Q. I would like to install latest and greatest Mozilla thunderbird mail client under Linux.
How do I download and install the same to read emails?
A. Mozilla’s Thunderbird 2 email application is more powerful than ever. Thunderbird 2 features many new enhancements to help you better manage your unruly inbox, and stay informed. Thunderbird 2 scales to the most sophisticated organizational needs while making it easy to find what you need. It is the best mail/news client with RSS and integrated spam filter support.
Download Thunderbird to your Linux desktop
=> Visit this site to download Thunderbird
Thunderbird 2.0 installation – Just untar file and install it
Let us say you would like to install thunderbird in your own home directory called /home/jerry/. Open X terminal and type following command.
Copy your downloaded file to /home/tom/ and untar it:
$ cp /home/tom/Desktop/thunderbird-2.0.0.0.tar.gz .
$ tar -zxvf thunderbird-2.0.0.0.tar.gz
Now software was installed. To start Thunderbird mail client, enter:
$ cd thunderbird
$ ./thunderbird
How do I install thunderbird for everyone?
Install thunderbird in /opt directory. Login as root user:
# cd /opt
# mkdir thunderbird
# cd thunderbird
# cp /home/tom/Desktop/thunderbird-2.0.0.0.tar.gz .
# tar -zxvf thunderbird-2.0.0.0.tar.gz
To start thunderbird, enter:
$ /opt/thunderbird/thunderbird &
How do I create thunderbird icon on my desktop?
Right click on your Linux desktop
Select Create Launcher
Fill the details as follows:
- Set name to : Thunderbird
- Set command to : /opt/thunderbird/thunderbird
- Set comment to : My Email Client
- Hit OK to create an ICON
A note about Ubuntu / Debian Linux user
If you are using Ubuntu / Debian Linux, open terminal and type the following command to install thunderbird:
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install thunderbird
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| Category | List of Unix and Linux commands |
|---|---|
| File Management | cat |
| Firewall | Alpine Awall • CentOS 8 • OpenSUSE • RHEL 8 • Ubuntu 16.04 • Ubuntu 18.04 • Ubuntu 20.04 |
| Network Utilities | dig • host • ip • nmap |
| OpenVPN | CentOS 7 • CentOS 8 • Debian 10 • Debian 8/9 • Ubuntu 18.04 • Ubuntu 20.04 |
| Package Manager | apk • apt |
| Processes Management | bg • chroot • cron • disown • fg • jobs • killall • kill • pidof • pstree • pwdx • time |
| Searching | grep • whereis • which |
| User Information | groups • id • lastcomm • last • lid/libuser-lid • logname • members • users • whoami • who • w |
| WireGuard VPN | Alpine • CentOS 8 • Debian 10 • Firewall • Ubuntu 20.04 |
This is the first time I have installed new software
on my Linux machine in 10 months.
I am thrilled to bits.
Thank you
Excellent instructions, thank you so much. Just a note: I noticed that right before your first code section, you have:
“Copy your downloaded file to /home/tom/ and untar it:”
And right below it you have:
$ cp /home/jerry/Desktop/thunderbird-2.0.0.0.tar.gz .
So, is it Tom, or Jerry? :)
Thanks again and best regards
Thanks for the heads up. The faq has been updated.
After unpacking the tar, ./thunderbird does nothing at all??
I am running Acer Aspire One under their Linux (Lipsus).
All files are present, the unpack worked fine and I am in the correct directory.
Any ideas??
Thanks
thanks a lot sir…..
Hi,, tar -zxvf filename.tar.gz command doesnt work.. wht is the probs??
please use tar -vjxf filename, it will work
I’ve extracted the thunderbird directory… im getting an error
$cd thunderbird
$./thunderbird
./thunderbird-bin: error while loading shared libraries: libstdc++.so.5: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
Anyone help?
You need to install libstdc++5 – the GNU Standard C++ Library v3 or above. Use yum or apt-get command to install the same.
very nice informations, i am using this from 2 yrs in windows and now i shifted to ubuntu 8.10 it working fine.. hearty thanks to team.
nice instructions , thank you i installed without any issue with your instructions..
Exellent work!
Thanx Dear
Hahaha … that’s was a good one (Tom or Jerry) :-D
So, why not change better to Itchy and Scratchy ? … For the new generations :-P
Hi, my Windows ME PC finally died, so decided to move to Thunderbird under Debian for all my email etc. QUESTION how can I import/read in all existing emails, contacts list, etc. from a full backup of data files I have on CD to my new empty Thunderbird? Is the file structure under Debian compatible for straight copy? Any help appreciated, Thanks.
I followed the “install so everyone can use Thunderbird” instructions, but was logged in as root. I then ran Thunderbird as root, and brought in my (gtennant’s) email and address book from outlook, as directed. Though not seamless, I got the data to where it needed to be, apparently. Question is: though I can, as gtennant, launch Thunderbird, it doesn’t see the Local Files and all its contents as it appears when running Thunderbird as root. Same happens when I log in as gtennant, then go to a terminal window, su – in, then launch Thunderbird — it then works. I don’t want to operate routinely as root, so what to do?
Thx,
gtennant
Simply super instructions………………….Sir i have created the launcher but the icon is like shell
script…………..how to change the icon to default Thunderbird logo…….
Thanks for Instructions……THANKS DEAR
Thank you very much. Having just made the switch from Windows I needed this!
Very helpful for a windoze coverting to linux newbie.
Thanks for you effort.
I’ve extracted the thunderbird directory… im getting an error
$cd thunderbird
$./thunderbird
./thunderbird-bin: error while loading shared libraries: libstdc++.so.5: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
Lots of installation stopped in ./configure
I’ve extracted the thunderbird directory… im getting an error
$cd thunderbird
$./thunderbird
./thunderbird-bin: error while loading shared libraries: libstdc++.so.5: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
I’ve installed libstdc++6-4.1, but it hasn’t solved problem. What should do I next?
excellent instructions
I’m having the same problem as hladki:
$./thunderbird
./thunderbird-bin: error while loading shared libraries: libstdc++.so.5: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
The yum installer does the job right, but it asks me to download and install version 3.1.11. I Negative, I choose for version 2.0.0.24, so I hit “n”. Below I copied the most important messages:
$ yum install thunderbird
–> Package thunderbird.i686 0:3.1.11-1.fc14 set to be installed
Is this ok [y/N]: n
Can anyone give us a hint?
great instructions still work with thunder bird 7!