' record of my outgoing there.

Now I understand. Shame about your ISP.

Now we have the error they created to fix.

go to the Tools menu (alt+T) > options > advanced and in general select the config editor button

Type mail.server in the search.

In the returned list berlow locate the entries for

mail.server.Server [number].name  You will find two that are the same.  Change one of them by double clicking on the entry and Ok the change.

Having removed the duplicate name now you should be able to access the account settings.

I am making this up as I go along. So please advise if I have something wrong.

Matt: Verified that I can now *send* email in Tbird. Was able to edit/rename dupe accts to "ctl.dup@centurytel.net" and

"ctl.dup2@centurytel.net" per your "Config Editor" instructions. Now back in Tbird the left bar still shows the 3 main folders for accts all as "steve.reed@centurytel.net". Selecting top main acct, Tools, acct settings, (bottom)Outgoing Server(SMTP) shows correct "smtpauth.centurytel.net - smtpauth.centurytel.net(Default)" and port. But when clicking on any of lower two main renamed accts while still in the

"tools","acct settings" screen, I get "An acct w/this name already exists...pls enter a diff acct name". So, in normal Tbird display with three main accts/folders still with

identical names and content of inbox, sent, archives, etc, I am fearful

that attempting to delete the two lower, still showing main identically named accts, would delete ALL content of my actual functional top main

acct.

back to the config editor. I have been pointed to another set of instructions that look at the path to the data store for the account. Apparently that can be duplicated and cause this error.

In the config editor Then search for ".directory" and look for preferences in the form "mail.server.serverX.directory*". See if there aren't 2 accounts (servers) that point to the same folder on your disk. Or one being a subfolder of another one.

I got these instructions here https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1157598#c1 It might pay to read the stuff that follows as it will be very similar to what you are going to have to do.