This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Thunderbird already running

  • 1 cavab
  • 1 has this problem
  • 17 views
  • Last reply by sfhowes

more options

I have been trying to help a client using Thunderbird who began getting 'Thunderbird is running' errors when starting it. This has been going on for a number of months. I have tried the delete parent.lock file, starting in safe mode, reinstalling, rebuilding mail data (has one gmail account imaped in it) but when I think it is fixed and leave her it happens again.

She only has one computer so I don't believe it could be from having two instances using the profile.

She thinks it started after a Windows 10 upgrade months back.

Side note, I was giving up and installed Office 365 for Outlook and the trial version wouldn't load her Gmail imap account (it is near 15 gigs of mail)

I am open to any suggestions as I clearly can't fix this myself.

I have been trying to help a client using Thunderbird who began getting 'Thunderbird is running' errors when starting it. This has been going on for a number of months. I have tried the delete parent.lock file, starting in safe mode, reinstalling, rebuilding mail data (has one gmail account imaped in it) but when I think it is fixed and leave her it happens again. She only has one computer so I don't believe it could be from having two instances using the profile. She thinks it started after a Windows 10 upgrade months back. Side note, I was giving up and installed Office 365 for Outlook and the trial version wouldn't load her Gmail imap account (it is near 15 gigs of mail) I am open to any suggestions as I clearly can't fix this myself.

All Replies (1)

more options

There are lots of reasons why this problem can recur, but creating a new profile may be the best solution:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_in_use