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Multiple immortal instances of Thunderbird spawning

N00b-a-tron9000
N00b-a-tron9000

Hello,

I am experiencing mild regret. I accidentally managed to create a second instance of Thunderbird, which I couldn't seem to get rid of so I then thought it would be a fun idea to spawn some more... Now I have 54 instances of Thunderbird running, even after restarting the application & the computer (Go me!)

To recreate the issue, proceed with the following steps:

1. Start with the Inbox tab open 2. Open the Calendar (or I assume any other) tab 3. Click and drag the second tab to another region of the screen 4. Bask in the glory of a second instance 5. Attempt to close either instance

In my case, I can close all instances & they minimise/hide to the system tray, exiting one will exit all (I say all because I now have 54 instances open). Reopening Thunderbird will re-instantiate all 54 windows.

I have run Thunderbird from the command line with the "-console" flag to see if anything interesting is output but it seems reluctant to give up any information. I'm afraid I am unsure of how to proceed from here, aside from a reinstall (which seems less fun than fixing the problem).


Troubleshooting Information: 

 Application Basics

   Name: Thunderbird
   Version: 45.2.0
   User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; WOW64; rv:45.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/45.2.0
   Profile Folder: Show Folder

             (Local drive)
   Application Build ID: 20160630070546
   Enabled Plugins: about:plugins
   Build Configuration: about:buildconfig
   Memory Use: about:memory

 Crash Reports

 Extensions
   Lightning, 4.7.2, true, {e2fda1a4-762b-4020-b5ad-a41df1933103}
   MinimizeToTray revived (MinTrayR), 1.1.2.1-signed.1-signed, true, mintrayr@tn123.ath.cx
   Provider for Google Calendar, 3.1, true, {a62ef8ec-5fdc-40c2-873c-223b8a6925cc}
   ESET Endpoint Security Extension, 5.0.2211.0, false, eplgTb@eset.com

 Important Modified Preferences

   Name: Value

     accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar: 0
     browser.cache.disk.capacity: 358400
     browser.cache.disk.filesystem_reported: 1
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value: 358400
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run: false
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max: false
     dom.apps.reset-permissions: true
     extensions.lastAppVersion: 45.2.0
     font.internaluseonly.changed: true
     font.name.monospace.el: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.x-cyrillic: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.x-unicode: Consolas
     font.name.monospace.x-western: Consolas
     font.name.sans-serif.el: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.x-cyrillic: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.x-unicode: Calibri
     font.name.sans-serif.x-western: Calibri
     font.name.serif.el: Cambria
     font.name.serif.x-cyrillic: Cambria
     font.name.serif.x-unicode: Cambria
     font.name.serif.x-western: Cambria
     font.size.fixed.el: 14
     font.size.fixed.x-cyrillic: 14
     font.size.fixed.x-unicode: 14
     font.size.fixed.x-western: 14
     font.size.variable.el: 17
     font.size.variable.x-cyrillic: 17
     font.size.variable.x-unicode: 17
     font.size.variable.x-western: 17
     mail.openMessageBehavior.version: 1
     mail.winsearch.firstRunDone: true
     mailnews.database.global.datastore.id: fefa56a5-b2b8-45a2-a2b0-23313035a65
     mailnews.database.global.views.conversation.columns: {"threadCol":{"visible":true,"ordinal":"1"},"flaggedCol":{"visible":true,"ordinal":"3"},"attachmentCol":{"visible":false…
     network.cookie.prefsMigrated: true
     network.predictor.cleaned-up: true
     places.database.lastMaintenance: 1470213890
     places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages: 104858
     plugin.importedState: true

 Graphics

     Adapter Description: Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600
     Vendor ID: 0x8086
     Device ID: 0x0416
     Adapter RAM: Unknown
     Adapter Drivers: igdumdim64 igd10iumd64 igd10iumd64 igd12umd64 igdumdim32 igd10iumd32 igd10iumd32 igd12umd32
     Driver Version: 20.19.15.4390
     Driver Date: 2-18-2016
     Adapter Description (GPU #2): AMD Radeon HD 8790M
     Vendor ID (GPU #2): 0x1002
     Device ID (GPU #2): 0x6606
     Adapter RAM (GPU #2): 2048
     Adapter Drivers (GPU #2): aticfx64 aticfx64 aticfx64 amdxc64 aticfx32 aticfx32 aticfx32 amdxc32 atiumd64 atidxx64 atidxx64 atiumdag atidxx32 atidxx32 atiumdva atiumd6a atitmm64
     Driver Version (GPU #2): 15.200.1045.0
     Driver Date (GPU #2): 6-22-2015
     Direct2D Enabled: false
     DirectWrite Enabled: false (10.0.10586.494)
     ClearType Parameters: Gamma: 2200 Pixel Structure: R ClearType Level: 50 Enhanced Contrast: 50
     WebGL Renderer: Google Inc. -- ANGLE (Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600 Direct3D11 vs_5_0 ps_5_0) -- OpenGL ES 2.0 (ANGLE 2.1.0.316930d51ea9)
     GPU Accelerated Windows: 0

     AzureCanvasBackend: skia
     AzureSkiaAccelerated: 0
     AzureFallbackCanvasBackend: cairo
     AzureContentBackend: cairo

 JavaScript

 Incremental GC: 1

 Accessibility

   Activated: 0
   Prevent Accessibility: 0

 Library Versions

     Expected minimum version
     Version in use

     NSPR
     4.12
     4.12

     NSS
     3.21.1 Basic ECC
     3.21.1 Basic ECC

     NSS Util
     3.21.1
     3.21.1

     NSS SSL
     3.21.1 Basic ECC
     3.21.1 Basic ECC

     NSS S/MIME
     3.21.1 Basic ECC
     3.21.1 Basic ECC


Best regards.

Hello, I am experiencing mild regret. I accidentally managed to create a second instance of Thunderbird, which I couldn't seem to get rid of so I then thought it would be a fun idea to spawn some more... Now I have 54 instances of Thunderbird running, even after restarting the application & the computer (Go me!) To recreate the issue, proceed with the following steps: 1. Start with the Inbox tab open 2. Open the Calendar (or I assume any other) tab 3. Click and drag the second tab to another region of the screen 4. Bask in the glory of a second instance 5. Attempt to close either instance In my case, I can close all instances & they minimise/hide to the system tray, exiting one will exit all (I say all because I now have 54 instances open). Reopening Thunderbird will re-instantiate all 54 windows. I have run Thunderbird from the command line with the "-console" flag to see if anything interesting is output but it seems reluctant to give up any information. I'm afraid I am unsure of how to proceed from here, aside from a reinstall (which seems less fun than fixing the problem). Troubleshooting Information: Application Basics Name: Thunderbird Version: 45.2.0 User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; WOW64; rv:45.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/45.2.0 Profile Folder: Show Folder (Local drive) Application Build ID: 20160630070546 Enabled Plugins: about:plugins Build Configuration: about:buildconfig Memory Use: about:memory Crash Reports Extensions Lightning, 4.7.2, true, {e2fda1a4-762b-4020-b5ad-a41df1933103} MinimizeToTray revived (MinTrayR), 1.1.2.1-signed.1-signed, true, mintrayr@tn123.ath.cx Provider for Google Calendar, 3.1, true, {a62ef8ec-5fdc-40c2-873c-223b8a6925cc} ESET Endpoint Security Extension, 5.0.2211.0, false, eplgTb@eset.com Important Modified Preferences Name: Value accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar: 0 browser.cache.disk.capacity: 358400 browser.cache.disk.filesystem_reported: 1 browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value: 358400 browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run: false browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max: false dom.apps.reset-permissions: true extensions.lastAppVersion: 45.2.0 font.internaluseonly.changed: true font.name.monospace.el: Consolas font.name.monospace.x-cyrillic: Consolas font.name.monospace.x-unicode: Consolas font.name.monospace.x-western: Consolas font.name.sans-serif.el: Calibri font.name.sans-serif.x-cyrillic: Calibri font.name.sans-serif.x-unicode: Calibri font.name.sans-serif.x-western: Calibri font.name.serif.el: Cambria font.name.serif.x-cyrillic: Cambria font.name.serif.x-unicode: Cambria font.name.serif.x-western: Cambria font.size.fixed.el: 14 font.size.fixed.x-cyrillic: 14 font.size.fixed.x-unicode: 14 font.size.fixed.x-western: 14 font.size.variable.el: 17 font.size.variable.x-cyrillic: 17 font.size.variable.x-unicode: 17 font.size.variable.x-western: 17 mail.openMessageBehavior.version: 1 mail.winsearch.firstRunDone: true mailnews.database.global.datastore.id: fefa56a5-b2b8-45a2-a2b0-23313035a65 mailnews.database.global.views.conversation.columns: {"threadCol":{"visible":true,"ordinal":"1"},"flaggedCol":{"visible":true,"ordinal":"3"},"attachmentCol":{"visible":false… network.cookie.prefsMigrated: true network.predictor.cleaned-up: true places.database.lastMaintenance: 1470213890 places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages: 104858 plugin.importedState: true Graphics Adapter Description: Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600 Vendor ID: 0x8086 Device ID: 0x0416 Adapter RAM: Unknown Adapter Drivers: igdumdim64 igd10iumd64 igd10iumd64 igd12umd64 igdumdim32 igd10iumd32 igd10iumd32 igd12umd32 Driver Version: 20.19.15.4390 Driver Date: 2-18-2016 Adapter Description (GPU #2): AMD Radeon HD 8790M Vendor ID (GPU #2): 0x1002 Device ID (GPU #2): 0x6606 Adapter RAM (GPU #2): 2048 Adapter Drivers (GPU #2): aticfx64 aticfx64 aticfx64 amdxc64 aticfx32 aticfx32 aticfx32 amdxc32 atiumd64 atidxx64 atidxx64 atiumdag atidxx32 atidxx32 atiumdva atiumd6a atitmm64 Driver Version (GPU #2): 15.200.1045.0 Driver Date (GPU #2): 6-22-2015 Direct2D Enabled: false DirectWrite Enabled: false (10.0.10586.494) ClearType Parameters: Gamma: 2200 Pixel Structure: R ClearType Level: 50 Enhanced Contrast: 50 WebGL Renderer: Google Inc. -- ANGLE (Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600 Direct3D11 vs_5_0 ps_5_0) -- OpenGL ES 2.0 (ANGLE 2.1.0.316930d51ea9) GPU Accelerated Windows: 0 AzureCanvasBackend: skia AzureSkiaAccelerated: 0 AzureFallbackCanvasBackend: cairo AzureContentBackend: cairo JavaScript Incremental GC: 1 Accessibility Activated: 0 Prevent Accessibility: 0 Library Versions Expected minimum version Version in use NSPR 4.12 4.12 NSS 3.21.1 Basic ECC 3.21.1 Basic ECC NSS Util 3.21.1 3.21.1 NSS SSL 3.21.1 Basic ECC 3.21.1 Basic ECC NSS S/MIME 3.21.1 Basic ECC 3.21.1 Basic ECC Best regards.
Attached screenshots

Chosen solution

Upon flashing up this morning, it dawned on me that the window session information was probably being stored in my user AppData folder. I've removed all but one of the child nodes from the "windows" array in "C:\Users\SillyUser\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\1abcdef2.default\session.json" & this has fixed my problem.

For anyone else that manages to muck up like I did, your "session.json" file should look something like the attached, but with no formatting.

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All Replies (1)

N00b-a-tron9000
N00b-a-tron9000 Question owner

Chosen Solution

Upon flashing up this morning, it dawned on me that the window session information was probably being stored in my user AppData folder. I've removed all but one of the child nodes from the "windows" array in "C:\Users\SillyUser\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\1abcdef2.default\session.json" & this has fixed my problem.

For anyone else that manages to muck up like I did, your "session.json" file should look something like the attached, but with no formatting.