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How can I restore Thunderbird local folders after a system crash?

  • 6 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by christ1

Daughn
Daughn
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I made a system backup on April 10. On April 15, my Windows system became corrupted and I had to reinstall Windows 7. I need to recover my Local Folders where my important emails are for the past 15 years. Can I recover these folders from the backup of the 10th? The backed-up file is a VHD one, and I have access to it on a virtual drive with all the Thunderbird directories and files, some of which are large (>100K). I have tried everything I know to recover them with no success. Hope someone can help. The attached image shows one of the directories (this directory is 350MB in size with 3376 files and 2386). 

folders).
I made a system backup on April 10. On April 15, my Windows system became corrupted and I had to reinstall Windows 7. I need to recover my Local Folders where my important emails are for the past 15 years. Can I recover these folders from the backup of the 10th? The backed-up file is a VHD one, and I have access to it on a virtual drive with all the Thunderbird directories and files, some of which are large (>100K). I have tried everything I know to recover them with no success. Hope someone can help. The attached image shows one of the directories (this directory is 350MB in size with 3376 files and 2386). folders).

All Replies (6)

christ1
christ1
  • Top 25 Contributor
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Can I recover these folders from the backup of the 10th?

I'm not sure what you're asking for. You created the backup, so only you can answer that question. Assuming your backup does include your Thunderbird profile folder, then I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to restore it.

Also see https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-tb#w_restoring-a-profile-backup

Daughn
Daughn Question owner
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What do I do if the "saved" profile name (xxxx.default) is different than the "current" one? The link you sent didn't address that although it said it was going to. Did I miss the explanation ?

Daughn
Daughn Question owner
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Well, I finally got my old Local Folder emails back, but how do I merge the emails I have received since my backup of April 10th? I have the file names and the .msf files from about the 15th to now.

christ1
christ1
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I have the file names and the .msf files from about the 15th to now.

You can install the add-on below to import mail from mbox files. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/importexporttools/

Daughn
Daughn Question owner
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I got the ImportExport add-on but not sure how to use it. So I guess I will just forget the two weeks of lost emails.

christ1
christ1
  • Top 25 Contributor
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The AMO add-on page has a link to the support site.