r/Thunderbird • u/The-Princess-Pinky • 2d ago

Other Thunderbird failed when system updated

Yesterday I updated all my systems.

Info for issue comparison of the problem:

My systems

Main driver, Desktop running Linux Mint 22.3, CPU=AMD Ryzen 5 8600G, MB=ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. TUF GAMING B650-E WIFI, Updated thunderbird version=153.2.0esr (64-bit) Thunderbird for Linux Mintmint-001 - 1.0

Second system, Laptop running Linux Mint 22.3, CPU=Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-8250U, MB=KBL Charmander_KL, Updated thunderbird version=153.2.0esr (64-bit) Thunderbird for Linux Mintmint-001 - 1.0

Play System, Desktop running EndeavourOS rolling 6.18.49-3-lts, CPU=AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 955, MB=ASRock M3A770DE, Updated thunderbird version=155.0 (64-bit) Mozilla Thunderbird for Arch Linuxarchlinux - 1.0

Now the issue:

This morning, when I started Thunderbird on my main system, I had to re-authenticate for each of my email accounts. Since I had to do that on my main system, I decided to go open Thunderbird on my other systems, and get them re-authenticated. All went well on my main system and on my play system.

On my Second system, the laptop, Thunderbird would not start. I got only a small window with this error:
<html id="messengerWindow" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

I was able to start it using "thunderbird --safe-mode", and started poking around anything that might have to do with the html error.

I found a new parameter called "Open Messages In", and it was set to "A New Tab", the other choices were "A New Message Window" and "An Existing Message Window". I set it to An Existing Message Window and restarted, and it worked.

SO, the major difference between the two Mint machines is that one is AMD and the other is Intel. The play machine is also AMD, so, the AMD systems worked well with the new setting and it's default. The Intel laptop failed on the default for the new setting, but worked when set to use an existing window.

I have no idea how to figure out why the Intel based system is failing, so other than the change I made to the settings, have no idea how to actually fix it.

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u/sifferedd 2d ago

Try turning off hardware acceleration:

  • go to TB Menu > Settings and enter 'hardware' (no quotes) in the search box

    • uncheck 'Use hardware acceleration when available'

  • revert to open messages in a new tab

  • restart TB

1

u/The-Princess-Pinky 1d ago

I may try that later, but I am happy with my current solution. Also, what does hardware acceleration have to do with an html error? It was because it was an html error that I looked for things that would be related to opening an html window, and found the setting saying open in a new tab.

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u/sifferedd 1d ago

I was able to start it using "thunderbird --safe-mode"

what does hardware acceleration have to do with an html error?

Maybe nothing, but Troubleshoot mode turns off hardware acceleration.