thunderbird snaps broke all content-handling applications
When I upgraded my ubuntu system from 22.04 to 24.04, I was compelled to accept the conversion of thunderbird to snaps. Now none of the applications -- like http handler -- will run because snap maps them all to something under /run/usr/... AND THEY WON'T RUN FROM THERE I cannot even use Help to make a donation! I need to be able to get to vivaldi, firefox, libreoffice and others. Every time I enter one in the application box, the snapper remaps to /run/user/... I try to find that location and it's not there -- of course it won't run! -- and the application won't work. screenshots attached
Tell me how to roll back from v128.3.1esr to a version without snaps -- without losing 10 years worth of email!
Chosen solution
Mr/Ms Toad-Hall:
Oh s**t. Trashed my boot disk. I was able to repair it and boot, which is where I am now.
snap-thunderbird is not installed, but still there is a /snap/thunderbird directory. I deleted it once, but snap put it back again. Clearly, snap thinks it still controls thunderbird, even though I installed the non-snap-thunderbird from thunderbird.net.
When I run thunderbird from my XFCE application menu, the thunderbird that starts does not see my ~/.thunderbird or ~/.mozilla-thunderbird directory. Hence I can no longer see my email.
I am getting ready to downgrade from ubuntu 24.0.4 back to 22.0.4. You told me I cannot go to lower version of thunderbird, so after the OS downgrade, I will manually remove the thunderbird that unbuntu install gives me, and install the version from thunderbird.net.
I will begin looking for another email program.
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re :Tell me how to roll back from v128.3.1esr to a version without snaps -- without losing 10 years worth of email!
Snap stores everything in a different location. I'm not sure where your profile has been copied to at this point, but here is some info.
I believe snap wants to use this location for profile: /home/yourusername/snap/thunderbird/common/.thunderbird/xxxxxxxx.profileName
I believe flatpack uses this: .~/.var/app/org.mozilla.Thunderbird/.thunderbird/<profile name>
Default location for a Thunderbird profile when you download from official website. Linux and Unix Profile folders are located here: ~/.thunderbird<Profile name>/ However, if you're using a third party build from Debian or Ubuntu, those builds store your profile folder here: ~/.mozilla-thunderbird<Profile name>.
In all cases the folder you need to copy is '.thunderbird' (or maybe '.mozilla-thunderbird')
Info on installing Thunderbird.
Version 128.3.1esr https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/all/ Choose Locale: Language, Thunderbird Extended Support release, OS - Linux
Modified by Toad-Hall
Thank you, Toad-Hall. That was very useful information. I found the .thunderbird folder under ~/snap/thunderbird/common. Under the .thunderbird in that directory, the rest of my thunderbird files and directories seem to reside.
I don't understand enough about the snap process to know where to go from here. Do I have to stop snapd and userd before I move the .thunderbird directory back where it belongs? Anything else?
Your link for installing thunderbird is problematical. As far as I can see, flatpack is another system as complex as the snap system; no, thank you. My ubuntu package manager only offers snap versions of thunderbird.
thunderbird.net only offers me the same version I already have, 128.3.1esr. There's no way for me to tell whether that version requires/uses snap in advance.
Do I need to go to ubuntu support to find out how to make the content applications work with snap-thunderbird?
The link mentions all three methods. You have used 'snap', but say you want to use the normal official one - not snap and not flatpak The link mentions:
- Installing Thunderbird manually (For advanced users)
All instructions are given at that link, you do not want to install beta nor daily - The actual download is here: Version 128.3.1esr https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/all/ Choose Locale: Language, Thunderbird Extended Support release, OS - Linux
re :thunderbird.net only offers me the same version I already have, 128.3.1esr.
That's the version you want - same as current. It's not 'snap' and it's not 'flatpak', it's the thunderbird download from the official thunderbird website. You really need to install the same version because it's more complicated to go backwards. Your profile is already set up to use 128.3.1esr.
You installed via snap. That means you have a thunderbird profile etc here: /home/yourusername/snap/thunderbird/common/.thunderbird/
Get a copy of that '.thunderbird folder' and put it somewhere useful and handy such as desktop, so you can use it as a backup copy.
Uninstall snap Thunderbird. Download and install Thunderbird from official website and install using the instructions at that link. Make sure you have all the required libraries - see system requirements - https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/128.3.2esr/system-requirements/ When you run for first time...If it asks you to create a new mail account - just Exit Thunderbird.
You will then need to get your profile copied over - so you must exit thunderbird before doing it.
To get copy of all the original profile data etc into the default location do this: https://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Thunderbird#Linux_and_Unix Access: ~/.thunderbird<Profile name>/ However, if you're using a third party build from Debian or Ubuntu, those builds store your profile folder here: ~/.mozilla-thunderbird<Profile name>
Delete the contents of '.mozilla-thunderbird' - keep the folder because you are going to fill it with all the data from the backup.
Locate the copied .thunderbird folder - open it and copy all of it's contents. then go back to the empty '.mozilla-thunderbird' folder and paste in all the copied files and folders. Start Thunderbird.
I followed your instructions. All the programs went in without error. However, I still cannot use content applications. I have tried again to set /usr/bin/vivaldi to be the application for http, but I am unable to change the path to vivaldi, and the /run/user/.... path doesn't work.
I exited thunderbird, then manually deleted /snap/thunderbird, which I was unable to do because snap mounted it RO. At least, /snap/thunderbird/..../thunderbird is no longer running.
At this point, I still have the backup of .thunderbird, but I have no access to the files. ~/.mozilla-thunderbird is a symlink to ~/.thunderbird.
Where do I go from here?
Chosen Solution
Mr/Ms Toad-Hall:
Oh s**t. Trashed my boot disk. I was able to repair it and boot, which is where I am now.
snap-thunderbird is not installed, but still there is a /snap/thunderbird directory. I deleted it once, but snap put it back again. Clearly, snap thinks it still controls thunderbird, even though I installed the non-snap-thunderbird from thunderbird.net.
When I run thunderbird from my XFCE application menu, the thunderbird that starts does not see my ~/.thunderbird or ~/.mozilla-thunderbird directory. Hence I can no longer see my email.
I am getting ready to downgrade from ubuntu 24.0.4 back to 22.0.4. You told me I cannot go to lower version of thunderbird, so after the OS downgrade, I will manually remove the thunderbird that unbuntu install gives me, and install the version from thunderbird.net.
I will begin looking for another email program.
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