1597134 - Profile is never saved, I need to create email account every time I open Thunderbird, because running Thunderbird from disk image on Mac (not properly installed)

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 1595785

(Thunderbird :: General, defect)

Description

[Lauri Loebel Carpenter]

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_1) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/78.0.3904.97 Safari/537.36

Steps to reproduce:

I downloaded Thunderbird after upgrading to MacOS Catalina and finding my old release to be not working properly (in particular, new messages were not displaying in bold font at all). I had been using v60-something; the download was 68.2.2 (64-bit). I dragged the application to the applications folder. I started Thunderbird application. It asked me for my email account, which is an Exchange account so it offered to install owl to access exchange email. It sent me to outlook365 to validate my identity. Everything worked just fine -- it got all my folders, it updated the unread message count in each folder, the new messages displayed in bold, I was able to set my preferences. It was working fine. I exited Thunderbird.

I opened thunderbird again later.

Actual results:

It did not know who I was, it asked me to create my account all over again, as if I had never opened it before. I did this repeatedly. Every single time I exited, it would forget who I was as if I had never opened the application before.

I rebooted in between some of my attempts (to remove any possible locked files etc.), and tried again, but to no avail. I can get my mail, but once I exit, there is no persistence of account profile/preferences/settings/email accounts. I have re-initialize my profile every single time.

I've tried to copy&paste the system information from the "send via email" popup of the Troubleshooting page, since the "copy text to clipboard" does not seem to be working.

WARNING: This contains sensitive information which shouldn't be forwarded or published without permission.
Application Basics
Name Thunderbird
Version 68.2.2
Build ID 20191105113228
Update Channel release
User Agent Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10.15; rv:68.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/68.2.2
OS Darwin 19.0.0
Multiprocess Windows 0/0 Disabled
Remote Processes 0
Enterprise Policies Inactive
Google Location Service Key Missing
Google Safebrowsing Key Missing
Mozilla Location Service Key Missing
Safe Mode false
Mail and News Accounts
ID Name Incoming server Outgoing servers
Name Connection security Authentication method Identity Name Connection security Authentication method Default?
Crash Reports for the Last 3 Days
Report ID Submitted
Remote Processes
Type Count
Extensions
Name Version Enabled ID
Amazon.com 1.1 true [e-mail]
Bing 1.0 true [e-mail]
DuckDuckGo 1.0 true [e-mail]
Google 1.0 true [e-mail]
Lightning 68.2.2 true {e2fda1a4-762b-4020-b5ad-a41df1933103}
Owl for Exchange 0.7 true [e-mail]
Twitter 1.0 true [e-mail]
Wikipedia (en) 1.0 true [e-mail]
Graphics
Features
Compositing Basic
Asynchronous Pan/Zoom none
WebGL 1 Driver WSI Info CGL
WebGL 1 Driver Renderer Intel Inc. -- Intel Iris OpenGL Engine
WebGL 1 Driver Version 4.1 INTEL-14.2.16
WebGL 1 Driver Extensions GL_ARB_blend_func_extended GL_ARB_draw_buffers_blend GL_ARB_draw_indirect GL_ARB_ES2_compatibility GL_ARB_explicit_attrib_location GL_ARB_gpu_shader_fp64 GL_ARB_gpu_shader5 GL_ARB_instanced_arrays GL_ARB_internalformat_query GL_ARB_occlusion_query2 GL_ARB_sample_shading GL_ARB_sampler_objects GL_ARB_separate_shader_objects GL_ARB_shader_bit_encoding GL_ARB_shader_subroutine GL_ARB_shading_language_include GL_ARB_tessellation_shader GL_ARB_texture_buffer_object_rgb32 GL_ARB_texture_cube_map_array GL_ARB_texture_gather GL_ARB_texture_query_lod GL_ARB_texture_rgb10_a2ui GL_ARB_texture_storage GL_ARB_texture_swizzle GL_ARB_timer_query GL_ARB_transform_feedback2 GL_ARB_transform_feedback3 GL_ARB_vertex_attrib_64bit GL_ARB_vertex_type_2_10_10_10_rev GL_ARB_viewport_array GL_EXT_debug_label GL_EXT_debug_marker GL_EXT_framebuffer_multisample_blit_scaled GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic GL_EXT_texture_sRGB_decode GL_APPLE_client_storage GL_APPLE_container_object_shareable GL_APPLE_flush_render GL_APPLE_object_purgeable GL_APPLE_rgb_422 GL_APPLE_row_bytes GL_APPLE_texture_range GL_ATI_texture_mirror_once GL_NV_texture_barrier
WebGL 1 Extensions ANGLE_instanced_arrays EXT_blend_minmax EXT_color_buffer_half_float EXT_disjoint_timer_query EXT_float_blend EXT_frag_depth EXT_shader_texture_lod EXT_sRGB EXT_texture_compression_rgtc EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic OES_element_index_uint OES_standard_derivatives OES_texture_float OES_texture_float_linear OES_texture_half_float OES_texture_half_float_linear OES_vertex_array_object WEBGL_color_buffer_float WEBGL_compressed_texture_s3tc WEBGL_compressed_texture_s3tc_srgb WEBGL_debug_renderer_info WEBGL_debug_shaders WEBGL_depth_texture WEBGL_draw_buffers WEBGL_lose_context
WebGL 2 Driver WSI Info CGL
WebGL 2 Driver Renderer Intel Inc. -- Intel Iris OpenGL Engine
WebGL 2 Driver Version 4.1 INTEL-14.2.16
WebGL 2 Driver Extensions GL_ARB_blend_func_extended GL_ARB_draw_buffers_blend GL_ARB_draw_indirect GL_ARB_ES2_compatibility GL_ARB_explicit_attrib_location GL_ARB_gpu_shader_fp64 GL_ARB_gpu_shader5 GL_ARB_instanced_arrays GL_ARB_internalformat_query GL_ARB_occlusion_query2 GL_ARB_sample_shading GL_ARB_sampler_objects GL_ARB_separate_shader_objects GL_ARB_shader_bit_encoding GL_ARB_shader_subroutine GL_ARB_shading_language_include GL_ARB_tessellation_shader GL_ARB_texture_buffer_object_rgb32 GL_ARB_texture_cube_map_array GL_ARB_texture_gather GL_ARB_texture_query_lod GL_ARB_texture_rgb10_a2ui GL_ARB_texture_storage GL_ARB_texture_swizzle GL_ARB_timer_query GL_ARB_transform_feedback2 GL_ARB_transform_feedback3 GL_ARB_vertex_attrib_64bit GL_ARB_vertex_type_2_10_10_10_rev GL_ARB_viewport_array GL_EXT_debug_label GL_EXT_debug_marker GL_EXT_framebuffer_multisample_blit_scaled GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic GL_EXT_texture_sRGB_decode GL_APPLE_client_storage GL_APPLE_container_object_shareable GL_APPLE_flush_render GL_APPLE_object_purgeable GL_APPLE_rgb_422 GL_APPLE_row_bytes GL_APPLE_texture_range GL_ATI_texture_mirror_once GL_NV_texture_barrier
WebGL 2 Extensions EXT_color_buffer_float EXT_disjoint_timer_query EXT_float_blend EXT_texture_compression_rgtc EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic OES_texture_float_linear WEBGL_compressed_texture_s3tc WEBGL_compressed_texture_s3tc_srgb WEBGL_debug_renderer_info WEBGL_debug_shaders WEBGL_lose_context
Uses Tiling true
Uses Tiling (Content) true
Off Main Thread Painting Enabled true
Off Main Thread Painting Worker Count 3
Target Frame Rate 60
GPU #1
Active Yes
Vendor ID 0x8086
Device ID 0x0a2e
Diagnostics
AzureCanvasBackend skia
AzureContentBackend skia
AzureFallbackCanvasBackend none
TileHeight 512
TileWidth 512
Decision Log
HW_COMPOSITING
disabled by user: Disabled by pref
OPENGL_COMPOSITING
unavailable by default: Hardware compositing is disabled
WEBRENDER
opt-in by default: WebRender is an opt-in feature
unavailable-no-hw-compositing by runtime: Hardware compositing is disabled
WEBRENDER_QUALIFIED
blacklisted by env: No qualified hardware
Media
Audio Backend audiounit
Max Channels 2
Preferred Sample Rate 44100
Output Devices
Name Group Vendor State Preferred Format Channels Rate Latency
Headphones AppleHDAEngineOutput:1B,0,1,2:0 Apple Inc. Enabled All default: F32LE, support: S16LE S16BE F32LE F32BE 2 default: 44100, support: 44100 - 96000 28 - 4110
DELL U2415 AppleHDAEngineOutputDP:3,0,1,1:0:{AC10-A0BC-3159314C} Apple Inc. Enabled None default: F32LE, support: S16LE S16BE F32LE F32BE 2 default: 48000, support: 32000 - 48000 20 - 4101
Input Devices
Name Group Vendor State Preferred Format Channels Rate Latency
Important Modified Preferences
browser.cache.disk.amount_written 4
browser.cache.disk.capacity 1048576
browser.cache.disk.filesystem_reported 1
extensions.lastAppVersion 68.2.2
media.gmp.storage.version.observed 1
network.predictor.cleaned-up true
places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages 112348
security.sandbox.plugin.tempDirSuffix 87679af1-7e0d-ca4e-89e2-4421fc2610f2
signon.importedFromSqlite true
Important Locked Preferences
Places Database
JavaScript
Incremental GC true
Accessibility
Activated false
Prevent Accessibility 0
Library Versions
Expected minimum version Version in use
NSPR 4.21 4.21
NSS 3.44.2 3.44.2
NSSSMIME 3.44.2 3.44.2
NSSSSL 3.44.2 3.44.2
NSSUTIL 3.44.2 3.44.2
Sandbox
Content Process Sandbox Level 0
Effective Content Process Sandbox Level 1
Internationalization & Localization
Application Settings
Requested Locales ["en-US"]
Available Locales ["en-US"]
App Locales ["en-US"]
Regional Preferences ["en-US"]
Default Locale "en-US"
Operating System
System Locales ["en-US"]
Regional Preferences ["en-US"]

Expected results:

Thunderbird should have created AND PERSISTED a profile with my email account and saved password and other preferences, and I should not have needed to tell it my email address, log in again, etc. I don't expect that I should have to re-initialize thunderbird every single time I use it at home.

Comment 1

[Jorg K (CEST = GMT+2)]

Hmm, I'm not sure why TB 68 created a new profile when it could have used the existing profile. Losing all the profile information or creating a new profile all the time is even more puzzling.

In "Help > Troubleshooting Information", about:profiles, how many profiles do you have? Can you select an earlier one?

Comment 2

[Lauri Loebel Carpenter]

It looks like I have:
Profile: default
Profile: default-release
Profile: default-release-1[-2,-3,-4,-5,-6,-7,-8,-9,-10,-11]
and Profile: default-release-11 says "This is the profile in use and it cannot be deleted." Must be the one I just created in order to look at my mail this evening.

I can, apparently click on a button that says "Set as default profile" for any of the above. I can click on "Launch profile in new browser" to open a new Thunderbird, using the one that I just "Set as default profile" (that is, if I look at the about:profiles in the troubleshooting page of the newly launched thunderbird, it is using the one I just set as default).

But if I exit thunderbird (both of the sessions that were open), and then wait a minute and start it again, here it is, "Set Up and Existing Account" and I have to enter all that profile information another time.

Comment 3

[Lauri Loebel Carpenter]

So it appears to be an acceptable -- temporarily, anyway -- workaround to launch thunderbird, hit Cancel when it asks me to initialize my email address etc., and then go to the troubleshooting page and select one of the existing profile and re-launch. Painful, but at least I can set some preferences. At least I hope so. Can it really be that nobody else using a mac has this problem?!?

Comment 4

[Jorg K (CEST = GMT+2)]

Looks like you create a new profile every single time you launch. Dave, have you heard of cases like this. Or Matt, Anje?

The better workaround is to modify the shortcut that launches TB adding -p default-release. That would start the profile you've described setting up in comment #0. Or you could try adding -p default to start with the original default profile.

Comment 5

[Dave Townsend [:mossop]]

Actually I did just hit something like this in bug 1595785 but it should only happen if you install through something other than drag and drop in Finder. Lauri, any chance you use the Path Finder application?

Comment 6

[Lauri Loebel Carpenter]

I do not know what Path Finder application is. I don't know if I'm using it. I don't know how to change a shortcut to launch with -p default. I just click on the icon in the dock. I did notice that the Thunderbird in the Applications folder is itself a link to /Volumes/Thunderbird/Thunderbird.app (all of the other apps in the application folder are IN the application folder, not a link to somewhere else). Is that part of the problem?

I'm willing to add the -p default if somebody can explain to me how to do it. I can use the terminal app and linux commands if necessary, as long as I know what they are.

Thanks, lauri

Comment 7

[Lauri Loebel Carpenter]

I removed the thunderbird application, I removed the downloaded installation file, I ejected the volume, I removed the shortcuts. Then I re-installed. Now it seems to be working.

I have no idea why the first installation was screwed up, but apparently that's what the problem was. Thank you for looking into this.

-- lauri

Comment 8

[Jorg K (CEST = GMT+2)]

Sadly my Mac knowledge is very limited (on non-existent). On Windows, you just modify the shortcut that launches the program. Does the dock icon not have properties to show what will happen when clicked?

The problem is that Mozilla introduced a new concept of "profile per install". So if every time you launch, this is treated as launching from a new install location, then a new profile is created. The link you mentioned could be an issue of the Mozilla platform code doesn't handle it correctly. Something similar to this bug related to links (called "junction" on Windows) perhaps: bug 1580442 comment #5.

Anyway, I see you solved the issue.

Comment 9

[Dave Townsend [:mossop]]

(In reply to Lauri Loebel Carpenter from comment #6)

I do not know what Path Finder application is. I don't know if I'm using it. I don't know how to change a shortcut to launch with -p default. I just click on the icon in the dock. I did notice that the Thunderbird in the Applications folder is itself a link to /Volumes/Thunderbird/Thunderbird.app (all of the other apps in the application folder are IN the application folder, not a link to somewhere else). Is that part of the problem?

Ah yes this is the issue. What probably happened is that when you dragged Thunderbird from the disk image to the applications folder you accidentally created a link to it rather than copying it. It can happen if you accidentally press certain keys during the drag. This would mean you were actually running Thunderbird from the disk image which would cause the same issue as bug 1595785 to happen (as well as other things like app update to be broken).

Comment 10

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

(In reply to Dave Townsend [:mossop] (he/him) from comment #9)

(In reply to Lauri Loebel Carpenter from comment #6)

I do not know what Path Finder application is. I don't know if I'm using it. I don't know how to change a shortcut to launch with -p default. I just click on the icon in the dock. I did notice that the Thunderbird in the Applications folder is itself a link to /Volumes/Thunderbird/Thunderbird.app (all of the other apps in the application folder are IN the application folder, not a link to somewhere else). Is that part of the problem?

Ah yes this is the issue. What probably happened is that when you dragged Thunderbird from the disk image to the applications folder you accidentally created a link to it rather than copying it. It can happen if you accidentally press certain keys during the drag. This would mean you were actually running Thunderbird from the disk image which would cause the same issue as bug 1595785 to happen (as well as other things like app update to be broken).

Rather fascinating. No way to prevent this?

Comment 11

[Dave Townsend [:mossop]]

(In reply to Wayne Mery (:wsmwk) from comment #10)

(In reply to Dave Townsend [:mossop] (he/him) from comment #9)

Ah yes this is the issue. What probably happened is that when you dragged Thunderbird from the disk image to the applications folder you accidentally created a link to it rather than copying it. It can happen if you accidentally press certain keys during the drag. This would mean you were actually running Thunderbird from the disk image which would cause the same issue as bug 1595785 to happen (as well as other things like app update to be broken).

Rather fascinating. No way to prevent this?

I thought we already had a bug for it but I can't find it so I filed bug 1602244 to suggest that we should at least warn the user about what is happening here. I think it might be difficult to resolve automatically.