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Run Thunderbird latest version from any PC using a USB stick

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  • Last reply by Wayne Mery

khooshi39
khooshi39
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Question: How can I get thunderbird to either read the profiles.ini and installs.ini files from a USB stick, or create a work around where they would be created with the correct drive letter in the ini file path that points to the profile directory on any PC where the USB is used to run Thunderbird. Change a setting somewhere in the Thunderbird files, or create a batch file, a script. Anybody has done this before?

Background After a recent nightly update Thunderbird got a consistent app crash. Wayne Mervin recommended avoiding version 77 but go version to 79 directly.


I had rebuilt my previously flawless portable USB installation with version 68.

I thanked Mervyn for the explanation. I used his link but got Thunderbird Setup 68.9.0 from the regular download and Thunderbird Setup 77.0b3 from the Beta-channel which I used before. So I don't know where version 79 is available.

Anyhow, as I said i have re-built the USB stick installation but I used version 68.9.0.and have become a bit update shy now. For some reason I cannot get back to what I had before namely a fully portable Thunderbird that I could use on any PC to access my web account and download mails as needed.

So I opened another question regarding the workaround needed to have the Profile path and ID containing files profiles.ini and installs.ini that are still required in the directory C:\users/mdw/appdata/local/roaming/thunderbird on the USB stick as well.

Either some setting can be used to make thunderbird.exe look for this two ini files on the USB stick, or a routine, script or batch file can be created where the two files are copied into the %appdata% with the ini file values for the profile path containing the USB’s drive letter before launching thunderbird.

Question: How can I get thunderbird to either read the profiles.ini and installs.ini files from a USB stick, or create a work around where they would be created with the correct drive letter in the ini file path that points to the profile directory on any PC where the USB is used to run Thunderbird. Change a setting somewhere in the Thunderbird files, or create a batch file, a script. Anybody has done this before? Background After a recent nightly update Thunderbird got a consistent app crash. Wayne Mervin recommended avoiding version 77 but go version to 79 directly. I had rebuilt my previously flawless portable USB installation with version 68. I thanked Mervyn for the explanation. I used his link but got Thunderbird Setup 68.9.0 from the regular download and Thunderbird Setup 77.0b3 from the Beta-channel which I used before. So I don't know where version 79 is available. Anyhow, as I said i have re-built the USB stick installation but I used version 68.9.0.and have become a bit update shy now. For some reason I cannot get back to what I had before namely a fully portable Thunderbird that I could use on any PC to access my web account and download mails as needed. So I opened another question regarding the workaround needed to have the Profile path and ID containing files profiles.ini and installs.ini that are still required in the directory C:\users/mdw/appdata/local/roaming/thunderbird on the USB stick as well. Either some setting can be used to make thunderbird.exe look for this two ini files on the USB stick, or a routine, script or batch file can be created where the two files are copied into the %appdata% with the ini file values for the profile path containing the USB’s drive letter before launching thunderbird.

All Replies (3)

Wayne Mery
Wayne Mery
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I don't know who Mervyn is, but generally hacking around with Thunderbird isnt supported and isn't recommended. Even worse if you are using a nightly build - sounds like you are making your situation more complex and thus compounding problems when you should be simplifying.

I suggest you get back to a release version. And if you need a portable solution, use portable apps.

If you try something other than those two I suggest you are constantly putting your data at risk.

khooshi39
khooshi39 Question owner
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Thanks. Good stuff.

I did actually immediately stop using the nightly build as it makes issues even more complicated.

My question is simple: Do you know how to set Thunderbird 68.x to read a profiles.ini and installs.ini from a USB stick instead of from %appdata%?


In the meantime I will keep working on this issue and if I find a solution that surely would be of interest to other users.

Wayne Mery
Wayne Mery
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I do not know more than what is in the the standard articles. So my answer is something I think I mentioned previously, "portableapps".