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"Couldn't load XPCOM" when trying to run TB 60 in Debian

  • 7 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 148 views
  • Last reply by Wayne Mery

I am using an up-to-date Debian 9 (stable ) system, 64-bit.

I downloaded Thunderbird 60 from https://download.mozilla.org/?product=thunderbird-60.0-SSL&os=linux64&lang=fr

After extraction to /home/$USER/opt/thunderbird and running I get an error as follows:

$USER@X230:~/opt/thunderbird$ ./thunderbird

XPCOMGlueLoad error for file /home/$USER/opt/thunderbird/libmozgtk.so:

libgtk-3.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

Couldn't load XPCOM.

libgtk-3-0 is installed:

$ dpkg -l libgtk-3-0

Souhait=inconnU/Installé/suppRimé/Purgé/H=à garder

Nom Version Architecture Description

+++-====================-===============-===============-==============================================

ii libgtk-3-0:amd64 3.22.11-1 amd64 GTK+ graphical user interface library

$ locate libgtk-3.so.0

/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgtk-3.so.0

/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgtk-3.so.0.2200.11

What am I missing? Thanks in advance for any hint.

I am using an up-to-date Debian 9 (stable ) system, 64-bit. I downloaded Thunderbird 60 from https://download.mozilla.org/?product=thunderbird-60.0-SSL&os=linux64&lang=fr After extraction to /home/$USER/opt/thunderbird and running I get an error as follows: $USER@X230:~/opt/thunderbird$ ./thunderbird XPCOMGlueLoad error for file /home/$USER/opt/thunderbird/libmozgtk.so: libgtk-3.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory Couldn't load XPCOM. libgtk-3-0 is installed: $ dpkg -l libgtk-3-0 Souhait=inconnU/Installé/suppRimé/Purgé/H=à garder Nom Version Architecture Description +++-====================-===============-===============-============================================== ii libgtk-3-0:amd64 3.22.11-1 amd64 GTK+ graphical user interface library $ locate libgtk-3.so.0 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgtk-3.so.0 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgtk-3.so.0.2200.11 What am I missing? Thanks in advance for any hint.

Modified by Fabián Rodríguez

Chosen solution

For some reason I had the 32 bit version instead of 64. Here is how I found out: https://www.reddit.com/r/debian/comments/966ya0/trying_to_check_the_newest_thunderbird_60_in/

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (7)

I am guessing I am missing some required libraries but the requirements link is 404, see:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1229052

Chosen Solution

For some reason I had the 32 bit version instead of 64. Here is how I found out: https://www.reddit.com/r/debian/comments/966ya0/trying_to_check_the_newest_thunderbird_60_in/

Fabian. Thanks for posting that followup information

I've fixed the link - perhaps even better would be to setup redirection from the previously generic URL - see https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/installing-thunderbird-linux/history

Great job sleuthing this through Fabian!

So both this and https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1229052 are sorted out ?