BirdieSync and Portable Thunderbird on a TrueCrypt Volume

If BirdieSync 1.x constantly replaces your girlfriend's phone number with your mother's one, this forum is for you...
thomas00024
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 3:48 pm

BirdieSync and Portable Thunderbird on a TrueCrypt Volume

Post by thomas00024 »

Hello,

I want to give BirdieSync a try but I have following problem:

I'm using Portable Thunderbird from USB-Drive (and plan to use Lightning too, if I'm getting birdiesync to work). Since this Portable Thunderbird Installation is stored in a Truecrypt Container (http://www.truecrypt.org/) the mounted Volume is logicaly different than the one from the portable Device detection in the BirdieSync options. For example the truecrypt file is stored on my USB-Drive with the Letter U:, but the mounted Truecrypt image with TB is on X:.

So BirdieSync cannot find the profilepath:
ERROR: Error while opening database U:\Thunderbird\Data\profile/storage.sdb
(must be X:\ ......)

Is there a way to define the Path to the Profile manually?
Fortunately my Volumeletter with TB is always X:.

Best Regards
Thomas

Birdy
Site Admin
Posts: 3118
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:43 am
Contact:

Post by Birdy »

There maybe a workaround:

Install the classical version of Thunderbird on your desktop
Open a command window
In your Thunderbird directory, launch the profile manager of Thunderbird:
thunderbird.exe -ProfileManager
Create a new profile but choose the folder of your profile (X:\...)

Then under BirdieSync options:
Select the classical version of Thunderbird, not the portable one (radio button).
Choose the new profile that you previously created
Then in the other tab, fill Thunderbird path (X:\...)

Let me know if this workaround works.
Birdy

thomas00024
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 3:48 pm

Post by thomas00024 »

Thanks, it seems to work now.
I did the folllowing:
- Backup :-)
- copyed TB-Portable from x: to desktop
- startet thunderbird.exe (not Portable thunderbird) on desktop with "-ProfileManager"
- createt a new profile on x:...\profile
- set the BirdieSync Options
- deleted x:...\profile and overwritten with the original one

BTW - is it a known limitation/bug,
that appointments with handwritten notes, (after syncing to to PC, altering Subject in TB and syncing back to ppc) deletes/looses the note information?

Birdy
Site Admin
Posts: 3118
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:43 am
Contact:

Post by Birdy »

I suppose it's a known limitation. I mean, all fields which are not synchronized are overwritten. And handwritten notes are not synchronized...
But I didn't know it was possible to have handwritten notes with Pocket Outlook. Could you tell me how you do it ?
Birdy

Birdy
Site Admin
Posts: 3118
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: BirdieSync and Portable Thunderbird on a TrueCrypt Volume

Post by Birdy »

BirdieSync 1.6.6.0 now allows to easily use Portable Thunderbird on a hard drive volume. It's possible to select a hard drive volume as storage device in BirdieSync options.
Birdy

zeroed
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 1:07 pm

Re: BirdieSync and Portable Thunderbird on a TrueCrypt Volume

Post by zeroed »

I'm afraid I have to disagree...

My TrueCrypt-Volume doesn't show up in the options for "Portable Thunderbird", and it makes no difference at all whether it's mounted as a removable drive or not.

Behind the drive letters available in the list, the name of each device is stated. Could the problem lie therein that my mounted TrueCrypt-Volume has no "real" device underneath?

Or am I simply misunderstanding something here?

My Setting is quite simple: I'm using a TrueCrypt-Volume which I mount as a removable media, on it is the ThunderbirdPortable-Directory, I got only one profile, nothing fancy.
But when I choose "use current thunderbird", it opens me another tbird on connect , but without any of the other addons and stuff. All other possible combinations seem to be not working, either can't the profile be found or it isn't set correctly, or I cannot choose my appropriate drive.

I'd very much appreciate any help

Thx in advance

Birdy
Site Admin
Posts: 3118
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: BirdieSync and Portable Thunderbird on a TrueCrypt Volume

Post by Birdy »

Hello zeroed,

I'm afraid you are right. Even if now BirdieSync properly detect hard drive volumes, it seems that true crypt volumes remain hidden. :(
I'll investigate on that. By now, I am afraid that you'll have to stick with the workaround described above.
Birdy

sunspots
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:46 am

Re: BirdieSync and Portable Thunderbird on a TrueCrypt Volume

Post by sunspots »

Hi, I to put my hand up looking for the same type of solution that zeroed is wanting.

I have Thunderbird (TB)/Lightning installed on WindowsXP and the original set up (simplest way to go to make sure things work) as per TB install. Once working, I created a new folder on my TrueCrypt volume, eg x:\data\thunderbird\profiles. Then under the profile copied the directory, eg abc123.default to be under profiles.

I then edited the "profiles.ini" file that sits under "%AppData%\Thunderbird\" folder, to point to the new home of my profile. See the following link for details on moving your profile.

http://www.mozilla.org/support/thunderbird/profile

Rebooted (to play safe) and started Thunderbird. Oh, by the way, I renamed the original folder, to ensure I wasn't using it. All looked fine. When I tried to sync, I got an error "Unresolved Thunderbird Profile" and something about not being able to associate to the profile name.

This will give you another view on what your users are trying to achieve. Hope it helps.

Let me know if you require some testing.
Thanks for the support and the great application.

Birdy
Site Admin
Posts: 3118
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: BirdieSync and Portable Thunderbird on a TrueCrypt Volume

Post by Birdy »

BirdieSync 1.6.8.0 has been released and now supports virtual drives like TrueCrypt volumes with Portable Thunderbird and Sunbird. You must select "Drive defined in path" in the storage device list and then prefix your path with the drive letter where your TrueCrypt volume is mounted (as a normal full path. For instance I:\Program Files\...).

>sunspots: if you still have problems, please post again because you don't seem to use Portable Thunderbird but the classical version.
Birdy

sunspots
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:46 am

Re: BirdieSync and Portable Thunderbird on a TrueCrypt Volume

Post by sunspots »

Hi Birdy,
That is fantastic news.

I'll look to test in the next few days and yes I'm using classic Thunderbird.

Birdy
Site Admin
Posts: 3118
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: BirdieSync and Portable Thunderbird on a TrueCrypt Volume

Post by Birdy »

If you are using the classical version of Thunderbird, that could be another problem because even if you modified the Profiles.ini to point to your profile located on the TrueCrypt volume, BirdieSync should have been able to handle it.
If you still have the problem, could you send the logs to support(at)birdiesync.com building the log archive with "Tools/BirdieSync/Archive logs..." ? Send also your Profiles.ini.
Thanks.
Birdy

zeroed
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 1:07 pm

Re: BirdieSync and Portable Thunderbird on a TrueCrypt Volume

Post by zeroed »

Works like a charm! ^^

Much obliged, oh Master of The Sync *bowsdeeply*

Birdy
Site Admin
Posts: 3118
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: BirdieSync and Portable Thunderbird on a TrueCrypt Volume

Post by Birdy »

You're welcome. :wink:
Birdy

sunspots
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:46 am

Re: BirdieSync and Portable Thunderbird on a TrueCrypt Volume

Post by sunspots »

Hi Birdy,
I installed the latest version and ran with it for a few days to be sure all was fine with my environment.

Today, I moved my profile directory from "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles" to my TrueCrypt volume. I changed my Profile.INI to point to the new location. Then executed Thunderbird and went into the options for BirdieSync.

Once in the options for BirdieSync, I had to re-establish what directories are used for Thunderbird. I noticed that looking at the address book (for example) that no address books were available. They re-appeared when I clicked on "Use current Thunderbird" on the Thunderbird tab. All the tabs looked okay.

When I connected my mobile phone, it synchronised without producing any errors (as it did last time). However, I found that it re-synchronised all my cards, events, and tasks. For cards, it was something along the lines of 432 entries. It should have synchronised only about half a dozen to a dozen entries. Looking at my contacts on the mobile phone are not duplicated, plus one new entry on the mobile phone was sync'd back to Thunderbird. However, I did notice that my chosen tune for my contacts had disappeared (I am using Pocket Informant). So, I'm not sure if this is an issue because of the fresh sync from Thunderbird or Pocket Informant considering the entries as new. My events, and tasks look okay.

I have sent the Archive logs and my PROFILE.INI file to the support email address.

Let me know if you want any further information or testing.

Regards

goetzibubu
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 6:49 pm

Re: BirdieSync and Portable Thunderbird on a TrueCrypt Volume

Post by goetzibubu »

I use Thunderbird Portable in a TrueCrypt Volume, too. But entering the full path to profile (or the path to ThunderbirdPortable.exe only) didn't work. I played around without success: Even when I copied 'ThunderbirdPortable.exe' to 'Thunderbird.exe' or entered the path to ThunderbirdPortable.exe at the tab for Thunderbird: No reaction.
The workaround was the only way to get it work... :(

Post Reply