Upgrade Firefox and Thunderbird on LMDE
Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 11:28 am
How to Upgrade Firefox and Thunderbird on LMDE
First thing to mention is that I wrote this for new users because it accomplishes a task and provides a list
of basic Linux commands. However, if you feel that the commands below will harm your system in any
way, then you should ask or get advice from another before committing these actions.
One of the first things that you will notice after installing LMDE is that Firefox (Your web browser)
and Thunderbird (Your Email Client) are outdated. Here is how to upgrade them to their current verison.
NOTE: Most solutions on this site involve adjusting your sources list so the upgrade and updates come
automatically. This is not one of those tutorials.
Also NOTE: Many people suggest simply switching to other browsers (like Ice Weasel or Chromium) and other
email clients (like Ice Dove and Evolution). Personally, I have nothing against any of those other products and even
like them. However, this is not one of those tutorials.
Step 1:
Open your browser, and goto http://mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new.
Or, if you need a different language go to http://www.google.com
and search for 'get firefox'.
(The website for Thunderbird download is http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/download
or google get thunderbird if you are doing the Thunderbird upgrade.)
Step 2:
Download firefox or thunderbird whichever you are working on upgrading. There should be
a prompt after selecting download to choose Archive Manager or Save File. Choose Save File.
It should be downloading to your ~/Downloads directory.
Step 3:
Change your directory to your Downloads directory by typing:
cd Downloads (if your are in your Home directory... If you are not in your Home directory type
cd ~/Downloads.)
Open an terminal and type the command:
sudo mv firefox-8.0.tar.bz2 /opt
(sudo mv thunderbird-8.0.tar.bz2 /opt if you are doing the Thunderbird upgrade.)
Or if you if you feel the need to be different, you can
go the the /opt directory first by typing:
cd /opt
Then, type the command:
sudo mv /home/username/Downloads/firefox-8.0.tar.bz2 .
(sudo mv /home/username/Downloads/thunderbird-8.0.tar.bz2 .
if you are doing the Thunderbird upgrade.)
Step 4:
Exit out of firefox (or thunderbird).
Step 5:
Backup your old version of Firefox. Make sure you are in
the /opt directory, by typing the command:
pwd
And, verify that firefox (or thunderbird) is indeed here by typing:
ls
Now, type the command:
sudo mv firefox firefox.old
(sudo mv thunderbird thunderbird.old if you doing the Thunderbird upgrade.)
NOTE: A lot of people use the .old extension. However, I
like to use the current date, so I remember when I committed
my actions. For example, I would use the command:
sudo mv firefox firefox.11202011
(sudo mv thunderbird thunderbird.11202011 if you are doing the Thunderbird upgrade.)
Step 6:
Unpack firefox-8.0.tar.bz2 by typing the command:
sudo tar -xjf firefox-8.0.tar.bz2
(sudo tar -xjf thunderbird-8.0.tar.bz2 if you are doing the Thunderbird upgrade.)
Step 7:
Verify that you have a new firefox or thunderbird directory (once again depending on which one
you are working on...) by typing the command:
ls
Step 8:
Test your browser or email client by opening it up and browsing to a web page or sending a test mail.
Step 9:
Remove the tar package by typing:
sudo rm firefox-8.0.tar.bz2
(sudo rm thunderbird-8.0.tar.bz2 if your are working on thunderbird).
To upgrade Thunderbird, setup your account first and verify that you
can send and receive emails, then repeat steps 1 through 9 except
change the commands with the Thunderbird package instead (It should be
something like thunderbird-8.0.tar.bz2, the directory should be /opt/thunderbird and the website should be http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/download.).
First thing to mention is that I wrote this for new users because it accomplishes a task and provides a list
of basic Linux commands. However, if you feel that the commands below will harm your system in any
way, then you should ask or get advice from another before committing these actions.
One of the first things that you will notice after installing LMDE is that Firefox (Your web browser)
and Thunderbird (Your Email Client) are outdated. Here is how to upgrade them to their current verison.
NOTE: Most solutions on this site involve adjusting your sources list so the upgrade and updates come
automatically. This is not one of those tutorials.
Also NOTE: Many people suggest simply switching to other browsers (like Ice Weasel or Chromium) and other
email clients (like Ice Dove and Evolution). Personally, I have nothing against any of those other products and even
like them. However, this is not one of those tutorials.
Step 1:
Open your browser, and goto http://mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new.
Or, if you need a different language go to http://www.google.com
and search for 'get firefox'.
(The website for Thunderbird download is http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/download
or google get thunderbird if you are doing the Thunderbird upgrade.)
Step 2:
Download firefox or thunderbird whichever you are working on upgrading. There should be
a prompt after selecting download to choose Archive Manager or Save File. Choose Save File.
It should be downloading to your ~/Downloads directory.
Step 3:
Change your directory to your Downloads directory by typing:
cd Downloads (if your are in your Home directory... If you are not in your Home directory type
cd ~/Downloads.)
Open an terminal and type the command:
sudo mv firefox-8.0.tar.bz2 /opt
(sudo mv thunderbird-8.0.tar.bz2 /opt if you are doing the Thunderbird upgrade.)
Or if you if you feel the need to be different, you can
go the the /opt directory first by typing:
cd /opt
Then, type the command:
sudo mv /home/username/Downloads/firefox-8.0.tar.bz2 .
(sudo mv /home/username/Downloads/thunderbird-8.0.tar.bz2 .
if you are doing the Thunderbird upgrade.)
Step 4:
Exit out of firefox (or thunderbird).
Step 5:
Backup your old version of Firefox. Make sure you are in
the /opt directory, by typing the command:
pwd
And, verify that firefox (or thunderbird) is indeed here by typing:
ls
Now, type the command:
sudo mv firefox firefox.old
(sudo mv thunderbird thunderbird.old if you doing the Thunderbird upgrade.)
NOTE: A lot of people use the .old extension. However, I
like to use the current date, so I remember when I committed
my actions. For example, I would use the command:
sudo mv firefox firefox.11202011
(sudo mv thunderbird thunderbird.11202011 if you are doing the Thunderbird upgrade.)
Step 6:
Unpack firefox-8.0.tar.bz2 by typing the command:
sudo tar -xjf firefox-8.0.tar.bz2
(sudo tar -xjf thunderbird-8.0.tar.bz2 if you are doing the Thunderbird upgrade.)
Step 7:
Verify that you have a new firefox or thunderbird directory (once again depending on which one
you are working on...) by typing the command:
ls
Step 8:
Test your browser or email client by opening it up and browsing to a web page or sending a test mail.
Step 9:
Remove the tar package by typing:
sudo rm firefox-8.0.tar.bz2
(sudo rm thunderbird-8.0.tar.bz2 if your are working on thunderbird).
To upgrade Thunderbird, setup your account first and verify that you
can send and receive emails, then repeat steps 1 through 9 except
change the commands with the Thunderbird package instead (It should be
something like thunderbird-8.0.tar.bz2, the directory should be /opt/thunderbird and the website should be http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/download.).