Earlybird doesn't want to update
I've been using Earlybird on my Win 7 64-bit laptop for about 18 months. I use EB because Thunderbird crashed every time I tried to open it; EB gets unresponsive every now and again but is otherwise stable. My research at the time indicated that EB was the only 64-bit alternative.
For the last couple of weeks I've been getting intermittent messages that auto updates have failed - along with a link which just leads back to the latest version of Thunderbird. On checking my installation I seem to be on EB 10.0, although the current version seems to be 38. Apparently mine has never updated.
I don't seem to have the original installation file for EB 10.0 so I'm nervous about experimenting in case I replace something that's working with something that doesn't. Should I leave well alone with EB 10.0, or try to manually update - presumably by installing the latest version of EB over the top of the existing version? Or can I try to run the latest version of Thunderbird alongside my existing Earlybird?
Chosen solution
Earlybird corresponds to an alpha release and is strictly intended for testing purposes only. It is by no means recommended for production use. This is what I'd do: First create a full backup of your profile. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Thunderbird_:_FAQs_:_Backing_Up_and_Restoring
Then uninstall Earlybird.
Download the current release version from https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/
Install the release version.
Report back if you still having problems.
In case you want to stick with Earlybird you can download the latest version here: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/channel
If you know what you're doing you can also install the release version alongside with Earlybird. In that case make sure to create a separate profile for the release version and make sure not to mix-up profiles. If that sounds too complicated, better forget about it.
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Try not to get frustrated! Try to run the lastest Verizon.
Chosen Solution
Earlybird corresponds to an alpha release and is strictly intended for testing purposes only. It is by no means recommended for production use. This is what I'd do: First create a full backup of your profile. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Thunderbird_:_FAQs_:_Backing_Up_and_Restoring
Then uninstall Earlybird.
Download the current release version from https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/
Install the release version.
Report back if you still having problems.
In case you want to stick with Earlybird you can download the latest version here: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/channel
If you know what you're doing you can also install the release version alongside with Earlybird. In that case make sure to create a separate profile for the release version and make sure not to mix-up profiles. If that sounds too complicated, better forget about it.
Earlybird is the name of one of four main development channels. The equivalent for Firefox is Aurora.
Release, Beta (b#), Earlybird (a2) (Aurora for Firefox) and Daily (a1) (Nightly for Firefox).
Thanks, all. Any comments on this?
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-windows7-vista-64-bit-software.htm?page=0,7
"Thunderbird is our recommended client for the 32-bit Windows desktop but Mozilla's only 64-bit version is the unsupported beta Earlybird. It is good enough to use but be warned that you may strike problems although I haven't ... yet.
Unfortunately, moving from your existing email client to 64-bit Thunderbird 3 can be quite a challenge."
And what do they mean by 64-bit Thunderbird 3??
Why do you want or need a 64 bit version in the first place? Also see http://kb.mozillazine.org/64_bit_builds
And what do they mean by 64-bit Thunderbird 3??
You should ask them.
Sorry if I wasn't clear. When I first tried TB, and it crashed, I Googled for a solution, and found a recommendation to try EB specifically because it was designed to work on a 64 bit system. As I said, that was some 18 months ago, so perhaps the latest version of TB will work - although the system requirements still say that 64 bit systems are not supported.
I have now backed up my profile (MozBackup) and I'll try to install TB later.
Modified by mindmagic
I Googled for a solution, and found a recommendation to try EB specifically because it was designed to work on a 64 bit system.
So you followed some questionable advice installing an alpha version for production use. And you didn't fix the underlying problem at that time.
the system requirements still say that 64 bit systems are not supported.
It says there are no official 64-bit Thunderbird builds. The 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7 can both be used to run (32-bit) Thunderbird.
Modified by christ1
I've uninstalled EB, installed the latest TB and it seems to be working fine - so far! it even picked up my profile and E-mails without a restore.
Thanks again for your help.
When your problem has been fixed can you mark the thread as 'Solved' please? Thank you.
I see now you already did.
Modified by christ1
There is not even any Win64 Release of Firefox yet from mozilla.org so there will not likely be any Win64 Thunderbird Releases until after if ever as the Thunderbird community is only so able.
The earliest that there may be Win64 Firefox Release may be Firefox 38.0 even though there are automated builds of Win64 Firefox for 37.0b2 and on currently.