Linux Mint 19.3, TB 68.4.1, copied profile doesn't load unless using Safe Mode
Goal is copy profile to another LM 19.3 linux computer. I've moved TB profiles several times among various computers in the past, but this time's not working. With TB off, copied TB profile by gzipping it and expanding that on new computer running Same OS and TB version. All files appear present, including contents of extensions folder.
Created new profile with TB about:profiles tool. Pointed at copied profiles folder.
With profiles.ini "startwithlastprofile" = 0, I am presented two default profiles (that work) and my profile "foo" that doesn't work.
When I do thunderbird -P foo in terminal or select it from profile manager, nothing happens -- no TB window. If started from terminal, there is a lot of messages, but most interesting is long message ending in "... Marionette Fatal ..."
If I start in safe mode, thunderbird --safe-mode, my foo profile DOES load. I then disabled all extensions, add-pns, themes by hand and restarted NOT in safe mode. Doesn't load.
As I mentioned, my first time having trouble copying profiles.
So what do I do? Thanks much for helping!
All Replies (5)
If it runs in safe mode, and add-ons and themes aren't the cause, delete or rename the xulstore.json (layout and toolbar controls) file from the profile folder, while TB is closed, and see if TB starts in normal mode. The kb article suggests other sources of the problem, but start with this one.
Hi. Thanks. Removing xulstore.json had no effect. Still wouldn't open. I did sudo apt remove thunderbird followed by sudo apt purge thunderbird and then deleted the .thunderbird library directory. I then reinstalled from Mint Software Manager. Created new profile using my copy again. Same results. So quite repeatable. Here's terminal results from opening the problem profile.
[ $thunderbird -P foo
1583023226792 addons.manager ERROR Exception calling provider GMPProvider.startup: [Exception... "Component returned failure code: 0x80520012 (NS_ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND) [nsIStringBundle.GetStringFromName]" nsresult: "0x80520012 (NS_ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND)" location: "JS frame :: resource://gre/modules/addons/GMPProvider.jsm :: buildPluginList :: line 844" data: no] Stack trace: buildPluginList()@resource://gre/modules/addons/GMPProvider.jsm:844 startup()@resource://gre/modules/addons/GMPProvider.jsm:721 callProvider()@resource://gre/modules/AddonManager.jsm:213 _startProvider()@resource://gre/modules/AddonManager.jsm:649 startup()@resource://gre/modules/AddonManager.jsm:873 startup()@resource://gre/modules/AddonManager.jsm:3469 observe()@resource://gre/modules/addonManager.js:70 1583023227114 Marionette FATAL <window id="messengerWindow" ^ Extension error: Error while loading 'jar:file:///usr/lib/thunderbird/extensions/messagingmenu@mozilla.com.xpi!/manifest.json' (NS_ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND) resource://gre/modules/Extension.jsm:513 :: readJSON/</<@resource://gre/modules/Extension.jsm:513:20 onStopRequest@resource://gre/modules/NetUtil.jsm:128:9 observe@resource://gre/modules/AsyncShutdown.jsm:551:16 </p>
1583023227247 addons.xpi WARN Exception running bootstrap method startup on messagingmenu@mozilla.com: Error: Error while loading 'jar:file:///usr/lib/thunderbird/extensions/messagingmenu@mozilla.com.xpi!/manifest.json' (NS_ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND)(resource://gre/modules/Extension.jsm:513:20) JS Stack trace: readJSON/</<@Extension.jsm:513:20 </p>
]
I recall there was a similar case recently where the profile only worked in safe mode, but the cause was not add-ons or broken layout, or hardware acceleration. Deleting or renaming the Lightning xpi file {e2fda1a4-762b-4020-b5ad-a41df1933103}.xpi in the extensions subfolder of the profile folder fixed it.
Thanks. I successively renamed the two {blahbah}.xpi files I found in my profile's extensions folder. Wasn't obvious which was for "Lightning" nor did either include {e2fda1... prefix. Anyway. Same problem, no profile start.
Any thoughts on who might be able to decode the terminal error/warning messages? Of course, presuming they're even relevant..
I'm not sure if this is a bug or due to installing from the Mint Software Manager. You could try installing the Linux version from thunderbird.net.
If you report it on Bugzilla, include a link to this topic, and post the bug link here.