Thunderbird doesn't start after upgrade

[Sascha Müller]

Binary package hint: thunderbird

After the last upgrade, thunderbird does not start anymore. It gives no error message and only opens an empty frame, even when started with "--safe-mode" or "-ProfileManager". Renaming/Removing ~/.thunderbird does not change anything, neither does deleting ~/.mozilla-thunderbird (which on my system is a symlink to .thunderbird), uninstalling installed thunderbird-locales packages and/or reinstalling the core thunderbird package.

Various users seem to have encountered a similar problem:

http://guide.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1525651

Further information:

$ LANG=en apt-cache policy thunderbird
thunderbird:
  Installed: 3.0.5+build2+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.04.1
  Candidate: 3.0.5+build2+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.04.1
  Version table:
 *** 3.0.5+build2+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.04.1 0
        500 http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     3.0.4+nobinonly-0ubuntu4 0
        500 http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main Packages

Here is the strace of a run:

execve("/usr/bin/thunderbird", ["thunderbird"], [/* 40 vars */]) = 0
brk(0) = 0x1622000
access("/etc/ld.so.nohwcap", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mmap(NULL, 8192, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7fde3885a000
access("/etc/ld.so.preload", R_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/etc/ld.so.cache", O_RDONLY) = 3
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=138109, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 138109, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0x7fde38838000
close(3) = 0
access("/etc/ld.so.nohwcap", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/lib/libc.so.6", O_RDONLY) = 3
read(3, "\177ELF\2\1\1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\3\0>\0\1\0\0\0`\355\1\0\0\0\0\0"..., 832) = 832
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0755, st_size=1572232, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 3680296, PROT_READ|PROT_EXEC, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0) = 0x7fde382b9000
mprotect(0x7fde38433000, 2093056, PROT_NONE) = 0
mmap(0x7fde38632000, 20480, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_FIXED|MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0x179000) = 0x7fde38632000
mmap(0x7fde38637000, 18472, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_FIXED|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7fde38637000
close(3) = 0
mmap(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7fde38837000
mmap(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7fde38836000
mmap(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7fde38835000
arch_prctl(ARCH_SET_FS, 0x7fde38836700) = 0
mprotect(0x7fde38632000, 16384, PROT_READ) = 0
mprotect(0x617000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0
mprotect(0x7fde3885c000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0
munmap(0x7fde38838000, 138109) = 0
getpid() = 5949
rt_sigaction(SIGCHLD, {SIG_DFL, [CHLD], SA_RESTORER|SA_RESTART, 0x7fde382ecaf0}, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0
geteuid() = 1000
brk(0) = 0x1622000
brk(0x1643000) = 0x1643000
getppid() = 5948
stat("/tmp", {st_mode=S_IFDIR|S_ISVTX|0777, st_size=20480, ...}) = 0
stat(".", {st_mode=S_IFDIR|S_ISVTX|0777, st_size=20480, ...}) = 0
open("/usr/bin/thunderbird", O_RDONLY) = 3
fcntl(3, F_DUPFD, 10) = 10
close(3) = 0
fcntl(10, F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC) = 0
rt_sigaction(SIGINT, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0
rt_sigaction(SIGINT, {0x408189, ~[RTMIN RT_1], SA_RESTORER, 0x7fde382ecaf0}, NULL, 8) = 0
rt_sigaction(SIGQUIT, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0
rt_sigaction(SIGQUIT, {SIG_DFL, ~[RTMIN RT_1], SA_RESTORER, 0x7fde382ecaf0}, NULL, 8) = 0
rt_sigaction(SIGTERM, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0
rt_sigaction(SIGTERM, {SIG_DFL, ~[RTMIN RT_1], SA_RESTORER, 0x7fde382ecaf0}, NULL, 8) = 0
read(10, "#!/bin/sh\n\n# Firefox launcher co"..., 8192) = 4842
pipe([3, 4]) = 0
clone(child_stack=0, flags=CLONE_CHILD_CLEARTID|CLONE_CHILD_SETTID|SIGCHLD, child_tidptr=0x7fde388369d0) = 5950
close(4) = 0
read(3, "/usr/bin/thunderbird\n", 128) = 21
read(3, "", 128) = 0
--- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) ---
close(3) = 0
wait4(-1, [{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 0}], 0, NULL) = 5950
pipe([3, 4]) = 0
clone(child_stack=0, flags=CLONE_CHILD_CLEARTID|CLONE_CHILD_SETTID|SIGCHLD, child_tidptr=0x7fde388369d0) = 5951
close(4) = 0
read(3, "thunderbird\n", 128) = 12
read(3, "", 128) = 0
close(3) = 0
--- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) ---
wait4(-1, [{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 0}], 0, NULL) = 5951
stat("/usr/lib/thunderbird-3.0.5/thunderbird", {st_mode=S_IFREG|0755, st_size=3885, ...}) = 0
stat("/home/smueller/.mozilla-thunderbird", {st_mode=S_IFDIR|0700, st_size=4096, ...}) = 0
lstat("/home/smueller/.mozilla-thunderbird", {st_mode=S_IFLNK|0777, st_size=27, ...}) = 0
stat("/home/smueller/.thunderbird", {st_mode=S_IFDIR|0700, st_size=4096, ...}) = 0
stat("/home/smueller/.thunderbird-3.0", 0x7fff9e5fb390) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
stat("/home/smueller/.thunderbird-2.0-replaced", 0x7fff9e5fb350) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
lstat("/home/smueller/.mozilla-thunderbird", {st_mode=S_IFLNK|0777, st_size=27, ...}) = 0
stat("/home/smueller/.mozilla-thunderbird", {st_mode=S_IFDIR|0700, st_size=4096, ...}) = 0
execve("/usr/lib/thunderbird-3.0.5/thunderbird", ["/usr/lib/thunderbird-3.0.5/thund"...], [/* 41 vars */]) = 0
brk(0) = 0x10b6000
access("/etc/ld.so.nohwcap", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mmap(NULL, 8192, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f16848da000
access("/etc/ld.so.preload", R_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/etc/ld.so.cache", O_RDONLY) = 3
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=138109, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 138109, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0x7f16848b8000
close(3) = 0
access("/etc/ld.so.nohwcap", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/lib/libc.so.6", O_RDONLY) = 3
read(3, "\177ELF\2\1\1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\3\0>\0\1\0\0\0`\355\1\0\0\0\0\0"..., 832) = 832
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0755, st_size=1572232, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 3680296, PROT_READ|PROT_EXEC, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0) = 0x7f1684339000
mprotect(0x7f16844b3000, 2093056, PROT_NONE) = 0
mmap(0x7f16846b2000, 20480, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_FIXED|MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0x179000) = 0x7f16846b2000
mmap(0x7f16846b7000, 18472, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_FIXED|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f16846b7000
close(3) = 0
mmap(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f16848b7000
mmap(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f16848b6000
mmap(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f16848b5000
arch_prctl(ARCH_SET_FS, 0x7f16848b6700) = 0
mprotect(0x7f16846b2000, 16384, PROT_READ) = 0
mprotect(0x617000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0
mprotect(0x7f16848dc000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0
munmap(0x7f16848b8000, 138109) = 0
getpid() = 5949
rt_sigaction(SIGCHLD, {SIG_DFL, [CHLD], SA_RESTORER|SA_RESTART, 0x7f168436caf0}, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0
geteuid() = 1000
brk(0) = 0x10b6000
brk(0x10d7000) = 0x10d7000
getppid() = 5948
stat("/tmp", {st_mode=S_IFDIR|S_ISVTX|0777, st_size=20480, ...}) = 0
stat(".", {st_mode=S_IFDIR|S_ISVTX|0777, st_size=20480, ...}) = 0
open("/usr/lib/thunderbird-3.0.5/thunderbird", O_RDONLY) = 3
fcntl(3, F_DUPFD, 10) = 10
close(3) = 0
fcntl(10, F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC) = 0
rt_sigaction(SIGINT, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0
rt_sigaction(SIGINT, {0x408189, ~[RTMIN RT_1], SA_RESTORER, 0x7f168436caf0}, NULL, 8) = 0
rt_sigaction(SIGQUIT, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0
rt_sigaction(SIGQUIT, {SIG_DFL, ~[RTMIN RT_1], SA_RESTORER, 0x7f168436caf0}, NULL, 8) = 0
rt_sigaction(SIGTERM, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0
rt_sigaction(SIGTERM, {SIG_DFL, ~[RTMIN RT_1], SA_RESTORER, 0x7f168436caf0}, NULL, 8) = 0
read(10, "#!/bin/sh\n#\n# ***** BEGIN LICENS"..., 8192) = 3885
pipe([3, 4]) = 0
clone(child_stack=0, flags=CLONE_CHILD_CLEARTID|CLONE_CHILD_SETTID|SIGCHLD, child_tidptr=0x7f16848b69d0) = 5952
close(4) = 0
read(3, "/usr/lib/thunderbird-3.0.5\n", 128) = 27
read(3, "", 128) = 0
close(3) = 0
--- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) ---
wait4(-1, [{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 0}], 0, NULL) = 5952
pipe([3, 4]) = 0
clone(child_stack=0, flags=CLONE_CHILD_CLEARTID|CLONE_CHILD_SETTID|SIGCHLD, child_tidptr=0x7f16848b69d0) = 5953
close(4) = 0
read(3, "thunderbird\n", 128) = 12
read(3, "", 128) = 0
--- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) ---
close(3) = 0
wait4(-1, [{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 0}], 0, NULL) = 5953
stat("/usr/lib/thunderbird-3.0.5/run-mozilla.sh", {st_mode=S_IFREG|0755, st_size=10450, ...}) = 0
geteuid() = 1000
getgid() = 500
getegid() = 500
getgroups(0, NULL) = 8
getgroups(8, [4, 20, 24, 46, 112, 119, 120, 500]) = 8
clone(child_stack=0, flags=CLONE_CHILD_CLEARTID|CLONE_CHILD_SETTID|SIGCHLD, child_tidptr=0x7f16848b69d0) = 5954
wait4(-1, [{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 0}], 0, NULL) = 5954
--- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) ---
exit_group(0) = ?

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: thunderbird 3.0.5+build2+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.04.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-23.37-generic 2.6.32.15+drm33.5
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-23-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: amd64
Date: Wed Jul 7 13:38:14 2010
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=
 LANG=de_DE.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: thunderbird

[Toporatto (killer-flamingo)]

Solved by removing the old ubuntuzilla and thunderbird-mozilla-build using Synaptic.

The packages were listed as "Installed", but showed 0 MB as size. Probably the result of the previous removal of Thunderbird mozilla build using the automated mozilla script "ubuntuzilla".

[Ken Walker (kgw)]

I also have this issue. I am using the regular i386 version of 10.04 ubuntu and I am not using ubuntuzilla so the solution found by Toporatto is not applicable to this issue here.

[Sascha Müller (einmaliger)]

On my system, the problem was solved after a reboot.

[Ken Walker (kgw)]

Solved it on my machine by backing up one version. Works fine on the previous version.

[Paul Gevers (paul-climbing)]

Similar to Ken Walker, I could get thunderbird running again as it should by going back to the version in lucid, i.e. 3.0.4+nobinonly-0ubuntu4.

[MikeRich (bigmeanmikerich)]

Performed a reboot, as Sascha Müller did, and problem was fixed. I assume that one of the other packages that was upgraded at the same time needed a reboot to take effect.

Commit Log for Fri Jul 9 16:40:51 2010

Upgraded the following packages:
app-install-data-partner (12.10.04) to 12.10.04.3
flashplugin-installer (10.1.53.64ubuntu0.10.04.1) to 10.1.53.64ubuntu0.10.04.3
kpackagekit (0.5.4-0ubuntu4.1) to 0.5.4-0ubuntu4.3
libatk1.0-0 (1.30.0-0ubuntu2) to 1.30.0-0ubuntu2.1
libatk1.0-data (1.30.0-0ubuntu2) to 1.30.0-0ubuntu2.1
libc-bin (2.11.1-0ubuntu7.1) to 2.11.1-0ubuntu7.2
libc-dev-bin (2.11.1-0ubuntu7.1) to 2.11.1-0ubuntu7.2
libc6 (2.11.1-0ubuntu7.1) to 2.11.1-0ubuntu7.2
libc6-dev (2.11.1-0ubuntu7.1) to 2.11.1-0ubuntu7.2
libc6-i686 (2.11.1-0ubuntu7.1) to 2.11.1-0ubuntu7.2
libgstfarsight0.10-0 (0.0.17-2ubuntu1) to 0.0.17-2ubuntu2
libpam-modules (1.1.1-2ubuntu2) to 1.1.1-2ubuntu5
libpam-runtime (1.1.1-2ubuntu2) to 1.1.1-2ubuntu5
libpam0g (1.1.1-2ubuntu2) to 1.1.1-2ubuntu5
libpng12-0 (1.2.42-1ubuntu2) to 1.2.42-1ubuntu2.1
python-farsight (0.0.17-2ubuntu1) to 0.0.17-2ubuntu2
thunderbird (3.0.4+nobinonly-0ubuntu4) to 3.0.5+build2+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.04.1

[Ken Walker (kgw)]

New update that came through ubuntu today fixed this right up.

[Florian Zeitz (florian-zeitz)]

Had this issue to after doing an upgrade today (which makes me think that this was not fixed by now as Ken Walker suggest).
However just logging out and back in did make Thunderbird start properly. I wonder if this has to do with some leftover process (I was running Thunderbird during the update IIRC)

[Sascha Müller (einmaliger)]

Yes, today's update broke it again, but after logging out and back in, the problem was solved. Maybe this bug should be set to "Won't fix", as it's easy to solve but probably hard to track down the problem.

[Paul Gevers (paul-climbing)]

Hmm, I had the same problem today, again after an update.

I think it relevant that thunderbird is running during the upgrade. After the upgrade I found that thunderbird was not responding as it should (links weren't followed), soI killed thunderbird (via atl-f4), and started thunderbird, which left me with a very small unuseful window, which I closed again. I then check running thunderbird process and found 3 long running thunderbird processes (some with a strange time of 0:00, see below). After I killed those and again started thunderbird, everything was fine.

I therefor think that in the installation script some intelligence needs to be incorporated that checks on running processes and deals with them appropriately. I have no idea what appropriately is thou.

paul@stromboli ~ $ ps aux |grep thunderbird
paul 1529 0.0 0.0 1832 488 ? S Sep11 0:00 /bin/sh /usr/lib/thunderbird-3.0.6/thunderbird
paul 1536 0.0 0.0 1832 488 ? S Sep11 0:00 /bin/sh /usr/lib/thunderbird-3.0.6/run-mozilla.sh /usr/lib/thunderbird-3.0.6/thunderbird-bin
paul 1544 1.4 5.9 257116 60152 ? Sl Sep11 15:33 /usr/lib/thunderbird-3.0.6/thunderbird-bin
paul 4113 0.0 0.0 3328 896 pts/1 S+ 13:45 0:00 grep --color=auto thunderbird

[Sascha Müller (einmaliger)]

This happened again on my system. There really should be some kind of protection against this.

[Roberto Scotti (scotti)]

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[Paul White (paulw2u)]

Presumably this issue was resolved some time ago and this bug report can now be closed. I'm changing the status to "Incomplete" to allow this report to expire in the absence of any further comments.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for thunderbird (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]