What's an easy way to move a Thunderbird profile with emails from windows 7 to a windows 10 computer?
I have the backup files for the current version of Thunderbird from my broken Windows 7 computer. I bought a Windows 10 computer yesterday and installed the current version of Thunderbird. What's the easiest way to transfer my complete profile and emails to my new computer? The file structures seem incompatible.
I see that there is a Thunderbird profile in appData/local and also in appData/Roaming. How am I supposed to deal with this conflicting situation that’s not addressed in the now outdated support pages?
Réiteach roghnaithe
re :1). Is pasting the original profile folder contents into the new profile folder the same as deleting everything in the new folder and pasting all the original files in there? In other words, are there any new files in the new profile folder that's not in the original profile?
There would only be new files if you used a very old version of TB in Win7 and a latest version in Win10.
I know that 'localstore.rdf'was replaced by 'xulstore.json' in one of the updates to version 38, but having both files is ok. The only other difference would be Lightning Addon, which is now included in the download, but if you did not have it in the backup version, then it will not overwrite it. If you did have Lightning in the backup and you over write, then it may need updating once you start thunderbird. So it will not overwrite anything that's new.
2). What is to be done with the Thunderbird profile in appData/local?
The Windows OS created those files for it's own use. They are a bunch of cache files, they do not contain the emails. I have never needed to copy them, but I have deleted them before now only to have them recreated automatically by Windows OS once I started Thunderbird.
I have read on internet of one person who said they needed to do it, but considering I can happilly delete and Windows can easily recreate them, I'm not sure what the issue was with that person. There has never been any instruction or advise on needing to copy over the Appdata/Local by Mozilla or it's Developers or Support team. Perhaps that other person did not use the default Profile location and had deliberately chosen a different location for storing their emails.
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There is only one place where your Profile name folder is located and it has not changed, so all info is still the same. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Thunderbird
Your profile name folder is located here on both Win7 and win10.
- C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\
The 'Profile name' is called 'xxxxxxxx.default' where the x's are letters and numbers.
Open backup profile name folder. locate and open the profile name folder. Select all the files and folders ; Ctrl + A Copy all the Contents - all files and folders which include 'Mail' folder amongst others.
Win 10 machine:
In Firewall, make sure that Thunderbird is an allowed program.
Make hidden files and folders visible:
Run Thunderbird the first time to create a default profile name folder. Do not create any mail accounts as you want to use the ones in Win 7 backup.
In Thunderbird
- 'Help' > 'Troubleshooting Information'
- click on 'show folder' button
A new window opens showing the contents of your new profile name folder.
- Close Thunderbird now - this is important.
Paste all the copied files and folders into the new Profile name folder over writing all the new default files and folders. Note: you are not copy pasting the profile name folder itself - just it's contents.
Start thunderbird.
I have two questions. 1). Is pasting the original profile folder contents into the new profile folder the same as deleting everything in the new folder and pasting all the original files in there? In other words, are there any new files in the new profile folder that's not in the original profile? 2). What is to be done with the Thunderbird profile in appData/local?
Réiteach Roghnaithe
re :1). Is pasting the original profile folder contents into the new profile folder the same as deleting everything in the new folder and pasting all the original files in there? In other words, are there any new files in the new profile folder that's not in the original profile?
There would only be new files if you used a very old version of TB in Win7 and a latest version in Win10.
I know that 'localstore.rdf'was replaced by 'xulstore.json' in one of the updates to version 38, but having both files is ok. The only other difference would be Lightning Addon, which is now included in the download, but if you did not have it in the backup version, then it will not overwrite it. If you did have Lightning in the backup and you over write, then it may need updating once you start thunderbird. So it will not overwrite anything that's new.
2). What is to be done with the Thunderbird profile in appData/local?
The Windows OS created those files for it's own use. They are a bunch of cache files, they do not contain the emails. I have never needed to copy them, but I have deleted them before now only to have them recreated automatically by Windows OS once I started Thunderbird.
I have read on internet of one person who said they needed to do it, but considering I can happilly delete and Windows can easily recreate them, I'm not sure what the issue was with that person. There has never been any instruction or advise on needing to copy over the Appdata/Local by Mozilla or it's Developers or Support team. Perhaps that other person did not use the default Profile location and had deliberately chosen a different location for storing their emails.