Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

I had two email addresses and deleted one of them that had many local folders attached. Can I get folders back?

  • 6 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by sfhowes

more options

I stopped using my original email account and started using a new one. I had created many local folders when using the original email. Because I kept getting error messages for the original email account every time I started Thunderbird, I deleted the original email account. I didn't realize the local folders would also be deleted. Is there any way to get the local folders back?

I stopped using my original email account and started using a new one. I had created many local folders when using the original email. Because I kept getting error messages for the original email account every time I started Thunderbird, I deleted the original email account. I didn't realize the local folders would also be deleted. Is there any way to get the local folders back?

Chosen solution

Thank you for the info. Unfortunately I am not a skilled Linus user. All I really know (and not that well) is how to use the GUI interface. I did find the name of my Profile Folder but am not sure how to view it.

Jerry

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (6)

more options

Just a few points:

  • If you do not have a local trash where they reside in, you cannot restore them from within Thunderbird;
  • If you run Windows, you might be able to restore them by going to the location where the Thunderbird profile is stored (under your C:\users\username... path), then right-click at the point where the missing folder is located, choose Previous versions, then try if Windows happens to have a snapshot in System Restore;
  • If not, you might be able to use an undelete program such as Recuva - but you will have to be fast so it's not yet overwritten.
more options

Chosen Solution

Thank you for the info. Unfortunately I am not a skilled Linus user. All I really know (and not that well) is how to use the GUI interface. I did find the name of my Profile Folder but am not sure how to view it.

Jerry

more options

Select Help/Troubleshooting Information, then click Show Folder to open the profile folder in your system's file manager. Open the Mail subfolder and then the Local Folders subfolder. There you should see mbox files with no extension and named after your original local folders. Install the ImportExportTools add-on mentioned in the kb article and import the mbox files to TB.

more options

I clicked on help/troubleshooting information and get the troubleshooting information window. But, I do not find any place on this window 'show folder' to click on. Here is the complete window;


Troubleshooting Information

This page contains technical information that might be useful when you're trying to solve a problem. If you are looking for answers to common questions about Thunderbird, check out our support website. Include account names (possibly identifying information) Application Basics Name Thunderbird Version 24.5.0 User Agent Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686; rv:24.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/24.5.0 Profile Directory (Local drive) Application Build ID 20140428203111 Enabled Plugins about:plugins Build Configuration about:buildconfig Crash Reports about:crashes Memory Use about:memory Mail and News Accounts ID Incoming server Outgoing servers Name Connection security Authentication method Name Connection security Authentication method Default? account2 (none) Local Folders None Normal password account3 (pop3) pop.mail.yahoo.com:995 SSL/TLS Normal password smtp.mail.yahoo.com:465 SSL/TLS Normal password true Extensions Name Version Enabled ID EDS Contact Integration 0.6 true edsintegration@mozilla.com Messaging Menu and Unity Launcher integration 1.3.1 true messagingmenu@mozilla.com Important Modified Preferences Name Value accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar 0 browser.cache.disk.capacity 358400 browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value 358400 browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run false browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max false extensions.lastAppVersion 24.5.0 mailnews.database.global.datastore.id 2ffe9e60-0bb7-4421-80a2-24c3176dbd4 mail.openMessageBehavior.version 1 network.cookie.prefsMigrated true places.database.lastMaintenance 1399129190 places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages 85894 plugin.importedState true print.print_bgcolor false print.print_bgimages false print.print_colorspace default print.print_downloadfonts false print.print_evenpages true print.print_in_color true print.print_margin_bottom 0.500000012107193 print.print_margin_left 0.500000012107193 print.print_margin_right 0.500000012107193 print.print_margin_top 0.500000012107193 print.print_oddpages true print.print_orientation 0 print.print_page_delay 50 print.print_paper_data 0 print.print_paper_height 279.40 print.print_paper_name na_letter print.print_paper_size_type 1 print.print_paper_size_unit 1 print.print_paper_width 215.90 print.print_plex_name default print.print_resolution_name default print.print_scaling 1.00 print.print_shrink_to_fit true print.print_to_file false print.print_unwriteable_margin_bottom 56 print.print_unwriteable_margin_left 25 print.print_unwriteable_margin_right 25 print.print_unwriteable_margin_top 25 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.can_change_colorspace false print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.can_change_downloadfonts false print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.can_change_jobtitle false print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.can_change_num_copies true print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.can_change_orientation true print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.can_change_paper_size true print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.can_change_plex false print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.can_change_printincolor true print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.can_change_resolution false print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.can_change_spoolercommand true print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.colorspace.0.name default print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.colorspace.count 1 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.has_special_printerfeatures true print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.orientation.0.name portrait print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.orientation.1.name landscape print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.orientation.count 2 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.0.height_mm 210 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.0.is_inch false print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.0.name A5 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.0.width_mm 148 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.1.height_mm 297 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.1.is_inch false print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.1.name A4 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.1.width_mm 210 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.2.height_mm 420 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.2.is_inch false print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.2.name A3 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.2.width_mm 297 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.3.height_mm 279 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.3.is_inch true print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.3.name Letter print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.3.width_mm 215 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.4.height_mm 355 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.4.is_inch true print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.4.name Legal print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.4.width_mm 215 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.5.height_mm 431 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.5.is_inch true print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.5.name Tabloid print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.5.width_mm 279 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.6.height_mm 254 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.6.is_inch true print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.6.name Executive print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.6.width_mm 190 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.paper.count 7 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.plex.0.name default print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.plex.count 1 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.resolution.0.name default print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.resolution.count 1 print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.supports_colorspace_change false print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.supports_downloadfonts_change false print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.supports_jobtitle_change false print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.supports_orientation_change true print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.supports_paper_size_change true print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.supports_plex_change false print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.supports_printincolor_change true print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.supports_resolution_change false print.tmp.printerfeatures.PostScript/default.supports_spoolercommand_change true Graphics Adapter Description X.Org R300 Project -- Gallium 0.4 on ATI RV370 Vendor ID X.Org R300 Project Device ID Gallium 0.4 on ATI RV370 Driver Version 2.1 Mesa 8.0.4 WebGL Renderer false GPU Accelerated Windows 0 AzureCanvasBackend cairo AzureFallbackCanvasBackend none AzureContentBackend none JavaScript Incremental GC 1 Accessibility Activated 1 Prevent Accessibility 0 Library Versions Expected minimum version Version in use NSPR 4.10.2 4.10.2 NSS 3.15.4 Basic ECC 3.15.4 Basic ECC NSS Util 3.15.4 3.15.4 NSS SSL 3.15.4 Basic ECC 3.15.4 Basic ECC NSS S/MIME 3.15.4 Basic ECC 3.15.4 Basic ECC

more options

The profile folder in Linux is described here:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Thunderbird#Linux_and_Unix