Do you use an autoupdate product, such as patch-my-pc? I ask that because it sounds like you installed a version that was never on the official website for users. When you click settings>general and check version history, what does it show? Thank you.

The autoupdate program is a third party program in "Heimdahl" security system, it has never made errors for me in some years. it is set to esr version update. Some years ago I tried the beta version, but I dropped it. Could it be som reminens in the systems that passes the autoupdate system and tells me that a new version has arrived ?, I would probably have reacted with downloading.

The last two entries in the version history says: 115.3.1 on 16 oct. 2023 102.15.1 on 13 sep 2023 By the way - Where does this information come from ? from the user profile ? the one I cant read ?

Thunderbird has used dedicated profile since version 68*. Basically, if you want to go back to a previous version then you have to jump through a few hoops, but there is a quick way - you need to exit Thunderbird and delete the compatibility.ini' file - see below.

re :Can I see in the profile which version of Thunderbird it can be used under ? Yes.

In Thunderbird

• Help > TRoubleshooting Information
• Under 'Application Basics' - half way - profile folders - clickon 'Open Folder'

• A new window opens showing contents of your 'profile name' folder.

• Exit Thunderbird before you do anything.

• In the 'Profile name' folder there will be a 'compatibility.ini' file.
• You can open that file using a simple text editor like 'Notepad'.

It will say something like this for release version: [Compatibility] LastVersion=115.12.2_20240621154414/20240621154414 LastOSABI=WINNT_x86_64-msvc LastPlatformDir=C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird LastAppDir=C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird

Or something like this for a beta version: [Compatibility] LastVersion=128.0_20240701153450/20240701153450 LastOSABI=WINNT_x86_64-msvc LastPlatformDir=C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird Beta LastAppDir=C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird Beta

This data will tell you what version can be used for that profile and it will also tell you where the installtion is located. So you can see whether it release or beta.

If you delete the 'compatibility.ini' file and then run the latest release version of Thunderbird, a new 'compatibility.ini' should get created and the content should match the release version.

If you want to locate a profile via a different root then use the windows search. Still need to Exit Thunderbird if it's running.

See attached image as guide.

• In Windows search Type : %Appdata%
• select %Appdata% file folder
• click on 'Roaming' folder
• click on 'Thunderbird' folder
• click on 'Profiles' folder
• Now you can select a profile name folder to see contents.

I encourage you to rely solely on Thunderbird update feature. As soon as I read your post, I realized you were using an update product that was retrieving the wrong version.

I encourage you to rely solely on Thunderbird update feature. As soon as I read your post, I realized you were using an update product that was retrieving the wrong version.

David is correct to advise you to do this. Update software can cause problems because sometimes a new release is available but only for those who are installing for the first time. So it's not just not knowing whether to use a beta or a release as in your case. Example: When a major release occurs, all those people currently using Thunderbird will not be offered an update to the latest relase because usually a few gremlins still need to be sorted. This information was stated when 115 was released on July 7th: Thunderbird version 115.0 is only offered as direct download from thunderbird.net and not as an upgrade from Thunderbird version 102 or earlier.

Those using version 102.13.0 continued to get updates for 102* - 102.13.1, 102.14.0. 102.15.0 and 102.15.1

Unfortuately, no updater software is aware of this. So it's important Thunderbird has control over updates.

Checking the profile folder I found:

32m2i8vc.default-release awm7vc4o.default-esr-1 js8282ds.default-beta ul16yx72.default-esr w4ye5vty.default

The last profile folder "w4ye5vty.default" is from 2021 the other ones are all from 2024 ! The first profile folder "32m2i8vc.default-release" is the folder with all my mail (Big size).

The only download file I could find was "Thunderbird Setup 128.0esr.exe" I downloaded it, started it , it began to to welcome me to the installation proces. that was not what wanted. I repeated it and deleted the 'compatibility.ini' line I have not done it first, forgetting it. Now - repeating this wil allways give me the installation page and the second profile folder "awm7vc4o.default-esr-1" is the one that will insist on staying in 'compatibility.ini' file (LastVersion=115.12.2_20240621154414/20240621154414).

How do I get my mail ?

Verner

The autoupdate program is a third party program in "Heimdahl" security system, it has never made errors for me in some years. it is set to esr version update. Some years ago I tried the beta version, but I dropped it. Could it be som reminens in the systems that passes the autoupdate system and tells me that a new version has arrived ?, I would probably have reacted with downloading. The last two entries in the version history says: 115.3.1 on 16 oct. 2023 102.15.1 on 13 sep 2023 By the way - Where does this information come from ? from the user profile ? the one I cant read ?

Thunderbird has been updated to version 128 this week, but there are no current users being automatically updated as yet. So if you have software prompting you to update to 128 it is in error.

We have been having issues with update programs here for a number of years. Basically they steamroller users onto the newest release without regard to the decisions of the release team about who should get updates. I the last release updates were halted for a short time due to a sever bug in the release version that was not detected prior to release. If I recall it only affected updates, not new installs. Support had loads of folk that updated and it was a disaster for them, because they had this third party product messing where it had no place. Thunderbird has a robust update process that can only be disabled using corporate network policies so an external update prompt is simply bad.

Having said all that I am using V128 that I manually installed. So at this point I think your issue is not with the update as such, but with which profile you are using.

Use the windows run command (windowskey+R) and type Thunderbird -P -allow-downgraded and press enter. See https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-thunderbird-profiles#w_start-the-profile-manager-when-thunderbird-is-closed

Hopefully your profile that you have identified as the one you want to use is shown in the list. Select it and set the option to use it going forward to continue.

david said

I encourage you to rely solely on Thunderbird update feature. As soon as I read your post, I realized you were using an update product that was retrieving the wrong version.

David is correct to advise you to do this. Update software can cause problems because sometimes a new release is available but only for those who are installing for the first time. So it's not just not knowing whether to use a beta or a release as in your case. Example: When a major release occurs, all those people currently using Thunderbird will not be offered an update to the latest relase because usually a few gremlins still need to be sorted. This information was stated when 115 was released on July 7th: Thunderbird version 115.0 is only offered as direct download from thunderbird.net and not as an upgrade from Thunderbird version 102 or earlier.

Those using version 102.13.0 continued to get updates for 102* - 102.13.1, 102.14.0. 102.15.0 and 102.15.1

Unfortuately, no updater software is aware of this. So it's important Thunderbird has control over updates.

There is the versions overlaps. When Tb 115.0 was released the older Tb 102 channel was not EOL yet. There was no update from Tb 102 to Tb 115 until Tb 102 was made EOL with no more updates.

For example on https://www.thunderbird.net/thunderbird/102.15.1/releasenotes/ it says "Thunderbird 115 is now available!".

First i have found a beta version on my PC. I have not to my best knowledge installed it - it is now uninstalled. And so are Thunderbird entry in my autoupdater set to off.

Just a thought before i continue with my problem: I don't drop my autoupdater !, I have used autoupdater in some years without any problems, now I have a problem, and I am handling it, and I will know how to tackle it in the future. But everywhere people learn to use an autoupdater, because the the most importing point is the security problem, when you not are updating your programs. I find that more important than your update system. And Thunderbird will lose a lot of users, if they get this problem, that I have experienced. I think you may have to adapt.

Back to my problem. The profile manager. it took a bit of time to find out. The manual make me believe i should use the entries for create delete etc.., but what I missed was, just move the marked line to the profile you will use and start Thunderbird :), I did it and when i loaded Thunderbird following message came: "A newer version of Thunderbolt may have made changes to your profile which are no longer compatible with this older version...."

Grr... and I have used the -allow-downgraded parameter.

Now have a profile to Version 127, Where do I find that program so I can get my mail out. C:\Users\Verner\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\32m2i8vc.default-release LastVersion=127.0_20240605191038/20240605191038

May be that I can't go on with this Version, but I should be able to eksport my mail with structure

I doubt the Thunderbird folks are going to 'adapt' as you suggest. The proper and safe update strategy is to let Thunderbird do it. With other update strategies, I have seen several users reporting problems with their unanticipated update to ver 127, which was never a release version, not even as a beta. And it has no upgrade strategy. Reverting to 115 and removing the compatibilities.ini file should work ok, or upgrade to 128.

You use the tools you choose and you fix the problems that they create. I am happy to allow you all that choice.

But my time is not going to be spent supporting your choice to use software that is causing the issues. So you have a problem, you fix it. Thunderbird on Windows manages it's own update process. You choose to do something else, than you get to wear the cost of doing so.

Now I succeded. Big smile. Thank you.

It took its time, because when David wrote: "Thunderbird version 115.0 is only offered as direct download from thunderbird.net and not as an upgrade from Thunderbird version 102 or earlier." I could not find 115.0 on that page, I only found 128.0, so I tried other things to no avail. So back in time on my machine, and i found 115.0 ( don' ask me where it came from!) ! I installed it,. and immediately it updated to 128.0. and I got all my mail - I didn't even touched the profile.

As to my remarks: well - It is, i think about 25 years ago, i decided to use Thunderbird, and I have had my fight with it many times but I still love it, and I really appreciate what you do, I seldom ask questions, instead I read your answers and use them.

Have a good summer

Thunderbird 115.13.0 and Thunderbird 128.0 are the current Releases.

Tb 115.13.0 tarball for 64-bit Linux is at https://archive.mozilla.org/pub/thunderbird/releases/115.13.0/linux-x86_64/

Tb 115.0 should not provide internal updates to Tb 128.0 until Tb 115.0 is made EOL as there is the versions overlap of a few updates. The internal updates are only for the official builds like the Linux tarballs from Thunderbird and not for the package/snap builds of Thunderbird. So there may not be an update to Tb 128.0 until say Tb 128.3.0 at earliest.

At the moment I believe Tb 115.15.0 and Firefox 115.15.0esr may be the last planned update in September. This will suck for macOS 10.12, 10.13, 10.14 and Windows 7, 8, 8.1 users as they would no longer get any more updates unless the Thunderbird and Mozilla devs decide to provide more security/stability updates for a while longer.

To David You wrote: "Thunderbird version 115.0 is only offered as direct download from thunderbird.net and not as an upgrade from Thunderbird version 102 or earlier." I tried that: There was 2 down download buttons and a resources -> downloads(Find the latest version of Thunderbird) button, and all gave me a 128.0.1esr version, and I gave up to find a 115 version as promised. To day I tried again and studied the page again (https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/) same result. But then I tried "Other downloads" -> Microsoft apps store". Well - there I found Version 115.0, so it was possible to find the wanted version, but all buttons should have the same version - witch may indicate, that an update on the page is underway since you wrote to me.

To James Thank you, it was pure nostalgia for me to se a system like that. That address I will stow away for future use.

They do list Tb 115.13.0 at https://www.thunderbird.net//thunderbird/all/ but strangely only for Windows users (and not macOS and Linux) if you select the Windows (7/8.1) in Operating System drop menu on left side.

This is the usual site for downloading previous versions: http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/thunderbird/releases Maybe you want to bookmark it.

So to get 115.13.0 http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/thunderbird/releases/115.13.0/

Then select the OS eg: win64 is Windows 64bit Linux eg: linux-x86_64

Then select prefere language eg: en-GB is English British

Finally download file eg: thunderbird-115.13.0.tar.bz2