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Thunderbird already running on UNIX system

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  • Last reply by fuffberry

fuffberry
fuffberry
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Attempts to start Thunderbird on a UNIX system result in a 'Thunderbird already running' message. This is even though Thunderbird is not already running and, there is no .parentlock present

Attempts to start Thunderbird on a UNIX system result in a 'Thunderbird already running' message. This is even though Thunderbird is not already running and, there is no .parentlock present

Chosen solution

Thunderbird responds with the already running message if someone is holding the .parentlock or, you are unable to create that .parentlock at startup.

My Thunderbird has several email profiles on an Ubuntu system with multiple user accounts. These multiple user accounts (IDs) have access to the various Thunderbird profiles.

Somehow the permission bits on several of the email profiles got flipped (from 777 to 775) resulting in loss of permission to create new files in the profile directory. The .parentlock is created when Thunderbird starts but, if permission is denied to create a file - Thunderbird thinks it's because the profile is in use.

Setting permissions of 777 solved this problem. Permissions of 770 would have also worked if every ID who should be able to open a specific profile were in the group association with the profile directory

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fuffberry
fuffberry Question owner
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Chosen Solution

Thunderbird responds with the already running message if someone is holding the .parentlock or, you are unable to create that .parentlock at startup.

My Thunderbird has several email profiles on an Ubuntu system with multiple user accounts. These multiple user accounts (IDs) have access to the various Thunderbird profiles.

Somehow the permission bits on several of the email profiles got flipped (from 777 to 775) resulting in loss of permission to create new files in the profile directory. The .parentlock is created when Thunderbird starts but, if permission is denied to create a file - Thunderbird thinks it's because the profile is in use.

Setting permissions of 777 solved this problem. Permissions of 770 would have also worked if every ID who should be able to open a specific profile were in the group association with the profile directory