Thunderbird Installation problems

apraynor · March 18, 2010, 6:57pm

I had a clean install of SUSE 11.2 from a DVD, having had a short flirtation with Mint, onto a new disc, The dvd did not have Thunderbird, my preferred client, so I downloaded it from the SUSE site; and it has since updated to 3.0B4 A little disappointing as Mint was using 3.5]. I have 3 email addresses and one outgoing server.

All incoming emails are always in both HTML and HTML Code and often in another flavour of HTML. If you delete the unwanted text version the others all lose their details and sit in the inbox with no information, although the details are there when clicked. This makes life difficult with over 200 blank items in the inbox and you have to click each one to find out what it is!

The system refuses to have just one inbox or a default in local folders and the default directories for the 2nd & 3rd account are setup in the account setup and cannot be deleted or set to the the default. In earlier versions 11.1 the Thunderbird client was well behaved and acted as the Windows version in that each email account was set up so you could call incoming mail when the system lost the server. This version all the accounts are childs of the first one created.There are numerous Trash accounts created and I am not sure where deleted files are going.

Any Ideas Anyone

pistazienfresser · March 18, 2010, 7:37pm

Hi apraynor!

and it has since updated to 3.0B4 A little disappointing as Mint was using 3.5]

I am happy with Suse 11.1 and thunderbird 3.0.3 but if you are not happy:

Do you judge the mozilla repro to dangerous?
Additional package repositories - openSUSE

Index of /repositories/mozilla/openSUSE_11.2

Do you know how to subscribe to new repros via yast / yast2 ?

I think I do not understand your other questions - maybe you can post them as well in a forum for thunderbird?

Hope I could help a bit
greetings
pistazienfresser

TaraIkeda · March 18, 2010, 7:42pm

Sure, enable the mozilla repository with YAST or the software manager.
Yast should be under system under administration or in the computer tab, it should be easy to find in any case.
I would follow these instructions for the most part:
Add package repositories - openSUSE

But instead of using the Specify URL option as it theaches you I would go into community repositories and enable the mozilla repo.
It should be in there with a checkbox next to it.
After that it should add the repo almost automactically and if it ask about the GPG key just accept it.
The process should be simple enough but if you have questions just ask.

apraynor · March 23, 2010, 6:07pm

Hi,
Thanks to taralkeda & pistazienfresser
I am happy with 11.2, it it easier to setup than 11.0/1 and the video setting are easier.

I used Yast to add repositories for SUSE 11.2 for Thunderbird, it went through but was very quick but to no avail.

I have my doubts that I have explained the problems I have had in a manner that can be understood.

Firstly most emails received come in two flavours one normal the other in text mode - 500+ lines of code thus
w=idth=3D=22545=22>
<tr>
<td width=3D=22376=22><table class=3D=22title=22 styl=
e=3D=22margin: 20px 0 -10px 0; padding: 0; font-size: 12px; color: =23000; =
font-weight: bold; background-image: url(‘wallpaper-divide=2Ejpg’); backgro=
und-color: =23c0cd63;=22>
<tr>
<td valign=3D=22middle=22 width=3D=22367=22><stro=
ng>Save =C2=A370 on Corel=C2=AE Painter=E2=84=A2 11</strong></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p style=3D=22font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetic=
a, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: =23000000; margin: 20px 0 0 0; paddi=
ng: 0;=22><a href=3D=22http://communications=2Ecorel=2Ecom/servlet/cc6?JhjL=
tQAUYYDQTViLlLjxjLHtlpuLKhJmuLglkQJhuVaVDV8312wfG0Xb9XVCAAUYSCD=22 style=3D=
=22font-weight: bold; color: =230c8dce;=22>Corel Painter 11</a> is the ulti=
mate art studio for anyone ready to expand their definition of creativity=
=2E </p>
<p style=3D=22font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvet=
ica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: =23000000; margin: 20px 0 0 0; pad=
ding: 0;=22>Work with the most advanced digital painting and&nbs=
p;natural media tools available to create the art you=E2=80=99ve alwa=
ys envisioned=2E Pressure-sensitive brushes, inventive drawing tools and c=
ustomisable media let you create distinct digital and photographic art=2E =
Painter is changing what=E2=80=99s possible in art=2E</p>
<p style=3D=22font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvet=
ica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: =23000000; margin: 20px 0 0 0; pad=
ding: 0;=22> </p></td>

If you delete this the the subject,from and date disappears from the normal one, and the third one if there, goes completely. This makes searching the emails very difficult.

Secondly the setup starts with the first email account and all others are childs of this account. There is no option in the master account to decide when to get emails, it happens as soon as Thunderbird is started which may be before the network, modems and broadband are all ready to use.

Each of the child accounts has their own in,out,trash & junk folders and a default local directory which is based on the account name which then differs from the main account. Even if set to smart folders emails get duplicated between all the directories in the two local folders.

Because of this message filters are set up individually for each account and even when run do not delete or put a junk icon on the page to do a one pass delete.

As to the multiplicity of folders
Under the simpler Smart Folder option I have
INBOX
Inbox Parent
Inbox Local Folder
Inbox Local Folder
DRAFTS
SENT
JUNK
TRASH
Trash Parent
Trash Local Folder
Trash Local Folder
Trash-1 Local Folder
OUTBOX
Outbox Parent
Local Folders
Outbox

Al this with 3 email addresses, what would happen with a company with 1000’s

Would the easiest thing be to delete this version of Thunderbird, rename the mail directory and re-install a 11.0 version, whatever that was.

Sorry it was a bit long winded.

Regards

Peter RAynor

pistazienfresser · March 24, 2010, 7:43am

Hi apraynor,

Do you have “All Folders < >” above your folders in Thunderbird now?
If that is so:
please try to click on “<” or “>” until you can see “Smart Folders < >”.

Hope I could help a bit with your second problem.
Maybe someone can help you with the text/html-problem, too.

Greetings
pistazienfresser

apraynor · March 25, 2010, 12:25pm

Hi pistazienfresser

Yes I have “Smart Folders” at the top, the remaining settings are even more confusing.

The two flavours of email is now more difficult, after you delete the code version, the remaining ones have no identification, however on a reboot, they are deleted as well. The only way to keep emails for reference is to keep both normal html and the code version, which doubles up the size and quantity in the inbox

Regards

apraynor

pistazienfresser · April 1, 2010, 3:16pm

Hi apraynor!

Sorry, I am just an Puzzled Penguin
but have you tried an upgrade to thunderbird 3.0.4 Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0.4 Release Notes
or an deinstallation and new installation of Thunderbird?

I found this version (thunderbird 3.0.4-2.2) today in the Mozilla repository (repro: last changes 31-Mar-2010 13:06)/in my yast2.

Good luck
pistazienfresser

martin_helm · April 1, 2010, 3:38pm

apraynor wrote:

> since updated to 3.0B4 A little disappointing as Mint was using 3.5].
> I have 3 email addresses and one outgoing server.
>
I wonder where thunderbird 3.5 shoukld come from because the current version
on the official web site is 3.0.4. I guess you mix it with the firefox
version on mint.

http://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/

apraynor · April 10, 2010, 7:07pm

Hi all,

To Martin Helm -
I think you are correct, I have been back on the Thunderbird site and 3.04 is the latest:shame:

To pistazienfresser,

I decided to remove the 3.03 version and install version 3.04, some threads had suggested that the only way to stop TB from doing its thing was to disconnect from the net when setting up.

However 3.04 has caused havoc, whether connected to the net or not I get an error box CLOSE THUNDERBIRD with this message:-
“Thunderbird is already running, but is not responding, to open a new window you must first close the existing Thunderbird process, or restart your system.”
This happens whether you click TB icon or start it from a terminal

I have tried to close the TB system without success, as a newbie, I am using a bible which is not good at explaining which of the 10 methods you should use. I have stopped it as a startup service and rebooted and restarted the system.
I have removed it- reinstalled it - removed it and installed 3.0.0 but to no avail all with the same problem.

I have a similar problem with Firefox 3.5 & 3.6 under Windows that it will install a second copy of itself, sometimes when opening another tab and hang and the only way is to open the process manager - and stop firefox.exe operation which fixes it and you can start again.

Is it possible to have a copy of TB operating under root, starting at boot and when you try and use it as a user it will not run the same program again???

Regards

Peter Raynor

pistazienfresser · April 12, 2010, 11:52am

Hi apraynor,

I am not so experienced myself. So you should be cautious that it not seems to be an question only to me.

I would try:

to be sure that no other (older) thunderbird is installed
to be sure that root is running no thunderbird at all (maybe you have to log in as root if nothing helps?)
to watch which processes are running

If that not helps at all:

to make an repair-installation or an new installation
Novell Documentation
Installation Mode: New istallation/Repair installed system (first secure you data!)

Maybe someone other will make an comment, too?

Greetings
pistazienfresser

apraynor · April 13, 2010, 8:29pm

Hi all,
I did some investigation and although I asked for and thought I got a 3.0.0 version it does not exist.
Root however has the latest 3.0.4-1.1.1 which is waiting for me to input my ISP details. If I close this version when I log back again as a user it repeats the warning that " TB is already running but is not responding".
I assume that is because as soon as I log in, a script somewhere restarts TB with root as sole owner??? if so has anyone any idea how I can kill the script and get it to run under a user??

Thanks

apraynor

apraynor · April 13, 2010, 9:26pm

Hi All
I went into root and deleted TB from there ans ensure as far as I could see that nothing remained of it in the directories where it had existed.
I changed to user and installed the latest version of TB - but, surprise surprise - same error message of “Already running but not responding” and there it was, large as life in root again?:X

ANY ideas anyone

Yours

apraynor

user · April 13, 2010, 10:04pm

apraynor wrote:
> Hi All
> I went into root and deleted TB from there ans ensure as far as I could
> see that nothing remained of it in the directories where it had
> existed.
> I changed to user and installed the latest version of TB - but,
> surprise surprise - same error message of “Already running but not
> responding” and there it was, large as life in root again?:X
>
> ANY ideas anyone
>
> Yours
>
> apraynor
>
>
i can only guess, but it sounds like you are logging into KDE, Gnome
or some other DE (Desktop Environment) as root…is that correct?

if so, please STOP it…

you should never log into KDE/Gnome/XFCE or any other *nix-like
graphical user interface desktop environment as root…

doing so 1) opens you up to several different security problems, 2)
too many too easy ways to damage your system no matter how careful
your actions (example: just browsing in your home directory while
logged into KDE/Gnome/etc as root can lock you out later as yourself
due to permissions damage), 3) and, anyway logging into KDE/etc as
root is never required to do any and all administrative duties…

so, always log in as yourself, and “become root” by using a root
powered application (like YaST, File Manager Superuser Mode) or using
“su -”, sudo, kdesu, or gnomesu in a terminal to launch whatever tool
is needed (like Kwrite to edit a config file)…read more on all that
here:

http://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Login_as_root
http://docs.kde.org/stable/en/kdebase-runtime/userguide/root.html
http://tinyurl.com/6ry6yd
http://tinyurl.com/ydbwssh

i don’t know why your Thunderbird is playing games with you…but none
of the symptoms you describe have i ever seen here…but, then again
i’ve never damaged my system by logging into the DE as root…(well, i
did once about ten years ago, and some kind person told me not every
again…and i listened)

also, we do not just “delete” TB in /root to get rid of it…this is
NOT Windows and we do not use Windows methods (just like they do not
use Linux methods)…

to uninstall Thunderbird we use YaST…to install Thunderbird we use
YaST…

now, since you said you install disk didn’t contain Thunderbird (and i
think it does) it kinda sounds a lot like you have a corrupted install
disk…so i wonder:

did you get your install image from
http://software.opensuse.org/112/en ? (then where?)
did you check the md5sum of the downloaded iso?
burn the disk as slow as you can?
use good media?
do this http://tinyurl.com/yajm2aq before install attempt?

if you answered “no” (or “don’t know”) to any of those then see the
following cites, and if we can help further, please ask because we
want you to be successful:
http://en.opensuse.org/Download_Help
http://tinyurl.com/yhf65pv
http://tinyurl.com/ycly3eg

and, good luck!!

pistazienfresser · April 14, 2010, 12:04pm

Maybe apraynor just wanted to be sure that no data like emails or profils exist at all - would this be deleted by only deinstalling Thunderbird via YaSt?
Or has apraynor really deleted the running programm instead of deinstalling it via yast/yast2/Software manager???
Where was the data?

Sorry if I brought you, apraynor, on a wrong way but I thought only of running the System Monitor as root to look what processes/programms are really running. I did not know that you have to use su or sudo to do so and to make no damage.

The dvd did not have Thunderbird, my preferred client, so I downloaded it from the SUSE site; and it has since updated to 3.0B4

I think it is likely that apraynor’s installation data contained thunderbird but it was not installed by default but I maybe wrong.

How did you install thunderbird at first? Via 1-Click install? Did you install an experimental (BETA) version? https://wiki.mozilla.org/Releases/Thunderbird_3.0b4
If you did: While you was installing that BETA version was you (apraynor) logged in Gnome/KDE/… als root?

(After checking the Suse installation data to be correct) Would DenverD or someone else experienced think of an repair installation of openSUSE11.2 or of an new installation?

Greetings

pistazienfresser

FeatherMonkey · April 14, 2010, 1:50pm

Honestly I’m baffled by this thread so if I understand this correctly there is 2 problems.

Can’t run it at all even after reinstalling.
Folder structure is causing strange behaviour.

So lets deal with 1 first.

As a reinstall isn’t solving this, I think I know what this is, show the output first lets look to see if it is actually running.

ps aux | grep thunderbird

Next if the above just returns the grep command.

ls ~/.thunderbird/*.default/lock

If this doesn’t return

ls: cannot access ....

Remove the file, use the file browser.

If you then can start it again we’ll tackle 2.

user · April 14, 2010, 2:25pm

pistazienfresser wrote:
> Maybe apraynor just wanted to be sure that no data like emails or
> profils exist at all - would this be deleted by only deinstalling
> Thunderbird via YaSt?

ok, here is the way it works in Linux…first always remember that
Linux was born as a multi-user system (Redmonds was born a single user
system) and as such each users data (like email, desktop
settings/configurations, how Thunderbird looks (is skinned, lines up
the inbox and etc) is ALL inside the users /home…

AND, there can be a user like /home/apraynor and /home/DenverD and
/home/pistazienfresser all on the SAME system each with a different DE
(that is, one can run KDE, another Gnome and me LDXE…

and one can have emails in the inbox lined up with with earliest
first, and another as newest first…

see how that goes: each individual’s setup and configuration is held
in their home, and NO other user can change it…

no other user EXCEPT the superuser also known as root, or system
administrator…

and hey, apraynor can NOT delete Thunderbird because there may be
other users needing Thunderbird…

so, only root can do system administrator duties and remove,
reinstall, update or upgrade Thunderbird…and, when root does that
all of the emails, setups etc of apraynor, pistazienfresser and
DenverD remain safe in their individual home directories (NOT
folders, that lowly single user system is stuck in folders…not us)

> Or has apraynor really deleted the running programm instead of
> deinstalling it via yast/yast2/Software manager???
> Where was the data?

ok, it sounds to me like apraynor only deleted the Thunderbird
directory in roots home…which he should NOT ever do…do not EVER go
into root’s home and delete anything…because when you do you mess up
the system for root, apraynor, pistazienfresser, DenverD and everyone
else who might have an account on the system…see?

instead, to delete Thunderbird (or most anything else)
-do NOT log into KDE/Gnome/whatever as root, instead
-log in as yourself and THEN launch YaST (or zypper) to remove the program
-YaST will REQUIRE you to give the root password (to prove that the
person at the keyboard actually HAS the authority to remove/add/update
etc…that is, if you let your girlfriend have an account on your
machine do NOT give her the root password UNLESS you want her wrecking
your system (by logging into KDE as root, or deleting your mail program)

make sense now?

oh, so i guess by now you wonder if Thunderbird (the program) does not
live in the /home ‘folder’, and doesn’t live in the /root ‘folder’
then were the heck does it live…well, you don’t really need to
know because you should almost NEVER need to go there and do anything…

see how that goes…if you wanna learn the functions of all the
directory stucture then have a look at a generic Linux primer like
“Rute User’s Tutorial and Exposition” <http://rute.2038bug.com/>

but, the short answer of how to find where executables live is the
command line program named ‘which’, that is pop open a terminal (as a
regular user) and type

which thunderbird

and in less than an eye-blink it tells you /usr/bin/thunderbird

you can even use which to learn where which lives, also in /usr/bin
because most all system level program’s executables live in /usr/bin

ok, school is closed for now, but as home work i’d highly recommend
some reading home work…begin here:

http://tinyurl.com/ybklh48

which is a short list of SOME of the documentation available…that
is, it is NOT required that new folks wander around wondering how to
do stuff like adding or deleting programs…nor is it required they
try everything they can think of (which will based mostly on
experience in a different system, which will most often do more damage
than good here…

lots to learn…think of learning as FUN, and Have a lot of fun!

apraynor · April 14, 2010, 3:32pm

Hi All,
Thank you for all your thoughts, there was a lot to get my head round.

The original dvd of 11.2 was purchased from a recommended Linux distributer, I have had problems in the past with downloads- checksums and poor images and wished to avoid these by a recognised disk. TB did not install by default and it is not worth the trouble of expanding the cabs to find it on the dvd so I installed it using YAST and I believe the first one was 3.0.b4, I know it was a beta version. When I uninstall(delete) I use Yast and Yast again to reinstall all as user, except for the last time which was 3.2.3

If I wish to be root I have always logged out as user and relogged in as root, back to the big blue and unix terminal days! perhaps I should have been using the su- instead.
When I suspected that there was a root permission only in TB, I logged in as root and using the “Further Applications” box found TB and clicked on it and found it correctly as a base (no ISP or data of files) system, I closed it and the went into YAst (as root) and uninstalled it. I looked at software management to ensure there were no other copies and also in the etc & usr directories to ensure that the .thunderbird directory did not still exist. I then logged out and relogged in as user and reinstalled under Yast.

This has been the only time I have used the graphical system under root, I have only used it before with terminal commands, and have always used the log method of getting there.

I look forward to your comments

Regards
apraynor

pistazienfresser · April 14, 2010, 3:42pm

Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0.4 Release Notes

Uninstalling Thunderbird 3

You can remove Thunderbird 3 …] by removing the thunderbird folder on Linux.

Removing Thunderbird 3 won’t remove your emails or newsgroup messages. This data is stored in your profile folder, which is located in one of the following locations depending on your operating system:
…]
Linux and Unix systems ~/.thunderbird

Any version of Thunderbird that you install after removing Thunderbird 3 will continue to use the data from this profile folder.

So what should you do:

if you want to keep the preferences and emails?
(update in 1 step via yast2 (YaSt>Istall Software/one-click-install etc.) [as I have done ever before]// delete one/two folder/file and install after that the new version via yast)
if you don’t want to keep the preferences and emails?
(deinstall via yast2 etc.in the first step and and install via yast2 in a second step // first deinstall via YaSt, second delete .thunderbird, third install new??)

Greetings
even more puzzled pistazienfresser

user · April 14, 2010, 5:23pm

pistazienfresser wrote:
> So what should you do:
> 1. if you want to keep the preferences and emails?

to keep user mail and preferences for thunderbird do NOT remove
/home/[userID]/.thunderbird

> (update in 1 step via yast2 (YaSt>Istall Software/one-click-install
> etc.) [as I have done ever before]//

to upgrade from one version Thunderbird to the next via YaST then that
new version must be available in one of the openSUSE or Community
repos, and that must repo be enabled…

then, while logged in as yourself, open yast (which will ask for your
root pass), search for thunderbird, and read the version number
installed and available and elect to upgrade to the newest (usually no
need to remove the old one first, but many do)

> delete one/two folder/file and
> install after that the new version via yast)

you do not have to delete any folders or files…none!
YaST does all the work, as root…

> 2. if you don’t want to keep the preferences and emails?

as yourself, locate /home/pistazienfresser/.thunderbird and send it
to, or drop it in the trash can…where it will live until you empty
the trash…be advised there are easy ways to recover deleted files
in Windows…there are no EASY ways in Linux once it is deleted from
the trash…

then, the next time you launch Thunderbird again a NEW
/home/pistazienfresser/.thunderbird will be generated with all default
settings, and NO mail, and none of the information needed to connect
to your mail provider…

> (deinstall via yast2 etc.in the first step and and install via yast2 in
> a second step // first deinstall via YaSt, second delete .thunderbird,
> third install new??)

wait: you asked how to get rid of a users mail and TBird settings,
that is what i wrote above…NONE of what you wrote should be
done…YaST is NOT involved in removing a users mail or a users
settings…YaST does system duties…the user is free to throw out
his/her own mail without needed the help nor powers of root…

> even more puzzled pistazienfresser

unpuzzle yourself by remembering: even if there is only one breathing
person who will ever touch your machine, there are TWO users:

one is you the user who can do anything you want to YOUR /home
including throw out your mail… but can do NOTHING to the
system…not even delete program Thunderbird…and can not throw out
the mail of another user

system changes can only be done by the other user on your system,
the super user, also known as system administrator and as root…

who can throw out Thunderbird, and you and your mail…and the kernel…

easy as pie.

user · April 14, 2010, 5:45pm

apraynor wrote:
> The original dvd of 11.2 was purchased from a recommended Linux
> distributer

did you do this before installing: http://tinyurl.com/yajm2aq

> TB did
> not install by default and it is not worth the trouble of expanding the
> cabs to find it on the dvd

no searching through the DVD’s “cabs” is required just use YaST

> so I installed it using YAST and I believe
> the first one was 3.0.b4, I know it was a beta version.

how and why did you get access to a beta version…that should NOT
happen unless you wanted it to…you should be accessing only four
repos: oss, non-oss, update and packman…those will normally NOT
offer you beta software…nor will it normally offer you more than one
version…

> When I
> uninstall(delete) I use Yast and Yast again to reinstall all as user,
> except for the last time which was 3.2.3

copy paste/return the result of this command:


zypper lr -d

>
> If I wish to be root I have always logged out as user and relogged in
> as root,

(if you are talking about logging out of KDE/Gnome/LDXE/XFCE/etc as
yourself and then back in as root then)
stick out your hand and let me whack it with a ruler…
do not do that…

but, if you had logged in as yourself and THEN opened a terminal and
logged in as yourself, then out and back in IN THE TERMINAL as root,
that is just fine! just do NOT log into the GUI as root…(clear?)

> back to the big blue and unix terminal days! perhaps I should
> have been using the su- instead.

well, if you are when logged into KDE/etc as yourself and do
Ctrl+Alt+F1 to do a full screen terminal, then you may decided for
yourself if you log into that terminal as yourself and use su - OR if
you want to just log into that terminal as root, go ahead, no harm
done…(well, not until you allow root to do something stupid!)

> When I suspected that there was a root permission only in TB,

only root should be able to mess with the TB program…which is
different from your settings…

I logged
> in as root and using the “Further Applications” box found TB and clicked
> on it and found it correctly as a base (no ISP or data of files) system,

i have NO idea what you are talking about…where did you find a
“Further Application”

> I closed it and the went into YAst (as root) and uninstalled it. I
> looked at software management to ensure there were no other copies and
> also in the etc & usr directories to ensure that the .thunderbird
> directory did not still exist. I then logged out and relogged in as user
> and reinstalled under Yast.

that should all be good…

> This has been the only time I have used the graphical system under
> root, I have only used it before with terminal commands, and have always
> used the log method of getting there.

hmmmmm sounds ok…

> I look forward to your comments

very strange…one more time, did you check the disk prior to
installing? if not do it now…if it is corrupt you need to start
over…if it is not corrupt and you didn’t have errors during the
install of TB, your Thunderbird should shine like a new penny and i’m
at a loss for why it might not, so please pay attention to
FeatherMonkey’s posting and follow his nose until he gives up…ok?