Can't launch T-Bird

I have been going NUTS! I can't launch T-Bird, my e-mail program. Version 1.0.2 .I have uninstalled & re-installed the program. I have tried everything but to no avail? Can someone help me please. I uninstalled thru the Control Pannel, then deleted the programs folders but when I begin again all new from download it will not launch. Makes all the noise like it will launch but nope :-(
Thanks in advance,,
~~Paul

 

EDIT: Time to go back to bed! I completely misread your post, and substituted Firefox for Tbird in my head. Message deleted, new information coming.

 

that's okay JIM,,we have been celebrating here in Beantown since October!!!! I never sleep anymore

 

Hi Paul,

Yeah, I know. My son left Winthrop in September, after 17 years in Beantown, and still hasn't let me forget the Series (and the S'bowl).

Several things to try ...

1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Alt + Delete) and see if Thunderbird is already running. If so, right-click on it and select "End Process ".

2. Out-of-date extensions may be your problem, if you have any installed. Try deleting everything in your Tbird profile's extensions folder and see if you can open Tbird.

3. Have you moved your profile folder? Check the C:\Documents and Settings\<Username>\Application Data\Thunderbird\profiles.ini file to make certain that it's pointing to the proper location.

4. As a last resort, after uninstalling Tbird, make certain that all components except your profile folder have been removed:

a. delete any remnants of the Thunderbird program folder.

b. delete the /Thunderbird folder mentioned in 3, above.

c. if you don't have a program like RegSeeker, get it. It doesn't need to be installed, as it runs from its own folder. Do a search for "thunderbird" (no quotes), and delete any reference you find.​

5. Reinstall Tbird. I really prefer the .zip versions to the installer (.exe) versions, but use whichever you prefer. Before running the program, run the profile manager (Start > Run > path to the Tbird executable suffixed by -p, with a space before the dash). Create a new profile, but point it to your old profile folder.​

One, or a combination, of these should allow you to start Tbird. In any event, please post back and let us know how you're doing.

 

Hi Paul,

Oh, I know Revere and Revere Beach ... not well, but enough.

I suspect that it was all the detritus left in your registry after you uninstalled Tbird that was preventing it from opening after you reinstalled the program. That's one of the reasons I use the zipped versions, rather than the installer versions ... far fewer registry entries.

I've been down the registry road any number of times ... as a result, RegSeeker has become one of the most useful tools in my software toolbox.

Anyway, I'm glad you were successful ... Tbird is too good a program to be without.

 

Jim,

I noted that the link for RegSeeker is a beta version? Does it also remove the Add/Remove programs, or is that bug fixed in this version?

Ramona

 

Ramona ...

RegSeeker has been at 1.35b, build 1203, for as long as I've been using it.

As I understand it, Add/Remove sometimes failed to work after earlier versions of RegSeeker performed a registry cleaning, but I haven't been aware of any problems. At the same time, I'm not sure I've ever used it to do a general cleaning of my registry. Instead, I use it to delete registry keys associated with specific programs, as mentioned in post #4.

In any event, the author provides a downloadable registry fix, FixAddRemove.reg, saying "Note : If after a cleanup, your Add/Remove control panel doesn't work (release 1.05RC3), just download this reg file and merge it into your registry ".

 

Thanks Jim! Yes, I saw the note and that was what prompted me to ask about the Add/Remove problem.

I use Karen's RegistryRipper after an uninstall of any app.

Ramona

 

Ramona ...

I take it back ... I have cleaned my registry with RegSeeker, but I only uninstall the green listings, not the red ones.

 

Jim,

Good thing you came clean, because I was about to report you to the Registry Police!

Ramona

 

Horrors!

 

Paul,
there was a mention of the .zip file. That is the ideal way to go if there are glitches, because the program is not installed. All you need to do is to get your .zip file, unzip it with a suitable program (Winzip is an example), and locate the folder which is created. Open it, and find the thunderbird.exe file, right click on it, and select to Create a Shortcut (send to desktop). It is a good idea to rename, indicating version number). Just click on the shortcut, and you are ready to get started. When you sick of seeing that version, just delete the shortcut, and the program folder.
Of course, if your problem was affecting your profile, you may have the same problems. But, one can always create a new profile.
By the way, I can manage not sleeping even without thinking about Beantown.
My wife is from Waltham, and, I got my Ph.D. at Brandeis.

 

Or, you can do as I do, and use a permanent shortcut to wherever your Thunderbird/Firefox program folder is located.

I temporarily archive every download with the version number, date, and time, as there frequently are several releases within a calendar day, but I have just one Thunderbird folder/Firefox folder, in a permanent location.

Before unzipping a new build containing the thunderbird/firefox folder (I always capitalize foldernames, but the unzipped folders are uncapitalized and must be renamed), I rename the old folder XThunderbird(04-12-1) or XThunderbird(04-12-2), as the case may be, just so I can keep them straight. When I'm satisfied that the new build is working properly, I delete the older ones, keeping the temporarily archived .zip files for a week or so.

 

Thank you Jim..

Okay my friends I was wondering how to get a Zip File but I think I understand now...great tips for me & I can use all I can get. I think I got into my original problem with this Thread when I added a new 'Theme'...I have printed up your directions to success & I do thank you all again, Jim, Ramona & Westside!!

Paul

 

That's entirely possible, as many themes and extensions don't keep up with newer versions of Firefox/Thunderbird and may not work, or may keep the program(s) from working properly. In a worst-case scenario, such as you experienced, they may even keep the program(s) from opening.

I consider themes to be no more than "eye candy ", and don't use them ... the default theme is quite satisfactory. Also, I don't use more than a handful of extensions, and have found that it's good practice to check for updates regularly.

For both Ramona and Westside (if I'm not being too presumptuous), as well as myself, "you're welcome ".

 

Jim, if you don't mind, could you tell me what a few of the 'extensions' are that you use for Thunderbird E-Mail v1.0.2 ? I only like the "Walnut" theme for the looks (Eye Candy) that I kinda do enjoy
See Ya...
~~Paul

 

The emphasis is mine, but I'd like to elaborate on Westside's remark, and offer some suggestions.

From what I read in various places, I get the impression that many people download files straight to their Desktops, and then work from there. If that works for them, great, but I find it much simpler to work within Windows Explorer, and I have a specific Downloads folder. I also have a specific location for my Firefox and Thunderbird programs. All of these locations can be seen in the attached screenshot.

As mentioned before, in this thread, before unzipping a new version/build I rename the folder I'm replacing (I'll use FF in the example shown in the screenshot).

1. In the screenshot, the Firefox folder has been renamed to XFirefox(04-13) because filenames/foldernames are unique ... you can't have two of the same name in the same folder.

2. I open my _Downloads folder (the leading underscore causes the folder to appear at the top of a long list of other folders not shown).

3. I right-click on the newly downloaded file MOZILLA_FF_1.0.3_Aviary(04-14-1.zip), drag it to the E:\USERFILES\MOZILLA\PROGRAMS\ folder, release, and select WinZip > Extract to here from the context menu.

Note that the unzipped firefox folder is uncapitalized. As said previously, I always capitalize foldernames (to differentiate them from uncapitalized filenames).​

There's no need to create a new shortcut, as the old one is still good.

 

Sure! I use only four, three of which also work with Firefox (FF)

1. Launchy (FF)

2. AboutConfig (FF)

3. TB Attachment Tools

4. InfoLister (FF)​

 

I use only the World Weather extention in my main TB profile. However, I have also set up a separate profile.I have 1.Quote colors (never used)
2. TB attachment tools extention (so-so results)
3.TB in-line Spell Checker: Excellent
4. BCC button, also never used.