Thunderbird Community Forum

A few weeks ago after an automatic update I ended up having Thunderbird version 131.0.1 installed, I have no idea how this happened. On opening I get a message telling me I shouldn't be using a beta version and that I should revert to the latest general release version (128.4)

Today when I had some free time I downloaded 128.4 and installed it. On opening it it says that I can't use a profile file from a later version with the earlier version. Is there a way to recover from this WITHOUT having to set up the whole profile again from scratch.

Meanwhile I have done a system restore so I am back with 131.0.1 It has not given me any problems so far. Is there a new general release version imminent that will get me back on track?

I would appreciate any help I am not a computer expert, just a user, and find Thunderbird a very good email client.

David Gould

Hello,

I received a new laptop with Ubuntu 24.04 and I'm trying to install Thunderbird. I have tried snap, flatpack, the downloaded package and nothing works. The only one that worked so far is https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2024/08/install-thunderbird-deb-not-snap-in-ubuntu-24-04 but this results in a different (?) thunderbird being installed, thunderbird-esr and there is no icon in the dock and I cannot pin it in the dock, which is a bit annoying. I saw there are other people having the same issue as me https://ubuntu-mate.community/t/cannot-install-thunderbird-because-it-is-not-allowed-by-dot-thunderbird-plug-rule/28878/13 https://askubuntu.com/questions/1538919/ubuntu-24-02-error-installing-thunderbird

The command `$sudo snap install thunderbird` gives the following error `error: cannot perform the following tasks: - Mount snap "thunderbird" (609) (installation not allowed by "dot-thunderbird" plug rule of interface "personal-files" for "thunderbird" snap)`

I also tried various commands offered in response to the questions linked above `$snap connections thunderbird` returns `error: snap "thunderbird" not found`

`$snap interfaces | grep personal` returns `119::personal-files firefox:dot-mozilla-firefox 'snap interfaces' is deprecated; use 'snap connections'.`

`$snap version` returns `snap 2.67 snapd 2.67 series 16 ubuntu 24.04 kernel 6.8.0-51-generic`

`$snap list --all thunderbird` returns `error: no matching snaps installed`

I also tried via the Ubuntu "App Center" and the Install button just keeps coming back. I expect it's running into the same error I have via the terminal and doesn't give any feedback in the graphic interface.

Please let me know what I must do to install Thunderbird via snap.

Thank you, Caroline

I have received an email from you saying that emails would be sent following my report of a white screen then Crash Report which has been repeating over several days. Please advise when I shall receive the emails to allow me to recover Thunderbird emails. Thank you, M O'Neill

I have a problem with the 64-bit to 32-bit installation. (It created a duplicate for me), I uninstalled everything properly and reinstalled Today my computer does not recognize version 32 in default mode and I need it for my accounting software. We checked the registry keys, the settings ... everything is ok Thanks for your help.

I am getting stopped, dead cold, every time I try to install Thunderbird mail on Linux Mint 22. I've attached a generic article that explains how Akamai's site security services bots are working to protect a site or sites that TB must access to complete it's installation task. In my case it's Comcast/Xfinity. Accordingly, TB installations will not complete and new users are locked out...some for months. The concensus of the devs that have been working on this critical issue is that there is nothing on a new TB user's side that in any way causes or contributes to the issue. I would very much appreciate any information you can provide about a speedy resolution in the works.

Note: The error notification screen "Access Denied" is the same message I get, but with Xfinity referenced.

Thanks. Wiley Oregon, USA

link text

[Note: I characterized this question as an "Installation and updates" issue (even though it is not per se about initial installation or updates) because moving a profile involves installation issues.]

Recently I moved my TB profile, for the second time in the past few months. This time I paid closer attention, and noted several things of interest (that may touch on some questions that remain undiagnosed in this forum):

1. TB took longer to start up, as it could find none of the folders cached in folderCache.json, so rebuilt the cache from the new profile location before starting. (I only learned about this from the next effect.)
2. The "Move to" "Recent" folders list was empty; this cached list only gets rebuilt from use (that is, from moving messages manually (not via filter) to destination folders). This effect led me to folderCache.json- and also may suggest why the OP in that question could not get resolution of his problem.
3. The newly cached folderCache.json was 528 KB, compared to 365 KB at the old location -- and that, in turn, was 170 KB larger than the 195 KB size of folderCache.json at the original location. So each time the cache is rebuilt it grows perhaps 150~200 KB (size depending on the many-times-repeated path length).

What causes the file growth? Because each time it is rebuilt, TB checks through all of the cached folder paths, apparently guided by the mailboxes listed in folderTree.json (see image below). [I think TB just checks each path to see whether it is compatible with the current profile location. If yes, the path is cached for runtime; if no, the path is repopulated from the current profile location (which takes most of the startup time).] But TB never deletes the no-longer-valid paths; it just appends to what was already in the file, so that the list of cached folder paths just grows (thereby increasing TB's startup time, every time). The best way to get rid of the old stuff is just to delete folderCache.json and let it rebuild on the next startup, to reduce the time needed for subsequent starts.

Finally, my questions: In addition to folderCache.json (different timestamp in each profile, of course), there are four files which are the same in all profiles: folderCache-x.json, x={1,2,3,4} (see screenshot). These are apparently from actions prior to the profile relocations, as they are simply copied from one profile to the next, unrelated to changes in folderCache.json. Can someone tell me:

1. What actions cause the creation of folderCache-x.json files?
2. Why folderCache.json merely appends new folder paths without deleting the old ones?
3. Why folder paths are specified explicitly (fully qualified) rather than relative to the profile path?

Thanks for any pointers.

Good morning, I had asked a question early on Saturday, but was unavailable the rest of the weekend so just now responding to associate Corey Bryan's answer. I had gotten a message that I am using an unsupported version and they recommend downloading the latest stable version.

He said it appears that I'm on the "Release" channel and most likely want to be on the ESR channel. I also mentioned that I am a cave-man when it comes to anything computer and am very skittish about making any changes as I don't how to straighten out any errors that might occur.

He asked me where I installed Thunderbird from and the answer is that I don't know. It was an IT guy that did it many years ago.

So I guess my questions are, if I've been using this version for years, do I need to or should I update it? If so, if I click on the latest stable version of Thunderbird, will that change anything on my computer, aside from getting the newer version of T-Bird? And will my e-mails in Thunderbird look any different?

Thanks very much for the help. Tony

I've just downloaded TB to my new laptop and it has loaded version 128.6.0esr (64-bit) with About showing 3 extra notes:- Nebular icon, Thunderbird is up to date and 'You are currently on an esr update channel'. The layout looks way too much like Outlook for my liking so I checked my out laptop and About shows it to be 115.18.0 (32-bit) with Supernova icon, Thunderbird is up to date and the same 'You are currently on an esr update channel'. So, how do I get TB on the new laptop (currently showing 128.6.0esr (64 bit) to be, or at least have the same layout as, my old one showing 115.18.0 (32 bit) that I know and love? Thanks Chris

p.s. I can take screenshots of both layouts if necessary but if I can get to the same version first that might solve the issue.

Today, Thunderbird crashes every time: after about 10 seconds it disappears. I tried a new installation: I got no download! Didn't find anything in the downloads folder. Although I'd done a donation of 10 €... (too little?)

Hello !

I'm having an issue loading my Thunderbird profile and looking for help. I copied my profile from C:\Users\phili\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles to D:\Thunderbird\Profiles I updated the profiles.ini located in C:\Users\phili\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird but it didn't work. When I launched Thunderbird, it asked to create a new profile and erased my updates in the profiles.ini

My Thunderbird install is located here : D:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe I'm running 128.5.2esr

I've tried moving back the aiedx66w.default-release to C:\Users\phili\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles but to no avail.

Can someone help me ?

Thanks Philippe

I have used thunderbird for many years and have installed various versions on many different windows machines. I just got a new PC running windows 11 and installed thunderbird 128.5.2esr. The local inbox folders show up but with no content (no subfolders and no messages found). My inbox folder is located on a dropbox drive so that I can read and save emails on different machines.

I wonder whether it is related to this version? I have installed thunderbird on a different machine about one year ago and it worked fine.

Thanks for your help.

When I ty to start Thunderbird an error-window pops up, saying:

C:\Programm Files (x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe

Die Datei oder das Verzeichnis ist beschädigt oder nicht lesbar.

(The file is damaged oder not readable)

What to do? Can I simply download & install a new Thunderbird version? Had the same problem with pdf-files and a new installation of adobe reader helped. Did run Ccleaner freeware yesterday after quiet a while and now this problem occured for the first time. Btw: I also get this error-window:

C:\Users\Enver\AppDataLocal\HostAppService\Engine\HostAppServiceUpdateManager.exe Die Datei oder das Verzeichnis ist beschädigt oder nicht lesbar.

(The file is damaged oder not readable)

Thanks for helping!

Hi, I'm having issues moving a 10 year old Thunderbird installation on a Windows 10 Pro computer to a new Windows 11 Pro PC.

I looked at all the guides & prior support messages and followed the instructions carefully. My old Windows 10 installation was in a custom directory (G:/Program Data/Thunderbird). I ensured it was updated to the most current version and closed it before moving files. I installed Thunderbird on the Windows 11 machine, went to Troubleshooting Info and found the folder that it used for the profile (when I go to profile editor, there are 2 profiles listed in the new build - I verified that I was in the directory for the default profile). I then closed Thunderbird on the new PC.

The two computers are on the same network so I moved all the files from the old location to the new location via just drag and drop. Of note, I couldn't "go up 3 levels" on the original machine's directory as per the instructions because, well, there weren't 3 higher levels of directories - I just moved the Thunderbird to Thunderbird on the new PC.

When I open Thunderbird on the new PC, it still acts like it's a new installation, except I do have my Address book. I tried deleting the second profile it had created; no different. I tried creating a new profile and specifying a directory somewhere else (eg. C:\Program Data\Thunderbird) and moving the files there - no different. I tried copying (presumably inactive) Thunderbird folders from the old computer C:\Users\~\Roaming and \Local over to a similar location on the new PC - nothing changed.

Anybody have any other ideas of what I'm doing wrong? Thank you!

A recent update from Norton 360 stopped my email accounts from connecting (123-reg and gmail). It was refusing to recognise certificates from the relevant sites. I have reported this to Norton, but in the meantime I have had to disable Email Protection within Norton 360 in order to get things working again.

About a month ago I began the process of upgrading from W10 to W11. In the process, several problems happened. One of the problems was with Firefox. After reading and trying many suggestions from the Mozilla site, as well as several other sites, and having no success, I posted my problem on this Mozilla support site and hope that there was someone who could help. There was. After several days of exchanging messages (suggestions, instructions and results - mostly about Profile), Firefox returned.

The other major problem is Thunderbird. I have downloaded a current version (128.5.2esr). I have run it twice and, each time, email was downloaded. So that part seems to be working. What doesn’t appear are the settings I have used and message folders I have created over several years. I suspect that the problems are Profile related.

Starting from Help in the Thunderbird menu, then Troubleshooting Information, then Application Basics, I see Profile Folder. On that line is a button labeled Open Folder followed by (Local Drive). I click Open Folder and File Explorer opens to a folder named ab3xaztm.default-esr. It shows that the folder contains 59 items, including 10 subfolders. All files and folders show a December date.

Following the path C:\Users\rsuth\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\, in addition to ab3x…, there is another folder nlys3gkl.default that contains only 1 file, times.json.

Because of my earlier struggle – and eventual win – with the Firefox problem, I think that the Thunderbird problem might also be fixed in a similar way: Profile.

Slightly before the upgrading from W10 to W11, I made a copy of my Thunderbird folder. I think if I replace the currently active Thunderbird folder with the one I have saved, my Thunderbird problem may be over. However, I’m not certain that will happen and I’m not certain about the specific steps to take to make the replacement. (With my Firefox issue, there were a couple of small important steps I had to take to make it work, and those steps were explained to me by the person who helped me with my Firefox problem. So, after all these words, can someone point me in the direction to solve my Thunderbird problem?

Thanks for reading.

I updated from TB 115 to 116. I had to re-enter email and calendar (to Google) connection info. Calendar does not display. Email and Contacts seem alright. Is Provider still needed?

I'm trying to transfer the Profile folder from my current laptop to my new one. I followed the directions here: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/moving-thunderbird-data-to-a-new-computer but must've made a mistake because none of my many Local folders have populated Thunderbird in the new laptop. Also, the GB size, number of files and number of folders show to be very different on the new laptop vs. the current one.

I'm inclined to just start over but have a question. Can I simply delete the contents of the "Thunderbird" folder under "Roaming" in my new laptop and try again to paste into it? Or are there some items in that folder that were inserted when I first downloaded TB into my new laptop so that doing a complete deletion would remove those and they wouldn't be replaced when I try pasting again? If so, how do I get around that?

Thanks very much for your help.

After I did the 128.5.2esr update, none of my email accounts can get email with SSL/TLS on. It won't even try the server with SSL/TLS on. If I turn it off, then it can get mail. When I try to change to STARTTLS it will just hang showing checking server capabilities. Some accounts are imap and some POP3

Running Windows 10, version 22H2 updated 12/10/2024 OS Builds 19044.5247 and 19045.5247

Gmail works fine. I've tried the just about all of the things I have found online, but no luck.

Any suggestions? In the past I rolled back to a working version and that fixed it, but it hasn't worked this time. Would removing all of the certificates fix it? Didn't want to take that chance until I threw it out out here!

Thank you!

I had a defective hard drive that was replaced. I lost the profiles that I had previously on the old hard drive (Except for the profiles from a year ago). Is it possible to reinstall Thunderbird as if it was a completely new program, link it to Spectrum webmail, and recover all my emails still on Spectrum webmail. and also create a new recreated profile. Thank you.