Closed Bug 1211291 Opened 9 years ago Closed 4 years ago

Folders are visible, but messages are not, if Lightning is enabled

Categories

(Thunderbird :: Folder and Message Lists, defect)

38 Branch
defect
Not set
major

Tracking

(thunderbird_esr38+)

RESOLVED WORKSFORME
Tracking Status
thunderbird_esr38 + ---

People

(Reporter: fs.morejunk, Unassigned)

References

Details

(Whiteboard: [workaround: comment 10][datalossy])

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; rv:41.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/41.0
Build ID: 20150929144111

Steps to reproduce:

I installed the new version that was pushed through today.


Actual results:

It rendered everything in my profile inaccessible.


Expected results:

I should have been able to see and read my existing messages, my contacts, etc..
Hi reporter, 
unfortunately this report is not very useful because it does not describe the problem well. If you have time and can still reproduce the problem, please read https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/QA/Bug_writing_guidelines and add a more useful description to this report.
Flags: needinfo?(fs.morejunk)
It describes the problem exactly. Once the upgrade to 38.3 went through and restarted the whole application became unusable. I could see my folders but not access any message nor contacts or any other feature. I had to uninstall and then install 38.0 to get it to work again.
Flags: needinfo?(fs.morejunk)
We are seeing several reports of this
http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=2965781
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1087066
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1087126
Severity: normal → major
Component: Untriaged → Folder and Message Lists
Summary: Disabling access → Folders are visible, but messages are not.
Whiteboard: [datalossy]
Depends on: 1211160
So v38.0. works for you, but 38.3 not?
workaround described in bug 1211160 comment 10:
On a computer where 38.3 was already installed, I add to start in safe mode with addons disabled, remove Lightning 4.0.3, restart, and install Lightning via the addons menu (the only proposed version was 4.0.2.1 though). This worked, but I have an older Lighting version.
Status: UNCONFIRMED → NEW
Ever confirmed: true
Whiteboard: [datalossy] → [workaround: comment 10][datalossy]
So, since downgrading to 4.0.2.1 resolves the problem, this is a Lightning bug, not a Thunderbird bug?
(In reply to Wayne Mery (:wsmwk, use Needinfo for questions) from comment #7)
> workaround described in bug 1211160 comment 10:
> On a computer where 38.3 was already installed, I add to start in safe mode
> with addons disabled, remove Lightning 4.0.3, restart, and install Lightning
> via the addons menu (the only proposed version was 4.0.2.1 though). This
> worked, but I have an older Lighting version.

I have not installed any Lightning, I do not use the integrated calendar for Thunderbird. I use only gContactSync 2.o.7, I need it. Previous updates of Thunderbird ( older than 38.3 ) went properly. I did not have to reinstall gContactSync.
It is now integrated, so even though you didn't install it, it is probably installed and the cause of your problem...
So, is Mozilla planning on downgrading the bundled version of Lightning in 38.3 auto-update build to 4.0.2.1 or not? We still have users hitting this when they update.
There will likely be a updated version of Thunderbird with a new verion of Lightning. But if you read this bug and bug 1211160 you know we don't have a cause let alone a solution.  When we know more, more information will be posted.

Until then, what users have is the workaround. We have turned off Thunderbird automatic updates. If you have users who are doing manual updates you will want to advise them accordingly.
?

The cause is Lightning 4.0.3.

Until the lightning bug is fixed, the solution is to remove lightning 4.0.3 from the bundled TB and replace it with a working version (4.0.2.1).
Philipp, do you have any idea what is going on here?
Flags: needinfo?(philipp)
(In reply to Charles from comment #13)
> It is now integrated, so even though you didn't install it, it is probably
> installed and the cause of your problem...

Yes, maybe you are right but I do not have time for making some experiments. I have reinstalled older version Thunderbird 38.2 and wait for newer version with fixed problem.
The backend bits of this are being covered in the blocking calendar bug 1211160
Flags: needinfo?(philipp)
(In reply to Charles from comment #16)
> The cause is Lightning 4.0.3.

No, that is merely the "delivery" mechanism.  The cause is specific fault in calendar, or thunderbird, or addon packaging, that is allowing the addon to imact Thunderbird UI - which is unknown.

> Until the lightning bug is fixed, the solution is to remove lightning 4.0.3
> from the bundled TB and replace it with a working version (4.0.2.1).

I think it *highly* unlikely that we will do that.
(In reply to Charles from comment #21)
> Great, so everyone who updates to 38.3 will have another excuse to complain
> about Thunderbird.

Very few people update manually, except enterprises who should be testing their updates before rolling them out. Do you have data to the contrary?

> Brilliant.

What your fellow users could really use is definitely not scarcasm, but a useful contribution - which it seems you could choose to do since you obviously encountered the issue. Two possiblities:
 a) offer to help us debug the issue - there is useful data users who have a failing PC can provide
 b) offer to be part of the team that tests releases - which we in fact did and did not enounter this  issue during testing
(In reply to Wayne Mery (:wsmwk, use Needinfo for questions) from comment #20)
> No, that is merely the "delivery" mechanism.

Lets pick nits shall we? The fact is, it is the update to TB 38.3 that brings Lightning 4.0.3, and downgrading lightning from 4.0.3 to 4.0.2.1 solves the problem.

So, until the precise and actual cause of the problem is nailed down, the *solution* is to quickly (but we are long past that) pull the faulty update to 4.0.3.

(In reply to Wayne Mery (:wsmwk, use Needinfo for questions) from comment #22) 
> Very few people update manually,

What does that have to do with my comment? I was talking about the vast majority of end users who just install TB, which has auto-update enabled by default.

> except enterprises who should be testing their updates before rolling them out. Do you have data to the contrary?

No, your comment was factually correct, just irrelevant to mine.

Once a solution to a major problem is found, if said solution is to downgrade an integrated Addon, that should be pushed out immediately, not sit around twiddling thumbs picking nits.

> What your fellow users could really use is definitely not scarcasm, but a
> useful contribution - which it seems you could choose to do since you
> obviously encountered the issue.

I did provide a useful contribution. I suggested the immediate pulling of the problem Addon and replacing it with one that doesn't have the problem.

You casually and inexplicably rejected said suggestion, thus prompting my sarcastic response.

> Two possiblities:
>  a) offer to help us debug the issue - there is useful data users who have a
> failing PC can provide
>  b) offer to be part of the team that tests releases - which we in fact did
> and did not enounter this issue during testing

Both comments totally valid and on point. I also tested, but didn't encounter any problems.

From what I can tell apparently the problem only happens when an auto-update occurs, not when a manual update is performed.

I'll test a couple of things and report my findings.
(In reply to Charles from comment #23)
> (In reply to Wayne Mery (:wsmwk, use Needinfo for questions) from comment
> #20)
> > No, that is merely the "delivery" mechanism.
> 
> Lets pick nits shall we? The fact is, it is the update to TB 38.3 that
> brings Lightning 4.0.3, and downgrading lightning from 4.0.3 to 4.0.2.1
> solves the problem.
> 
> So, until the precise and actual cause of the problem is nailed down, the
> *solution* is to quickly (but we are long past that) pull the faulty update
> to 4.0.3.
> 
I think I've mentioned this in another bug, but actually the packaged Lightning 4.0.3 is correct. You can verify this by installing Thunderbird 38.3.0 into a separate directory and running it with a new profile.

The problem is not the bits in the package, these are correct, but likely something in the update code in the Mozilla platform. When upgrading from 38.2.0 to 38.3.0, the files in distribution/extensions/ are updated correctly, but the code that applies this to the profile-installed Lightning seems to make a mistake. We are still trying to nail this down.

In the meanwhile, we are considering releasing the AMO version of Lightning 4.0.3, renumbering it as something like 4.0.3.1. This will cause Thunderbird to check for extension updates and install this version using the normal (non-distribution) extension update code, correcting the broken chrome.manifest.

You can try the test builds (not renumbered yet) for addons.mozilla.org here, I'm certain they will also fix a broken Thunderbird: https://mozilla.kewis.ch/releases/ltn403/

Please also see bug 1211358, it contains more useful information.
Ok, thanks, much better explanation...

I'm still pretty sure that when I did manual updates, the problem did not manifest, but I haven't had time this morning to test that theory - ironically, I'm too busy fixing this for our users (2 more to go this morning)... ;)
This is indeed valuable information. Can you confirm that the manifest file is correct for you in the thunderbird-dir/distribution/extensions/ directory, but broken in the profile-dir/extensions directory?
Charles, you could do an enormous service to Thunderbird by figuring out how to duplicate this failure, since your users are seeing it.

My current theory is that there is some sort of file copying failure, perhaps caused by an AV program, that is preventing the chrome.manifest file from being updated correctly. Other possible theories are that there is a particular series of update processes that cause this.

Without STR it is really hard to know what to do to prevent this in the future.

If it does turn out to be a result of a false positive from an AV program, it might not be possible to duplicated this at all, as the virus definition file might have been updated.

I would also appreciate knowing what AV programs are in use for anyone seeing this.
Flags: needinfo?(tanstaafl)
I'd love to help, but we stopped seeing this about the time Lightning 4.0.3.1 was released.

We are and have been using ESET NOD32 for a very long time...
Flags: needinfo?(tanstaafl)
Yes, the update to 4.0.3.1 will fix it for users, but this is just a workaround, it may happen again. Is there a chance that you could set up a test environment, install older versions of Thunderbird, do some upgrades and try to find the trigger that causes this to happen? If we could just reproduce this artifically, it would be an enormous help.
I'll see what I can do, but I just updated someone today, from 31.x, and they never experienced the problem, so it seems that the issue simply isn't happening any more. I'll install 38.2 on a test system I have and see what happens...

Oh - and as to the AV, we don't use the Security Suite (with firewall etc) of ESET, just the plain AV (Endpoint AV, the business version, 5.0.2229.1 mostly)
(In reply to Charles from comment #28)

> We are and have been using ESET NOD32 for a very long time...


I have been using ESET NOD32 V8 (Not Business) for the past couple of years and did not see the issue.
See Also: → 1211358
Ok, this is frustrating... I tried, but the bottom line is I was simply not able to reproduce the problem. All of the updates went of without a hitch...

I'm not sure what else to try.

:(
Charles, thanks for trying.
This problem just reappeared on several Windows 7 machines across our network after upgrading to 38.4. We worked around it before by downgrading from 38.3 to 38.2. Since automatic updates are up again for 38.4 we get it again. This is obviously not solved.
No longer depends on: 1211160
Duplicates:
Bug 1067969 - Thunderbird starts with blank panels 
Bug 1211291 - Folders are visible, but messages are not.
Looks to be lots of this in SUMO following 38.6 release.
(In reply to Matt from comment #39)
> Looks to be lots of this in SUMO following 38.6 release.

A few, yes. On Friday I came across several 38.6.0 reports that may be lightning related. I don't claim they all match this bug. I did not attempt to establish STR
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1110048#answer-849257
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1111477#answer-849242
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1111143
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1111202
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1111508#answer-849243
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1111692 (cited also by christian)
christian also cited in email
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1111933
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1110710

iirc Kent was hoping to look into this
Please see additional information added to my original bug report (1251929). The lightning add on was disabled by the 38.6.0 installation process and surely should not be the cause. I had not realised the first time round that after installation and opening of 38.6.0 the use of the X close window button closed the displayed window but did not close thunderbird itself. It was not until I tried to remove it and was told by the remove program process that it was still running that I realised this was the case. Restarting 38.6.0 did not produce any improvement. It seems to me that something in the 38.6.0 installation code is not functioning correctly.
(In reply to Worcester12345 from comment #38)
> Duplicates:
> Bug 1067969 - Thunderbird starts with blank panels 
> Bug 1211291 - Folders are visible, but messages are not.

You might have missed these 2 duplicates. Thanks.
Please note all the upgrade problems people reported when upgrading to 38.6:
Bug 1249894 with five duplicates:
bug 1249560, bug 1250438, bug 1250592, bug 1251929, bug 1253906.
so what is the solution to this problem?
Start Thunderbird in safe mode, uninstall Lightning, restart Thunderbird, reinstall Lightning.
(In reply to Charles from comment #46)
> Start Thunderbird in safe mode, uninstall Lightning, restart Thunderbird,
> reinstall Lightning.

I can't run Thunderbird in safe mode.  when I go to the help and click on run with add on disabled nothing happens.  in fact any link like that does not work.  ???
Yep, the person who gave the advice didn't realise that the Help menu doesn't work.

Your solution is here: Bug 1249894 comment #41.
(In reply to Jorg K (GMT+1) from comment #48)
> Yep, the person who gave the advice didn't realise that the Help menu
> doesn't work.
> 
> Your solution is here: Bug 1249894 comment #41.

Thank you I'll check it out.
(In reply to Jorg K (GMT+1) from comment #48)
> Yep, the person who gave the advice didn't realise that the Help menu
> doesn't work.
> 
> Your solution is here: Bug 1249894 comment #41.

No, I simply never ever use the Help menu to do this.

1. Close Thunderbird

2. Start Thunderbird but press+hold the SHIFT key to start it in safe mode

3. Uninstall Lightning

4. Restart Thunderbird

5. Reinstall Lightning

Much, MUCH easier than Bug 1249894 comment #41.
(In reply to Charles from comment #50)
> 2. Start Thunderbird but press+hold the SHIFT key to start it in safe mode
I learn something new every day ;-)
In fact, there once was a "start in safe mode" item on the Windows start menu for FF and TB. I'm not sure if it's still installed.

> Much, MUCH easier than Bug 1249894 comment #41.
Agreed, but the other comment gave the user the steps to *upload* the broken add-on for further analysis. So far we have received a few extension folders and they are all broken in some way or another. We haven't been able to work out why and what goes wrong, so the problem persists and will strike again, mostly inexperienced users who get absolutely stuck.
Been seeing this from time to time lately.
Thunderbird 45.2.0

Usually, it is just a matter of click on a different folder, then click back again, and the emails all show up.
Summary: Folders are visible, but messages are not. → Folders are visible, but messages are not, if Lightning is enabled

Calendar add-on is now integrated with Thunderbird, so it is likely this issue should no longer occur and closing this bug report as a result.

Please comment if you are still seeing a problem when using a current version of Thunderbird.

Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 4 years ago
Resolution: --- → WORKSFORME
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