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Thunderbird prompted me to "update" from 60 to 68 today and blue circle spinning ever since

johncroftnorton
johncroftnorton
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I'm a long-time Thunderbird user. Currently on my Macbook Pro (15-inch, 2019) using Mojave. I live in a remote area - on DSL - but I can typically download audiobooks in 10-15 minutes. This has been hours. I tried shutting down and starting over but the spinner never stopped. I can see what I think must be the new template but no restoration of content.

I'm a long-time Thunderbird user. Currently on my Macbook Pro (15-inch, 2019) using Mojave. I live in a remote area - on DSL - but I can typically download audiobooks in 10-15 minutes. This has been hours. I tried shutting down and starting over but the spinner never stopped. I can see what I think must be the new template but no restoration of content.
Attached screenshots

Chosen solution

Thanks to both of you. Your combined tips did the trick. I went to a high-speed connection to carry all this out. I replaced the damaged/incomplete download with a fresh one and used SeaMac's instructions to help me find the Profiles folder (Go/option/Library finally revealed the Thunderbird folder). After doing all that, I still just got an 'empty' shell. I then used the last straw and followed sfhowes instructions to delete the global-messages file (trashed). Restarted. Everything was there.

Really appreciate the clear, simply stated help.

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All Replies (3)

Sea Mac
Sea Mac
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First try restarting your MacBook. Then, Back up your Profile ... Just in case. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-thunderbird-stores-user-data Then start TB and check to see if it finished updating - in the same window you posted a screenshot of ... IF NOT: You can download the latest version for your MacBook here: https://archive.mozilla.org/pub/thunderbird/releases/68.4.1/mac/en-US/Thunderbird%2068.4.1.dmg

Just open the DMG: then drag and drop Thunderbird 68.4.1 into the folder that TB is currently in - and replace it. That updates you to the latest version. Then restart again, and relaunch TB ... And let me know if that does it.

Modified by Sea Mac

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Sometimes the update gets stuck or opens with a profile that looks empty. In some cases, deleting the global search index file fixes it. Close TB, open the profile folder:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Thunderbird#Mac_OS_X

delete global-messages-db.sqlite, restart TB. Any difference?

johncroftnorton
johncroftnorton Question owner
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Chosen Solution

Thanks to both of you. Your combined tips did the trick. I went to a high-speed connection to carry all this out. I replaced the damaged/incomplete download with a fresh one and used SeaMac's instructions to help me find the Profiles folder (Go/option/Library finally revealed the Thunderbird folder). After doing all that, I still just got an 'empty' shell. I then used the last straw and followed sfhowes instructions to delete the global-messages file (trashed). Restarted. Everything was there.

Really appreciate the clear, simply stated help.