Sharing Profiles between Linux and Windows

If you want to share your profile between Linux and Windows, you have to install Enigmail globally using the command line:
<full-path-to-thunderbird> -install-global-extension <full-path-to-enigmail.xpi>

If you have installed Enigmail in your profile and wish to change it to a global installation using the command line above, you MUST uninstall it from your profile first:

  1. In Thunderbird, go to Tools > Extensions, select Enigmail and uninstall it.
  2. If Enigmime is shown in the Extensions Manager, uninstall it as well.
  3. Shut down and restart Thunderbird.
  4. Shut down Thunderbird.
  5. Install Enigmail from the command line as above.


Upgrade Instructions for Enigmail v0.89.0 on Thunderbird 0.9

If you are upgrading from an installed version of Enigmail in Thunderbird 0.9, follow these instructions, or Enigmail will not work correctly.
  1. In Thunderbird, go to Tools > Extensions, select Enigmail and uninstall it.
  2. If Enigmime is shown in the Extensions Manager, uninstall it.
    Shut down and Restart Thunderbird and skip to Step 6.
  3. If Enigmime is notshown in the Extensions Manager, shut down Thunderbird.
  4. Uninstall Thunderbird or remove the Thunderbird Installation tree COMPLETELY depending on how you installed originally.
  5. Re-install Thunderbird.
  6. Download and install Enigmail v0.89.0
  7. Shut down and restart Thunderbird.

By deleting the Thunderbird installation tree, you will remove all traces of the previous Enigmime installation. Your profile (i.e. your mail data) will not be affected from deleting the installation tree.



Upgrade Instructions for Enigmail on Thunderbird 0.8

If you are upgrading from Thunderbird 0.7, please follow these steps, or Enigmail will not work:

  1. Make sure Enigmail is not installed in the Extension Manager (Tools > Extensions)
  2. If some version of Enigmail is already installed: uninstall it, then restart Thunderbird 0.8
  3. Install Enigmail and Enigmime
  4. Restart Thunderbird 0.8


Upgrade Instructions for Enigmail on Thunderbird 0.7

For a successful update of an installed Enigmail, follow these instructions:

  1. Go to the extensions manager (Tools > Extensions)
  2. Disable Enigmail
  3. Uninstall Enigmail (you don't need to uninstall Enigmime)
  4. Restart Thunderbird
  5. Install the new Version of Enigmail and Enigmime
  6. Restart Thunderbird
  7. Go to Enigmail > About to check new version installed correctly. This will pop up a message asking to configure the new version. Check your preferences and select OK.

If the Enigmail menu is not visible after these steps, or if you receive the message Finishing Extension Installation after installing Enigmail and the main window does not appear, follow the steps below to fix the problem then reinstall it. The problem has been reported to Bugzilla under bug #246687 and seems to be caused by installing any extension twice.
Instructions from chuonthis.com.

  1. Close the error message window and make sure there are no other Thunderbird windows open.
  2. Locate your profile folder and navigate to the extensions subfolder.
  3. Make a backup copy of the Extensions.rdf file!
  4. Open the Extensions.rdf file with a text editor (like Notepad).
  5. Look for a block of code with containing "Enigmail" that looks like this: 
      <RDF:Description RDF:about="urn:mozilla:extension:{GUID}"
                   em:toBeInstalled="true"
                   em:version="0.85.0"
                   em:name="Enigmail"
                   em:description="OpenPGP message encryption and authentication"
                   em:creator="Enigmail Team"
                   em:homepageURL="http://enigmail.mozdev.org/"
                   em:optionsURL="chrome://enigmail/content/pref-enigmail.xul"
                   em:aboutURL="chrome://enigmail/content/enigmailAbout.xul"
                   em:iconURL="chrome://enigmail/skin/enigmail-about.png">
  </RDF:Description>
  6. Make a note of the GUID in the first line of the block. For standard Enigmail (en-US), the GUID is {847b3a00-7ab1-11d4-8f02-006008948af5}.
  7. Delete the block of code you found above.
  8. Now find a block of code that looks like this: 
      <RDF:Seq RDF:about="urn:mozilla:extension:root">
    <RDF:li RDF:resource="urn:mozilla:extension:{GUID1}"/>
    <RDF:li RDF:resource="urn:mozilla:extension:{GUID2}"/>
    <RDF:li RDF:resource="urn:mozilla:extension:{GUID3}"/>
    <RDF:li RDF:resource="urn:mozilla:extension:{GUID4}"/>
  </RDF:Seq>
  9. Delete the ONE LINE that contains the GUID of Enigmail.
  10. Save the file and close the text editor.
  11. Now in the extensions folder, delete the subfolder whose name is the GUID of Enigmail.
  12. Start Thunderbird. You should not receive the error message.
  13. Reinstall Enigmail.