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Changed the location of a local folder in Firefox and now I can't find it. Where did it go?

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  • Last reply by touchnova

thinkstoomuch
thinkstoomuch
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So I had a local folder that contained all my archived emails for almost 20 years in a whole bunch of subfolders. I recently got a new system and the local file copied over OK and I was using it. But I rearranged my storage a bit and wanted to move it. In the Account Settings for that local folder there is a field for "Local Directory", so I foolishly changed it to the new location, assuming the existing file would be moved there. But instead Thunderbird just made a new empty file there. Unfortunately I had completely forgotten the old location. I am assuming (fingers crossed) that the old file is around somewhere and I just need to find it. But I don't know what file or files to search for. Is a local folder in .mbox format? Or does it have one of those bizarre Thunderbird filenames like eiyurwgfoyueg.default? And once I do find it, how do I get it back into Thunderbird? I recall there used to be an option to simply open a mail file as a folder but I don't see that option anymore. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

So I had a local folder that contained all my archived emails for almost 20 years in a whole bunch of subfolders. I recently got a new system and the local file copied over OK and I was using it. But I rearranged my storage a bit and wanted to move it. In the Account Settings for that local folder there is a field for "Local Directory", so I foolishly changed it to the new location, assuming the existing file would be moved there. But instead Thunderbird just made a new empty file there. Unfortunately I had completely forgotten the old location. I am assuming (fingers crossed) that the old file is around somewhere and I just need to find it. But I don't know what file or files to search for. Is a local folder in .mbox format? Or does it have one of those bizarre Thunderbird filenames like eiyurwgfoyueg.default? And once I do find it, how do I get it back into Thunderbird? I recall there used to be an option to simply open a mail file as a folder but I don't see that option anymore. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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touchnova
touchnova
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Your missing mail/folders would be located within the previously associated profile. The default location is typically something like this:

C:\Users\YOUR-USER-NAME\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\YOUR-PROFILE-NAME.default\Mail\Local Folders

By locating that directory and copying the proper path back into the 'Local Directory' path you changed in Account Settings, you should be good to go.