Thunderbird issue after moving profile
Hello moving my mail from old Mac (OSX: 10.10.5) with Thunderbird (78.7.0) to new Mac (OSX: 11.1)with Thunderbird (78.7.0) and ran into a problem. Here's what I did:
1. I located and copied my profile files from old machine to new machine using an external SSD. 2. Fired up Thunderbird on the new machine, works no problem at all. 3. Shut down (Quit) Thunderbird. 4. Restart Thunderbird and get a blank application in which none of the menu items work.
If I quit Thunderbird and then copy the profile data back into the same place then fire up Thunderbird again everything works.
But as soon as I quit Thunderbird and restart it I end up back in the same place.
What did I do wrong?
All Replies (2)
This is a common issue that usually points to an incorrect installation. You have to drag TB to the Applications folder to avoid the 'blank slate' on every start.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/installing-thunderbird-on-mac
If you've done that already, note that there are issues related to Big Sur and TB.
in macOS 11.1 , get EXACT SAME TB VERSION that was used in old computer (macOS 10.10.5) install that same version TB in macOS 11.1 in new mac. run TB , let it show empty stuff or that it has began to use a new profile, etc. select the option inside TB : do not auto update. As long as SAME VERSION is running fine , you are good to go to next step.
run (same verison) TB , then goto : TB main menu > Help > Troubleshooting information > about:profiles > find the line "Default profile: yes" > in that section , see the "Root" directory line > the last sub-folder is your running TB's TB-profile sub-folder , write it down , lets call it new-TB-profile > if you see the "Open Location" or similar button, use that to open a new-tab inside your Finder (file explorer) with that TB-profile location.
or manually goto here:
"~/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/<new-TB-profile>/"
that is usually here:
mac default volume : "/Users/<macOsUserName>/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/<new-TB-profile>/"
the "~" symbol indicates to your HOME / username directory/folder.
to view the "Library" folder inside your own username / HOME folder , you would have to apply command that can unhide/show Hidden files+folders in macOS.
go one step above or backward of "<new-TB-profile>" sub-folder, that will be here: mac default volume : "/Users/<macOsUserName>/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/" there you will see other TB-profile(s) sub-fodlers. if you have only two sub-folders there , & one of them is "<new-TB-profile>" , then the other folder is your actual/earlier TB-profile , lets call it "<old-TB-profile>".
Please Follow/do these exactly :
exit from all open/running TB . close all TB.
make a backup sub-folder for "<new-TB-profile>" here:
mac default volume : "/Users/<macOsUserName>/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/BAK-<new-TB-profile>"
( create new folder under "Profiles" , then write new-TB-profile folder's actual folder name , then add "BAK-" in front of it )
select all files+folders inside the "<new-TB-profile>" & select "Copy.." (Cmd+C) , & then MOVE (Alt+Cmd+C) into/inside "BAK-<new-TB-profile>" sub-folder.
select all files+folders inside "<old-TB-profile>" & select "Copy.." , & then MOVE into "<new-TB-profile>".
start TB, all data/settings/email from old TB, should be shown to you.
if TB is still empty or showing wrong data , exit TB , that means your profile is actually inside another profile folder , backup <new-TB-profile> again into another BAK-02... sub-folder , then MOVE another profile's ALL INTERNAL FILES & FOLDERS into/inside the "<new-TB-profile>" sub-folder. ( Do not change the "new-TB-profile" sub-folder's actual name , it must have exact same name : "xxxxxxxx.profile-name" , each x in xxxxxxxx is random alphanumeric characters. ) run TB again.
when old profile is running fine in TB in new macOS , test TB , restart TB , etc , then/Later you can update it to newer (latest stable) TB version.
Modified by atErik