Is this profile recovery process safe ?
TB working fine, then next day opens up as Blank screen and a setup tab Profile shows to be still there as do mail folders .... so need to recreate profile.
Created a new Profile I copied over the folders:
IMAPmail Mail
and the following files
key3.db logins.json cert8.db
and all of the pref.js files (1 through to 141)
The profile folder does show new profile active ( as per this pic https://flic.kr/p/2pjRyRz)
I created the 2 IMAP account login details, I now have access to the inbox for 2 IMAP account, but I do not have any the filed mail (local folders) how do I get these back. This is an important item for me as many years of filed emails.
Modified by rick_hughes
Chosen solution
RESOLVED
I have my emails stored off the C:/ as per process https://kb.mozillazine.org/Moving_your_mail_storage_location_-_Thunderbird (Been happy that way for past 8 years 0
Having created a new profiler, and only IMAP & MAIL folders copied to it, I then created a dummy POP3 account Simply ignoring all questions for passwords & server details. This appeared correctly in TB
Then using Windows Explorer - went to the Dummy Account folder in my profile, and deleted the folder contents. Then moved the contents of the folder at E:\My email\pop3.btconnect.com
Finally worked, the emails are now there and accessible.
Thank you for your help.
Read this answer in context 👍 0All Replies (14)
If you mean what am I seeing in the physical folders .. I was seeing in the https://flic.kr/p/2pk9b3p
If you mean in TB .... nothing extra, no folder for btconnect
I have a copy of the complete 'old' profile and therefore the 'mail' folder, interesting that that does not have a folder called "local folder" This is a view of the previous 'Mail' folder contents https://flic.kr/p/2pkrkLf
Puzzling. With the folders (such as inbox, inbox.msf) in Mail\Local Folders, you should have seen the inbox folder. Was there anything showing on main pane for Local Folders? I did a complete retest of every step I gave you and I was surprised to read that there was no Local Folders previously.
OK ... maybe I was not clear. When I copied over the btconnect files to 'Local Folders' It showed all of the files as per this pic : https://flic.kr/p/2pk9b3p
But when I started TB .. there was no btconnect folder Only the GMX mail and Gmail folders (local folders)
I have the original MAIL so happy to move, import .. to try again
You're right; there should not be a btconnect folder, but there should have been an inbox and sent folder. Please do screenshot of the main pane in Thunderbird to show what Thunderbird sees in Local Folder. Thank you.
I removed the MAIL folder as it did not work. I have copied across a 'new' copy of the MAIL folder, it does not contain a folder 'Local Folders' So MAIL looks like: https://flic.kr/p/2pk3ERh
Up to last week (when working) the TB interface showed 3 accounts GMX, and BTconnect within each of these was Inbox, Drafts, Sent, trash etc. BTconnect did not appear in Local Folders but the same as the active email accounts
Do you want me to manually create a folder called 'Local Folders' and put BT connect folders inside that ? or does the 'Local Folders' have to be created by a particular process.
Just checking as that is not how BTconnect mail appeared previously, but will accept access in any form.
I looked back over this thread and noticed you mentioned having 141 prefs.js files. There should just be one. You are working with a corrupted profile and my belief is that is the major cause of your difficulties. My suggestion is to copy the BTconnect folder elsewhere to protect it and then create a new profile at help>troubleshootinginformation, scroll down to 'profiles', click 'about:profiles' and click 'create profile, give it a name and accept. Then - create your two IMAP accounts as before - there should be a local folders showing and you can then exit TB and copy the mail files (e.g., inbox, inbox.msf) to the Mail\Local Folders folder - you can import your old addressbook with tools>import>import from a file and select sqlite format and then point to abook.sqlite on you old profile.
OR .... You could create a Local Folders folder under the Mail folder and copy the files (e.g, inbox, inbox.msf) there and see if it works. That's the easiest approach should try first.
Hi David - sorry for Delay been sick for a few days.
Created a new profile .... exact steps and files copied as follows:
- Copied over MAIL folder from C:\Users\Rick\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\4ttn729w.default\Mail
to C:\Users\Rick\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\zigbivdm.RH_New\mail
- Copied over IMapMail folder from C:\Users\Rick\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\4ttn729w.default\ImapMail
to C:\Users\Rick\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\zigbivdm.RH_New\ImapMail
- Changed default for Local Folders (in TB interface) to actual folder E:\My email\Local Folders so previously filed mail working fine as 'local folders'
I currently as before have no access to my BTConnect Pop3 mail, what I did not make clear previously is that the POP3 stored mail is physically stored at E:\My email\pop3.btconnect.com The profile has this as C:\Users\Rick\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\zigbivdm.RH_New\Mail\pop3.btconnect.com
I can't use > New Account/Existing Mail as that requires server details, and as explained those no longer work, I only need access to my stored mail.
So somewhere / somehow I need to point TB profile to the locally stored mails.
What happens if you copy e:\My email\pop3.btconnect.com\*.* to e:\My email\Local Folders\ ?
I copied the folder E:\My email\pop3.btconnect.com into E:\My email\Local Folders It clearly shows in that location with correct files & sizes. In TB it shows as a folder ... with 2 sub folders none of which have any emails
On another forum I read a comment "I would create a new POP account profile, skip the part where it tries to log in to it, and under account settings/server settings change the "Local Directory" line to the folder of the old account."
I have not done that as I am not sure exactly what to do, would need a bit more hand-holding .... does that approach help in any way ?
Way back in this thread I saw where you had changed the location of the directory used for local folders. Now you are having issues with things you copied into local folders. Did you ever change it back to where it was originally? if not you are probably copying stuff in the wrong place.
My Local Folders are now working fine. When I created a new profile , initially I had not changed the 'pointer' for where the folders are stored.
To correct - what I did was in TB right-click on 'local folders' / settings/message store and set the correct location (E:\My email\Local Folders) that fixed the Local Folder issue.
My 2 x IMAP mail accounts and their assorted Inbox, sent etc. .... both working fine.
Only remaining issue is that POP3 account ... is not showing up. I have copied over MAIL folder complete .... but nothing showing in TB
Somehow I need get TB to use the stored POP3 mail ....
Chosen Solution
RESOLVED
I have my emails stored off the C:/ as per process https://kb.mozillazine.org/Moving_your_mail_storage_location_-_Thunderbird (Been happy that way for past 8 years 0
Having created a new profiler, and only IMAP & MAIL folders copied to it, I then created a dummy POP3 account Simply ignoring all questions for passwords & server details. This appeared correctly in TB
Then using Windows Explorer - went to the Dummy Account folder in my profile, and deleted the folder contents. Then moved the contents of the folder at E:\My email\pop3.btconnect.com
Finally worked, the emails are now there and accessible.
Thank you for your help.
I'm pleased to hear this. Thanks for the update.