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I have thunderbird installed in program files & program files (x86), which one can I uninstall and not loose my profiles & address book?

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by sfhowes

shortstop1
shortstop1
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When I uninstall thunderbird from the program files, and start thunderbird from the program files (x86) , it asks me to create new profiles. I tried doing it in reverse {uninstall the program files (x86) and tried starting from the program files} and the same thing happens. I loose my address book and the emails that where there. Not sure how I managed to install it into two different "thunderbird" folders. I am using Win 7 pro and have the thunderbird version 68.2 installed. Which one should I uninstall and be able to keep my profiles and the names in my address book?

When I uninstall thunderbird from the program files, and start thunderbird from the program files (x86) , it asks me to create new profiles. I tried doing it in reverse {uninstall the program files (x86) and tried starting from the program files} and the same thing happens. I loose my address book and the emails that where there. Not sure how I managed to install it into two different "thunderbird" folders. I am using Win 7 pro and have the thunderbird version 68.2 installed. Which one should I uninstall and be able to keep my profiles and the names in my address book?

Chosen solution

It's OK to have multiple versions of TB installed, as long as only one is running, and you take care with profile management. I would recommend you keep the 32-bit version in Program Files (x86) and remove any others there or 64-bit versions in Program Files.

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All Replies (5)

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
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You can keep either the 32-bit version (recommended) in Program Files (x86) or the 64-bit version in Program Files, but not both. When you launch the remaining version, go to Help/Troubleshooting Information, click about:profiles, and see if there is a profile, not the one in use, that ends with .default. Choose that one as the Default profile and then relaunch TB, and see if your old data appears.

shortstop1
shortstop1 Question owner
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I forgot to mention that I use the profile manager and have two different profiles. Will the above reply still work for both of my profiles?

sfhowes
sfhowes
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Yes, making the changes or selecting profiles with Profile Manager will accomplish the same as about:profiles. The 32-bit and 64-bit programs read the same profiles.

Modified by sfhowes

Don Arneson
Don Arneson
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I have two M Tbird programs running and am sure I should only have one. Which one should I delete: Service" 261 KB or "68.3.1 (x86 en-US)"? Or, should I delete neither? The duplicity seems to make it all run way too slow. I must have erred somewhere to have this redundancy. I would assume that maybe I should delete the x86.

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Chosen Solution

It's OK to have multiple versions of TB installed, as long as only one is running, and you take care with profile management. I would recommend you keep the 32-bit version in Program Files (x86) and remove any others there or 64-bit versions in Program Files.