Profile on old computer (assuming Windows) is at c:\users\<yourID>\appdata\roaming\thunderbird - Install Thunderbird - with thunderbird NOT running, copy the profile to same place - restart thunderbird

Hello David, Thank you for your help. My old harddrive is now an external drive. If I go into drive D, user, there is no app data. Please excuse my ignorance. Obviously I cant open thunderbird as it is attached to a defunct windows 10( the reason I removed my drive because the only option after windows crash was to wipe data, which rightly or wrongly I thought I could save by doing this.)

It is not d:\users\appdata.... It is d:\users\<yourID>\appdata... I don't know what your userid was. Did you wipe data on drive D?

I have tried looking for app data on c as well. So c:\users\<my id>\ there is no app data here either

I didnt wipe any data from the original ssd

ive found app data on C by using windows logo r and typing%appdata% which gets me to roaming and thunderbird but is there a way to do this on drive d? It doesnt go any further than user if I type win logo +r, d:\%appdata%

ive managed to find app data by going to file explorer>view>options>change folder and search options>view Ill see if I can follow your instructions now

Appdata is a hidden folder. To view it, you would need to go to Windows File Explorer, select 'View' and then Show>Hidden Items. On old drive, look for d:\users and browse any subordinate folders.

New approach suggestion: - This may be easier for you - or not. - after locating on drive d, the profile itself is at d:\users\<yourID>\appdata\roaming\thunderbird\profiles\<yourprofilename> If there is more than one profile folder, browse the Mail and Imapmail folders to see which one has your account info. - then, start thunderbird and select tools>import and select the option for another profile. That eliminates attempting to copy the old profile yourself.