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.

Avatar for Username

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

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

After an automated upgrade, the profile folder location appears to have changed. Is this expected?

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 6 views
  • Last reply by aixarat72

aixarat72
aixarat72
more options

Folder location on Mac OS has been for the past three years: /Users/[my user]/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/[randomA].default

I have migrated twice, just making sure to place the files in the correct folder. This morning when starting Thunderbird it appears blank, as in a new install. My default folder is still in the same place, the hour it was last written to as per the OS is last night, as expected.

Checking at the OS level (lsof) I find this is the current directory opened is now: /private/var/empty/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/[randomB].default/ This folder is brand new, and the profile is empty.

The installed version is now 60.4.0, apparently released December 20, 2018, the latest as of today.

Is this profile location expected?

Folder location on Mac OS has been for the past three years: /Users/[my user]/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/[randomA].default I have migrated twice, just making sure to place the files in the correct folder. This morning when starting Thunderbird it appears blank, as in a new install. My default folder is still in the same place, the hour it was last written to as per the OS is last night, as expected. Checking at the OS level (lsof) I find this is the current directory opened is now: /private/var/empty/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/[randomB].default/ This folder is brand new, and the profile is empty. The installed version is now 60.4.0, apparently released December 20, 2018, the latest as of today. Is this profile location expected?

Chosen solution

Yeah, I just needed to reboot my Mac and then Home was "found" again.

Thanks for the note.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (3)

aixarat72
aixarat72 Question owner
more options

[update]

Trying to create a new folder at the previously-working location does not work either: I simply cannot see, in the profile manager dialog, the /Users/[my user]/Library folder. Appears as if T-Bird is somehow chrooted

Toad-Hall
Toad-Hall
  • Top 25 Contributor
more options

This is the correct one. /Users/[my user]/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/[randomA].default


I do not use a MAC, but it sounds as if the computer has lost the $HOME attribute. Located this link, which sounds like a similar situation. https://superuser.com/questions/721623/could-not-create-directory-var-empty-ssh

  • disconnected and reconnected network cable
  • reset $Home variable

This is an interesting read: https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/305627/what-is-causing-high-sierra-to-forget-where-my-home-directory-is

aixarat72
aixarat72 Question owner
more options

Chosen Solution

Yeah, I just needed to reboot my Mac and then Home was "found" again.

Thanks for the note.