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Years ago saved documents/thunderbird to external HD. Now several computers later want to retrieve it. My explorer shows mail in preview. TB not open

  • 3 replies
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  • Last reply by christ1

paulhib
paulhib
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there is a profile in apps data. on external HD. There is a documents\ (with a "thunderbird" file folder, A "Profiles" folder, and a "profiles.ini" and a "registry.dat" file. Profiles opens to "dl6z6l5w.default" which has many files including "Mail" In "Mail" are 3 pop accounts, 2 .com accounts and "Local Folders" The one .com account has a file folder "Inbox.sbd" with lots of subfolders as seen in third-party file manager. In one sub folder (actually looks like a dog-eared page there are 142 k I can preview them and see they are probably the emails I want.

When I go at this with a clean copy of Thunderbird, the "Inbox.sbd" on the external HD shows as empty. It was "read only" I unchecked that. I have tried manipulating the apps data file with no success. Not sue what I am suppose to do.

there is a profile in apps data. on external HD. There is a documents\ (with a "thunderbird" file folder, A "Profiles" folder, and a "profiles.ini" and a "registry.dat" file. Profiles opens to "dl6z6l5w.default" which has many files including "Mail" In "Mail" are 3 pop accounts, 2 .com accounts and "Local Folders" The one .com account has a file folder "Inbox.sbd" with lots of subfolders as seen in third-party file manager. In one sub folder (actually looks like a dog-eared page there are 142 k I can preview them and see they are probably the emails I want. When I go at this with a clean copy of Thunderbird, the "Inbox.sbd" on the external HD shows as empty. It was "read only" I unchecked that. I have tried manipulating the apps data file with no success. Not sue what I am suppose to do.

All Replies (3)

christ1
christ1
  • Top 25 Contributor
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When I go at this with a clean copy of Thunderbird

What exactly does this mean?

It was "read only"

What was "read only"?

I have tried manipulating the apps data file

Again, what does this mean?

Do you have an existing Thunderbird profile and want to restore the backed up profile, or do you just want to restore the backed up profile?

paulhib
paulhib Question owner
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D/L Thunderbird but not set it up as active on line program. No new mail settings etc. Most of the old copied file folders were set as "read only" which I understand is the default of backups and causes problems on non rewrite DVD. Not a problem on ex - HD. I do not understand but it seems TB sets up an "APPS DATA" file that it separate from regular data files (but both are in Documents library). One on-line suggestion was to copy old "APPS DATA" into new TB structure ( a replacement) It did not work. Then tried replacing just parts with no better luck. I only want to open the old files. No desire to going back to TB as working program. Use Chrome and gmail now. Explorer2 film management program can preview the email in the old file but TB sees it as an empty file.

christ1
christ1
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"dl6z6l5w.default" is your Thunderbird profile. It contains all your mail. To restore it you can create a new profile and copy the old one over it. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Moving_your_profile_folder_-_Thunderbird#Create_a_new_profile_and_copy_the_old_one_over_it

Check this article for more information about your profile location. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Thunderbird