Thunderbird checks with the remote server for updates, not just to initiate updates that are already downloaded. So you got a choice. disable updates completely or just go with the flow.

As we have learned with the 78 update (which the team did not want to role out for upgrade until 78.2 so enigmail would be complete folks have literally a phethora of "updater" apps that do it for them be it MacOS, Windows or Linux I have seen a report or two here of updates being force fed. In the windows world there are many utilities doing this, as well as it is apparently a new anti virus feature "for your security" from some vendors. SO I am not sure there is a sure fire way to lock out updates. Only some more successful ones like disabling the Thunderbird updater.

What addon is so critical anyway?

Hi Matt, and thanks for taking the time to help me. The add-on I love is Remove Duplicates. I do a lot of organizing into folders, but leaving the originals in the inbox. Sometimes I accidentally put messages into the sub-folder twice when I do a mass copy, and it's nice to be able to delete duplicates easily.

I now believe that Kaspersky initiated the update, as I found a section called Software Updater in Kaspersky and I have just turned that off.

However, when I start TB, it STILL comes up with a "User Account Control" window "Do you want to let this app make changes to your device" mentioning "Thunderbird Updater".

So I STILL have the problem of having this window come up EVERY time I start TB. That's what I want to stop. So I want to know where the TB Update file is located. Is it a stand-alone file, or is it simply a line in an init file or a prefs file or some other file????? I want to find it and kill it.

If no one can tell me where the file is located, I need to know some other way to stop the update from continuing to try to update my TB to ver78.

Thanks! Arleen

lets be clear. There are three I see that do the job. https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/remove-duplicate-messages-alte/?src=search Eyal is active in the developer lists and is struggling with updating some of his addons. BIDI particularly I think. https://github.com/eyalroz/removedupes/issues/3

https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/remove-duplicates/?src=search Version 68 only and I am not seeing comments in addon developers lists from Dillinger.

https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/remove-duplicate-messages/?src=search Long abandoned by it;s author apparently only being compatible until V32

So I hope is the Eyals version you have been using.

The updater is actually an executable in the program directory. IfUI understand it right is uses settings from the updatesettings.ini file. The update files appear on my system to be stored in C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Thunderbird\updates

I would think that addon will be updated before too long.

Hi Matt, Your suggestion: The updater is actually an executable in the program directory. IfUI understand it right is uses settings from the updatesettings.ini file. The update files appear on my system to be stored in C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Thunderbird\updates helped me to find the exe file that was trying to update me from 68 to 78. It was:

      C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\updater.exe

I just renamed it, and then started TB, and lo and behold, NO message pushing me to update to ver78.

Exactly the outcome I wanted!

And another reason I don't like ver78 is the lack of colour in the email index! No yellow folders! No orange flame for the Junk folder! Sigh!

So thanks Matt, I think I'm good to go now!

And thanks Wayne, I have been using the Eyal add-on to remove duplicates, and I will watch for his updated version.

Best, Arleen