select / change where a Linux instance of Thunderbird stores my profile
I'm setting up two computers (a desktop and a laptop) to dual-boot Windows and Linux. (I don't think versions of each specific installation should matter to this inquiry.) I want to set up the Linux instance of Thunderbird to use my existing Thunderbird profile (Thunderbird v102.5.1) which is stored on a separate FAT logical drive.
I have - for years - used Thunderbird under Windows. Again - for years - as I moved from one to another Windows version, using Notepad, I edited the Windows ... \Application Data\Thunderbird\profiles.ini file with these changes
change line 6 was IsRelative=1 to IsRelative=0
change line 7 Path=E:\Thunderbird\Profiles\favqvsp7.default
delete line 8 [Default=1]
where (line 7) E:\ has been a FAT or FAT32 logical drive on which my data for various applications is stored. This enables me to easily transfer data used by various applications between a desktop computer and laptop computer.
I've reviewed various discussions (e.g.: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-thunderbird-profiles?redirectslug=profile-manager-create-and-remove-thunderbird-prof&redirectlocale=en-US#w_starting-the-profile-manager) but haven't learned how to set up Thunderbird under Linux so Thunderbird uses my existing profile where it's currently located.
All Replies (3)
Hello
Changing the profile location is the same on Linux. You set the path as absolute if you want, such as
Path=/shared/mail
Obviously if the path is not mounted, it will not work.
I'd use a Linux formatted volume in your place as it's not sure that a software expecting to manage files according to Linux rules will work correctly on a FAT system. As NTFS has much mode capabilities than FAT, maybe the Linux emulation could work better. Anyway, in any case I'd not think about having a Thunderbird install on Windows sharing a profile with a Thunderbird install on Linux.
@gp1234
Thanks for your reply.
As to file systems, I'm on the steep side of the learning curve, but my understanding is EXT4 and NTFS are incompatible with each other: under Linux, an application will be unable to read data stored in a partition formatted with NTFS while an application under Windows will be unable to read data stored in an EXT4 partition, hence, my choice of FAT / FAT32 for storing data used by my applications; and sharing a single Thunderbird profile is specifically / precisely my goal. (NB: this is with a dual-boot installation. The Linux and Windows instances of Thunderbird wouldn't be accessing a shared profile at the same time.)
A recent Linux can read/write to a NTFS partition. Now it does not necessarily mean that Thunderbird under Linux will work fine with a profile on a NTFS partition, I don't know.
This said, if you want to share a profile between Linux and Windows, something I can't give any positive advice because I would never even think to try even if I was running a dual boot system, I'd advise to setup a separate partition dedicated to data sharing (because you sure don't want an operating system to attempt to write to system partition of the other OS). And if I was attempting it, I'd try first NTFS because like I said it has equivalent capabilities to EXT4 (which FAT decidedly has not). For the record, the best way to share a mail account between different setups is Imap.
Edit: I'd even qualify the attempt at sharing profile between 2 different OS on the same computer as dangerous. A profile can't be completely isolated from the underlying operating system. The only example I am thinking about is GPG: implemented differently. There could be other problems and breakages. Imap is the good way.
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