Cannot move profile from Windows TB 68.3.1to Linux TB 68.2.2
As W7 is end of support I decided to migrate to Linux Mint on new hardware. On W7 I run the latest version of TB 68.3.1 and on Linux Mint 68.2.2 which both are indicated as 'up to date'. I tried several things to get my emails to the Linux environment. First I moved my emails to local folders and exported the entire profile to a USB store as per TB instructions. On the Linux side I pasted the contents of the profile into the .thunderbird folder, but TB starts with asking for a new profile anyway. I made a new profile and then set my W7 profile to default, but TB started with the newly made profile instead. Next I copied the contents of the W7 profile into to new default profile, but then TB complained that I 'have launched an older version of TB'. I noticed that the contents of the ini-files are different from what I expected on the basis of the support documentation. Profiles are now xxxxxxxx.default-release instead of xxxxxxxx.default. Clearly something has changed which is not accounted for in the migration instruction. Finally I exported the local folder that contains the emails (instead of the entire profile) using the addon ImportExportTools NG, but this tool does not seem to work on the Linux TB. It installs, but there is no menu option to activate it, so I cannot import the emails. My question is how I can best proceed to get my stuff from W7 to the Linux environment. I went through discussions and questions on the support site, but I could not find an item that matches with my situation and I do not want to experiment too much being afraid of making the problem bigger than necessary. I hope there is someone with enough knowledge / experience to advise me. Thank you in advance.
Chosen solution
Thank you for your assistance. I am sorry to say that the -allow-downgrade option does not provide a solution. I achieved a 'desired state' by copying the contents of my W7 local folder into the new local folder. Everything is there as required. This a piece of the solution suggested by Toad Hall. The connection with the mail-services I have set up from scratch, but that is piece of cake. So, I am happy as it is for now. Thank you both. I am pleased by the helpfulness and the friendliness of the community.
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Try: On W7 uninstall Lightning first. I would also uninstall any addons. If you have any extension (add-on) installed that has platform-specific components in the profile, such as the Lightning calender for Thunderbird, you have to uninstall it first in your Windows profile. See info:
Exit Thunderbird on both computers. Then copy and paste the contents of the 'profile name' folder into the new profile name *.default release folder. OR Copy and paste the actual 'profile name' .default folder into 'Profiles' folder. Then start Thunderbird using 'profile manager'.
Create a new profile and click on 'Choose folder' and point it to the newly added profile name folder to get the 'profiles.ini' file updated.
Click on ok and select the profile name and click on 'Start Thunderbird' button
Thank you for your instructions so swiftly. I disabled and removed the addons on W7 TB and copied the profile. However I run into an error message when I click on the Start TB button. The error message reads 'You have launched an older version of Thunderbird', which resembles my earlier attempt. I chose the second option, i.e. pasting the profile in the profiles folder and I started TB with the profile manager. The first option, i.e. copying the contents of the profile, I had already tried earlier with the same error message as result. My hypothesis is that the W7 TB profile has an old format; I started with TB about 10 years ago. Somehow this old format is accepted on W7 but not on Linux. I hope you have an alternative solution.
See https://thunderbirdtweaks.blogspot.com/2019/09/i-lost-my-profilemail-on-update-to.html under downgrade protection.
Chosen Solution
Thank you for your assistance. I am sorry to say that the -allow-downgrade option does not provide a solution. I achieved a 'desired state' by copying the contents of my W7 local folder into the new local folder. Everything is there as required. This a piece of the solution suggested by Toad Hall. The connection with the mail-services I have set up from scratch, but that is piece of cake. So, I am happy as it is for now. Thank you both. I am pleased by the helpfulness and the friendliness of the community.