Install older version of Thunderbird (resolved)

Linux Support
1

I am using mint 18.3 64bit.

Thunderbird was updated and all my add-ons stopped working. I need to return to a version where the add-ons were working.

I have downloaded the zip file for Thunderbird 52.9.1 known to work with my add-ons.

How do I install the downloaded file.

Thanks in advance.

2

Can you point to where you got the archive, so we can see what’s in it.

3

https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/thunderbird/releases/52.9.1/linux-x86_64/

4

Just extract the archive, enter the just extracted “thunderbird” directory, and run the “thunderbird” binary executable by double-clicking on it.

5

Doing this opens the older version but the newer version is still on my computer.

All the desktop icons open the newer version.

I want to remove the newer version by installing the 52.9.1 version how do I do this?

6

Run these commands in sequence:

sudo apt-get remove thunderbird

then

cd /opt

then

sudo wget https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/thunderbird/releases/52.9.1/linux-x86_64/en-GB/thunderbird-52.9.1.tar.bz2

then

sudo tar xjvf thunderbird-52.9.1.tar.bz2

then

sudo ln -s /opt/thunderbird/thunderbird /usr/bin/thunderbird

then

gksudo xed /usr/share/applications/thunderbird-custom.desktop

and when a BLANK file opens, make it read:-

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Thunderbird Mail
Comment=Send and receive mail with Thunderbird
GenericName=Mail Client
Keywords=Email;E-mail;Newsgroup;Feed;RSS
Exec=thunderbird %u
Terminal=false
X-MultipleArgs=false
Type=Application
Icon=thunderbird
Categories=Application;Network;Email;
MimeType=x-scheme-handler/mailto;application/x-xpinstall;
StartupNotify=true
Actions=Compose;Contacts

[Desktop Action Compose]
Name=Compose New Message
Exec=thunderbird -compose
OnlyShowIn=Messaging Menu;Unity;

[Desktop Action Contacts]
Name=Contacts
Exec=thunderbird -addressbook
OnlyShowIn=Messaging Menu;Unity;

SAVE the file, and exit the text editor.

Now see if Thunderbird Mail in the main menu works, and opens version 52.9.1

To UNDO (and reinstall the more recent version from the repos)

cd /opt

then

sudo rm -rv thunderbird

then

sudo rm -v thunderbird-52.9.1.tar.bz2

then

cd /usr/bin

then

sudo rm -v thunderbird

then

cd /usr/share/applications

then

sudo rm -v thunderbird-custom.desktop

then

sudo apt-get install thunderbird

Done.

7

Now working OK…

Thank you for your help.

8

You’re welcome :slight_smile: