[SOLVED] Installing new version of Thunderbird

[moze229]

Hello all,

I wasn't sure if I should reopen a "solved" thread or start a new one. I hope that starting a new one was the right decision.

I'm going to be going through the same process of installing again with the new version of Thunderbird. The thread where I originally learned to do this in Mint can be found here. viewtopic.php?f=47&t=332969&p=1904708#p1904708 (Post #9 by karlchen) This method worked perfectly for me last time.

I want to be clear on a couple of things before I continue.

1.) Do I need to purge the old version completely before I install the new version? If so, what is the proper way to do that?

2.) Do I follow the same EXACT steps as last time (from post #9 on the thread mentioned), or will there be a deviation because of the new version?

Thanks in advance, and I immensely appreciate the help.

[spamegg]

Not sure about the instructions, but there is a Flatpak which has version 91.3.2 of Thunderbird: https://flathub.org/apps/details/org.mo ... hunderbird. It should be fairly easy to install, since Mint comes with Flatpak set-up and enabled.

[MikeNovember]

Hi,

Instructions to install flatpak 91.x Thunderbird are here: viewtopic.php?f=42&t=358185

Regards,

MN

[karlchen]

Hello, moze229.

I am afraid I have bad news related to my post #9 in the thread, which you mentioned: > post here <
It quite seems as if genuine Thunderbird 78.14.0 is the last Thunderbird version, which Nanontube made available in his repository. At least I am unable to spot any newer Thunderbird release there. No Thunderbird 91.3.2, which is the current release.
Personally, I will very likely switch back from Nanotube's repo to the "Ubuntu Mozilla Security Team's" Launchpad PPA and get Thunderbird 91.3.2 from there. PPA for Ubuntu Mozilla Security Team (Versions for LM 19.x (bionic) and LM 20.x (focal) available)
Means for me:
Uninstalling Nanotube's Thunderbird. Installing Thunderbird from the Launchpad PPA instead.

As a consequence, switching to the Flatpak version of Thunderbird may be the most convenient solution for most users.

Regards,
Karl

[Foxy Stoat]

If you can hold fire a little, the Ubuntu team is currently in the process of backporting the latest version of Thunderbird. No ETA yet, but it shouldn't be too much longer:

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/11/thu ... -20-04-lts

[pdc_2]

thank you for this, Foxy Stoat

[moze229]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, folks.

Foxy - Thanks for the update. I was wondering if they would eventually do this, since it seems like many use Thunderbird.

Hello, moze229.

I am afraid I have bad news related to my post #9 in the thread, which you mentioned: > post here <
It quite seems as if genuine Thunderbird 78.14.0 is the last Thunderbird version, which Nanontube made available in his repository. At least I am unable to spot any newer Thunderbird release there. No Thunderbird 91.3.2, which is the current release.
Personally, I will very likely switch back from Nanotube's repo to the "Ubuntu Mozilla Security Team's" Launchpad PPA and get Thunderbird 91.3.2 from there. PPA for Ubuntu Mozilla Security Team (Versions for LM 19.x (bionic) and LM 20.x (focal) available)
Means for me:
Uninstalling Nanotube's Thunderbird. Installing Thunderbird from the Launchpad PPA instead.

As a consequence, switching to the Flatpak version of Thunderbird may be the most convenient solution for most users.

Regards,
Karl

Thanks, Karl.

As suspected, I figured that the Ubuntu team would have some type of build coming for Thunderbird. It's only been a month or so since the last update - no emergency. I was only inquiring because Thunderbird is complaining about not being able to update. Once I looked further and realized the versions had changed, that answered my question as to why I no longer was receiving updates.

I will want to remove this version once the new version becomes available. I would appreciate some guidance as to how to do that properly. I am covered as far as the profiles go. I am familiar with this process.

[Foxy Stoat]

I'm pretty sure as long as you're just using the version that is built into the Mint distribution (or any of the minor security updates that came through recently; I think I got one as recent as this week), then you should just get offered the new update within Update Manager as normal. It will get distributed via Ubuntu's usual focal or bionic update source.

Otherwise, purge any alternative versions you might have installed (including the alternate repo), run an apt-get update, and then reinstall the version from Software Centre. That will get you back on the right source path.

[moze229]

I'm pretty sure as long as you're just using the version that is built into the Mint distribution (or any of the minor security updates that came through recently; I think I got one as recent as this week), then you should just get offered the new update within Update Manager as normal. It will get distributed via Ubuntu's usual focal or bionic update source.

Otherwise, purge any alternative versions you might have installed (including the alternate repo), run an apt-get update, and then reinstall the version from Software Centre. That will get you back on the right source path.

Thanks,

I'm going to wait around until the new version becomes available through the Mint distribution channel. The problem I have is not knowing how to properly remove the software when that happens, since it wasn't installed through the software manager. Normally I would go just in and click the "remove" button, but I can't do that. I could just start deleting files and directories, but that will not remove everything properly.

What is the proper way to purge this install, based on the way it was installed originally? (There's a link to that thread in the first post.)

Thanks in advance.

[Foxy Stoat]

What is the proper way to purge this install, based on the way it was installed originally? (There's a link to that thread in the first post.)

Thanks in advance.

If it's the Ubuntuzilla build, I think there's some removal instructions here:

https://sourceforge.net/p/ubuntuzilla/w ... e/#removal

Just need to remove the package and then edit out Ubuntuzilla from the sources list.

[karlchen]

Precisely. Thunderbird, installed from Nanotube's Ubuntuzilla repo, is named thunderbird-mozilla-build in the software management system.
thunderbird-mozilla-build can be uninstalled e.g.
+ by locating the software package thunderbird-mozilla-build in Synaptic Package Manager and selecting "Remove", then [Apply]
+ by executing the terminal command sudo apt-get remove thunderbird-mozilla-build

[moze229]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the help.

[moze229]

Thunderbird 91.4.0 available today in the official repositories! Installed flawlessly. No need for uninstalling the old version. Thanks again for the help.

[Pierre]

there is an reasonable probability, that Thunderbird 91.4.x would be available,
in the LinuxMint 21.x series, as well.

[karlchen]

Thunderbird 91.4.0 available today in the official repositories! Installed flawlessly. No need for uninstalling the old version. Thanks again for the help.

Great!

I had received it a few days prior to you, because I am using the PPA for Ubuntu Mozilla Security Team. By now Nanotube's Ubuntuzilla repository deploys the genuine Mozilla Thunderbird 91.4.0 as well. So at last, the official Ubuntu repository offers Thunderbird 91.4.0 for LM 20.x as well.
LM 19.x seems to be stuck on Thunderbird 78.4.0 still, unless the mentioned PPA has been enabled or the Ubuntuzilla repository.

[moze229]

Thunderbird 91.4.0 available today in the official repositories! Installed flawlessly. No need for uninstalling the old version. Thanks again for the help.

Great!

I had received it a few days prior to you, because I am using the PPA for Ubuntu Mozilla Security Team. By now Nanotube's Ubuntuzilla repository deploys the genuine Mozilla Thunderbird 91.4.0 as well. So at last, the official Ubuntu repository offers Thunderbird 91.4.0 for LM 20.x as well.
LM 19.x seems to be stuck on Thunderbird 78.4.0 still, unless the mentioned PPA has been enabled or the Ubuntuzilla repository.

I am using 19.3, so it is available for 19 as well.

[karlchen]

Oh. I see. Then the German Ubuntu mirrors might have not been updated properly for a day or 2 or 3, because "apt-cache policy thunderbird" only lists 91.4.0 as available from the Launchpad PPA, but not from de.archive.ubuntu.com, yet.

Code: Select all

$ apt-cache policy thunderbird
thunderbird:
  Installed: 1:91.4.0+build2-0ubuntu0.18.04.1
  Candidate: 1:91.4.0+build2-0ubuntu0.18.04.1
  Version table:
 *** 1:91.4.0+build2-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 500
        500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-mozilla-security/ppa/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     1:78.14.0+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.2 500
        500 http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-security/main amd64 Packages

[moze229]

Oh. I see. Then the German Ubuntu mirrors might have not been updated properly for a day or 2 or 3, because "apt-cache policy thunderbird" only lists 91.4.0 as available from the Launchpad PPA, but not from de.archive.ubuntu.com, yet.

Code: Select all

$ apt-cache policy thunderbird
thunderbird:
  Installed: 1:91.4.0+build2-0ubuntu0.18.04.1
  Candidate: 1:91.4.0+build2-0ubuntu0.18.04.1
  Version table:
 *** 1:91.4.0+build2-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 500
        500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-mozilla-security/ppa/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     1:78.14.0+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.2 500
        500 http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-security/main amd64 Packages

Now I'm REALLY confused. lol

I ran the same, and this was the result...

Code: Select all

$ apt-cache policy thunderbird
thunderbird:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 1:78.14.0+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.2
  Version table:
     1:78.14.0+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.2 500
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-security/main amd64 Packages
     1:68.10.0+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 -1
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     1:52.7.0+build1-0ubuntu1 500
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 Packages

It tells me that I have NO version of Thunderbird installed. But it is indeed, installed, most definitely. 91.4.0

I still have Sourceforge as a repository for Mozilla products, as I'm still getting Firefox updates. I suppose I can just remove this source now, since Ubuntu seems to be offering both recent versions of Firefox and Thunderbird. I wonder if this is why I'm getting strange policy results.

[karlchen]

Hi, moze229.

Execute apt-cache policy thunderbird-mozilla-build, please. I bet you have received the (genuine) Mozilla Thunderbird 91.4.0 from Nanotube's Ubuntuzilla repository.
Provided this us true, I would not recommend removing that repository.

Cheers,
Karl

[moze229]

Hi, moze229.

Execute apt-cache policy thunderbird-mozilla-build, please. I bet you have received the (genuine) Mozilla Thunderbird 91.4.0 from Nanotube's Ubuntuzilla repository.
Provided this us true, I would not recommend removing that repository.

Cheers,
Karl

Hahaha.

Code: Select all

$ apt-cache policy thunderbird-mozilla-build
thunderbird-mozilla-build:
  Installed: 91.4.0-0ubuntu1
  Candidate: 91.4.0-0ubuntu1
  Version table:
 *** 91.4.0-0ubuntu1 500
        500 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/ubuntuzilla/mozilla/apt all/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

That would be correct.

I'm not sure why I jumped to the conclusion that it was from the official repository, especially without verifying that. I see no harm in keeping things just the way they are, as long as everything is working. I notice that my emails are now showing 24h time format instead of 12h, but that's a setting inside the software that I need to work out.

Thanks!