Thunderbird requires computer to be restarted to complete previous update, but restarting computer does not help and Thunderbird remains unavailable.
My machine uses Windows 10 Home (currently version 1909, installed 2020-02-17) Following the latest major MS update (night of Feb:16, completed morning of Feb:17), I tried to open Thunderbird. I got the message:
"Your computer must be restarted to complete a previous update of Thunderbird. Do you want to reboot now?"
So I rebooted. But still I couldn't open Thunderbird. I again got the same message:
"Your computer must be restarted to complete a previous update of Thunderbird. Do you want to reboot now?"
Not having time to investigate further, I have used webmail to get my email for the last nearly 2 months. But it's clunky, and it doesn't give me access to my address list. And in these times of covid19 there are people that I need to contact. So I had another look today. I saved all the files from C:/Users/<my user name>/AppData/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/<profile name>/Mail, and also from C:/Users/<my user name>/AppData/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/<profile name>/ImapMail to a separate disk, together with the address book (abook.mab). I then tried to do a new installation of Thunderbird from the Mozilla website (Thunderbird Setup 68.6.0.exe) - but after a couple of steps I was again told that:
"Your computer must be restarted to complete a previous update of Thunderbird. Do you want to reboot now?"
So I went to the Apps&Features screen in MS settings, scrolled down to "Mozilla Thunderbird 68.5.0 (x86 en-US), and tried to uninstall. Again, I got the message:
"Your computer must be restarted to complete a previous update of Thunderbird. Do you want to reboot now?"
I have run out of ideas.
Solution choisie
If I do the above will I lose all my emails and settings that I have at the moment?
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Try uninstalling aka 'deleting' the 'Mozilla Thunderbird' folder directly from the following location.
On a Windows OS 64bit computer: A win32 version of Thunderbird will be here:
- C:\Program Files (86) \Mozilla Thunderbird\
A win64 version of Thunderbird will be here:
- C:\Program Files \Mozilla Thunderbird\
Delete the 'Mozilla Thunderbird' folder. check both locations just in case there are two versions. Then empty the 'Recycle bin' on computer.
Then get a fresh download from here and install. https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/all/#E
Suggest you download the windows32 version (black font).
Thanks ToadHall. It worked! (Though I lost access to a gmail account - which I don't use much and have on my phone anyway, so no great problem.)
Solution choisie
If I do the above will I lose all my emails and settings that I have at the moment?
allstontowers
You are only uninstalling and reinstalling a program, not deleting any other folder or files eg: Profiles in a different location.
But, I would always advise anyone that they should keep backups both for POP and IMAP accounts because having only one copy whether on computer or server is not best practise. By default thunderbird keeps profile data in this location for Windows OS. Copy the 'Thunderbird' folder as it contains everything.
- C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\
The AppData folder is folder is a hidden folder; to show hidden folders, open a Windows Explorer window and choose "Organize → Folder and Search Options → Folder Options → View (tab) → Show hidden files and folders".
Thanks for your help. I have now uninstalled, reinstalled, got it all back and made a copy!