I'm having 2 different problems with Thunderbird 2.0.0.17 on Ubuntu 8.04.1. I normally use TB on Windoze, but have been dabbling around with Ubuntu for a couple of years.

Problem #1: I've been trying to get TB to work reliably in Ubuntu w/o much success. My biggest problem is that TB will not consistently startup. When I first boot into Ubuntu, TB will sometimes startup, but not again after exiting. I'm using -profilemanager, which does startup every time, but clicking the "Start Thunderbird" button seems to have no effect, other than to have profilemanager exit. I have installed, uninstalled, reinstalled TB 3-4 times with the same results. Originally, I had the Folderpane Tools extension installed that I thought was causing the problem. I uninstalled it, but the problem remained. Also tried a new profile without success.

Now here's the weird part (maybe yes, maybe no): if I have either FF or Sunbird running, TB seems to startup every time. Right now I have the Webmail & Yahoo extensions installed, but the problem predates their install.

Problem #2: I'm having problems getting TB on Ubuntu to play a custom sound when new mail arrives (actually any sound). It's the same wav file I use in TB on Windoze (plays correctly).

The wav file plays correctly when I play it in Rythmbox Music Player. The file is locally located. When I test it in TB, all I get is garbled, static-like noise in TB. The default, built-in sound doesn't appear to work at all.

Is this a bug in TB for Linux?

Some documentation states that to play TB's default sound when email arrives, it needs to be enabled in the Ubuntu sound applet for system sounds. Problem: there is no sound choice for email in system sounds.

As an aside, documentation for Evolution email states that there is a preference setting to play a sound when email arrives in Evolution 2.2. Problem: there is no sound choice for playing a sound when email arrives in Evolution 2.22.3.1, which is what's installed in Ubuntu 8.04.1. At least not where Evolution help says it is.

So I'm back to square 1 with this problem in TB.

Any thoughts on either problem?

Problem #2 is solved.

Turns out, my TB sound problem was a bad wav file. Even though the file works in TB on Windows & plays with a music player on Ubuntu, it wouldn't play in TB on Ubuntu. After all the researching, I decided to D/L a new version of the file directly to my Ubuntu & try it. It works!