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Last update ruined my Thunderbird What went wrong?

  • 8 cavab
  • 1 has this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by Seldom

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After the 38.6.0 install Thunderbird is a mess. My inboxes only show if I right click on the left hand menu bar and select show them in a separate window. Can't find help-> about anywhere. How do I safely do a clean install without losing my old data?

After the 38.6.0 install Thunderbird is a mess. My inboxes only show if I right click on the left hand menu bar and select show them in a separate window. Can't find help-> about anywhere. How do I safely do a clean install without losing my old data?

Chosen solution

Do you have the calendar add-on (Lightning) installed?

Please add the troubleshooting information to your post To find the Troubleshooting information:

  • Open Help (or click on three-line-icon and select Help)
  • Choose Troubleshooting Information
  • Use the button Copy to clipboard to select all. Do not check box "Include account names"!
  • Paste this in your post.
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All Replies (8)

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Right-click your toolbar, select Menu Bar.

Now, View|Layout and recover your folder pane. And Help will be there too.

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Right click of tool bar brings up Customize. Customize goes nowhere. Can't even open up Thunderbird after closing.

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Please provide us with a screenshot. If you need help to create a screenshot, please see How do I create a screenshot of my problem?

Once you've done this, attach the saved screenshot file to your forum post by clicking the Browse... button below the Post your reply box. This will help us to visualize the problem.

Thank you!

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Two screenshots attached. I got this after I uninstalled my 38.5.1 build and installed a download of a full version of 38.6.0 from the Thunderbird download page. I uninstalled/reinstalled after the partial patch and full patch automated updates failed several times. Results after the full automatic updates were identical to the screenshot. In order to get a functioning Thunderbird back, I've used Win10 system restore every time.

Right clicking on the toolbar brings up a "customize" wizard tag that doesn't do anything when clicked.

I can get account inboxes to show if I right click them and select "Open in New Tab", but the blank account window on the right occurred when I selected one account in the left column, but the menu tab remained on the account I hadn't selected.

FYI: My OS is Win10. My Security Software is Norton Internet Security.

Modified by Seldom

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Follow up: I reinstalled 38.5.1 from a download I got from http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/thunderbird/releases/38.5.1/win32/en-US/ . The attached image below is what I saw when Thunderbird opened after the installation. When I tried the reinstall, I quit Thunderbird 38.6.0, but the 38.5.1 installer told me it was still running. I opened the task manager, and the Thunderbird process was running in the Processes window, but the "Fewer Details" window did not show Thunderbird running.

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Seçilmiş Həll

Do you have the calendar add-on (Lightning) installed?

Please add the troubleshooting information to your post To find the Troubleshooting information:

  • Open Help (or click on three-line-icon and select Help)
  • Choose Troubleshooting Information
  • Use the button Copy to clipboard to select all. Do not check box "Include account names"!
  • Paste this in your post.
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Yes, I did have Lightning installed, but it I see it is incompatible with 38.5.1 so I just removed it.

Modified by Seldom

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Matt said

Do you have the calendar add-on (Lightning) installed?

I tried the update with Lightning removed, and it worked fine. Thanks for your help.