Thunderbird Community Forum

To get some information out of the way before reading: my verbose step-by-step is listed below, followed by a summary without the trouble shooting steps. I have read the information about managing profiles when running multiple release channels, but found it a little confusing. If I can improve the formatting here, please let me know and I will edit my post to be more clear.

I am leaving the troubleshooting steps in the event that I did something wrong here.

My questions are primarily: 1. is there a more straightforward way to do this? 2. are there any additional steps to follow after successfully getting both a Release channel installation and a Beta channel installation as far as profile management?

The problem, with step-by-step troubleshooting steps to solve I have Thunderbird Release installed on Linux Mint system-wide, following the instructions here: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/installing-thunderbird-linux#w_system-thunderbird-installation

Now I take note of the fact that beta must be installed in a different directory: "It is possible to have multiple channels of Thunderbird installed, and even run them simultaneously. Each must be installed in a different installation directory, which will force multiple Thunderbird data profiles to be used in order to protect and keep your data separated."

• ...so although I have an `/opt/thunderbird/` directory, I rename the downloaded extracted tarball `thunderbird-beta/` and move that directory to `/opt`

I move on to Step 4 from the article linked, creating a symlink.

• what I used to install Release: `sudo ln -s /opt/thunderbird/thunderbird /usr/local/bin/thunderbird`
• what I used today to install Beta: `sudo ln -s /opt/thunderbird-beta/thunderbird /usr/local/bin/thunderbird-beta`

Everything works from here as far as me being able to click on the `thunderbird-beta` executable in `/usr/local/bin` and get into the Beta application with a fresh program.

Here is the step I'm unsure of, and where I run into issues.

In Step 5 of the linked article, when I installed release: "Download a copy of the desktop file": `wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mozilla/sumo-kb/main/installing-thunderbird-linux/thunderbird.desktop -P /usr/local/share/applications`

...gives me a launcher in `/usr/local/share/applications`. I can edit this in a text editor to point to a different icon etc if need be, but when installing release this is obviously already configured.

So when I install beta, I don't want two of the same icons representing different Thunderbird channels, because my assumption is that will cause issues. So instead of downloading this file again, I copy the file I downloaded with `wget` when installing release, and instead of naming it `thunderbird.desktop` I name it `thunderbird-beta.desktop`

• I then edit this file in a text editor to point to the Beta icon in `/opt/thunderbird-beta/chrome/icons/default/default256.png`
• But the resulting file indicates "there was a problem launching the application" and when reopening the file in a text editor, I notice none of my changes have persisted and it's blank.

...I can confirm through a file manager that the icon at `/opt/thunderbird-beta/chrome/icons/default` is a visually different icon with "Beta" added to the bottom of the icon.

So this launcher in `/usr/local/share/applications` is the step I'm having trouble with.

Troubleshooting steps:

• I delete the previously edited `thunderbird-beta.desktop` file, and I rerun the `wget` command to download another copy of `thunderbird.desktop`, this time using the `-o` flag so that the resulting name is `thunderbird-beta.desktop` again. I again edit this with a text editor and point the icon field to `/opt/thunderbird-beta/chrome/icons/default/default256.png`

For some reason, this works: allows me to save my changes and the icon of `thunderbird-beta.desktop` successfully changes to the Beta icon. By default, with no other changes, clicking this successfully launches Thunderbird, but of course it launches my Release version, so I change the Exec parameter to point to the Beta executable in `/usr/local/bin`

And now I get my desired results: start menu entry, separate icon, and launching the Beta release.

So my primary questions again are: 1. I notice that simply running the Beta application once uses the same `.thunderbird` directory that Release uses, and creates its own profile folder, which seems ideal to me. Verifying that this is the expected and preferred behavior? 2. I'm confused about the support article for profile management when running multiple release channels. Do I want to re-add all of my accounts to Beta from inside the application, therefore having two copies of my mail and profiles on my computer?

Can`t install on my account [edited]@hotmail.com I just create yesterday. I can read outlook program. There is something wrong I don`t know what top do. Therese Driscoll# * Numbered list item

My apologies, but I am not good at searching documentation and Q&A history without a glossary and ontology,

That is to say every (software) ecosystem has their own culture (tacit knowledge) and language (jargon)

I want to install mail user agents and web browsers on diverse systems, from e.g. RaspBerry Pi / RiscV etc. to desktops, laptops, on-prem hardware, and multi cloud distributed virtual platforms.

It would be nice to have a subset of the same server configurations and User Interface / Ergonomics descriptions (CSS) everywhere.

Regardless of machine architecture, kernel distribution, package manager, ad nauseum.

I used to be able to do this with trusted hash verified source or binary (reel-to-reel tape) or SHA256, e.g.), and trusted certificates. (e.g. pgp)

What we used to call tarballs for source, and RC configurations per user and per (virtual) machine.

I am SICK of Jenkins / Ansible / Dpkg / apt / yum / yaml / Nix .... as well as Snap, Flatpak, etc. etc. All in incompatible versions. I used to be able to create self-extracting shell archives that Just Worked on everything from mainframes to personal computers.

I CAN compile and run and modify ancient FORTRAN, COBOL, APL, LISP, and SnoBol without these headaches. I got paid very well to do this for Y2K in 1988-1999

Please take your time answering this screed.

There are two copies of Thunderbird on my laptop. Win 11. A newer copy appeared but does not have my old emails that I have saved. How do I safely get rid of it and keep all emails? Thank you.

I have been using Thunderbird Portable e-mail under Windows 10 for a number of years . About 4 months ago I installed on a Windows 11 computer - it worked for a few weeks, then one morning I received a message stating it will not run because a 16 bit program will not run in a 64 bit environment.

I am hoping that there will be a 64 bit portable version for Windows, based on my previous usage.

Would I be able to install the normal version on an external portable drive? When I go visiting, it is convenient to be able to take just the external drive. Currently, the external drive is a high capacity USB drive. However, if this is not possible, is the current Windows 11 version ready to go?

My current e-mail system is a long time DOS system via my ISP. That e-mail address is my only e-mail address, used for over twenty years. I would prefer not to have to change it.

What I have been doing is to use Thunderbird Portable to download my e-mails into Thunderbird on my computer, which allows me to store my e-mails offline for a financial year.

I am hoping to find an option to continue this by June 30.

Regards and Thank you, Kevin Cassidy [edited email from public community support forum]

Comcast/xfinity has replaced its e-mail with Yahoo mail I want to install and use Thunderbird instead I Have followed all the installation prodeedures but T bird will not connect/run. Has comcast made it impossible to use Thunderbird and if not, hoe do I get it to run

When I try to open Thunderbird it keeps giving me a message that it is trying trouble install a new helper tool and asks for my password. I do so, hit the Install Helper button, and then nothing ever happens. I get a spinning beach ball and it never opens no long how I wait. I would be very grateful for any suggestions or advice on what to do.

I want to install Mozila Email on my Windows 10 Laptop and want not to use the default version 150 but version 142. The support still downloads version 150 when I choose verso 142. What can I do to correct this?

Firstly, both laptops are working well. While one is still behaving quite normal, I am unable to install Mozilla Thunderbird on the other after having done a reset .. The "HUB" will NOT except my personal details i.e. email address & PW which I've used for years. I'll leave it at that for now ..

thunderbird Is working fine, but this message crops up every few minutes, and requires 4 - 8 Cancel clicks. I've tried "Open anyway", I've deleted and reinstalled the app several times, and tried the terminal command "xattr - cr" and dragging the app into the window. Is there a proper fix for this. V. grateful for any solution. TIA Brian

Hello!

I have installed Thunderbird 150.0 on an Ubuntu 24.04 desktop using a downloaded TAR installation method. I have done this, as I use OWL for Microsoft Exchange accounts. OWL works better with the current version of Thunderbird.

I have created a desktop launcher (thunderbird-150.desktop), which works fine, except that the software icon is the generic Gnome gear. I have read that specifying the WMClass correctly in the launcher file (in /usr/share/applications) is the solution, but this does not seem to work. It is current set as WMClass=thunderbird. I have also noticed that the /opt/thunderbird/icons folder does not contain the Thunderbird icon.

Can anyone help me to fix this annoying issue?

Many thanks!

The website https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/all/ provides portable download for Linux, but I seem to understand there's no such a version for Linux ARM (aarch64).

Is that planned in the future?

thanks in advance

I've been having a number of problems with Thunderbird recently and I'm hoping that deleting and reinstalling the app might help. But I worry that I will lose emails by doing this. I'm also wondering if the numerous folders I've set up will disappear as well. The issues I've been having, by the way, are emails consistently going into the wrong folder and, most recently, constantly being asked for my passwords. (I have emails from four email addresses being downloaded by Thunderbird.) I've had the password issue in years past, but it always seemed to resolve itself.