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doing a completely fresh install of Thunderbird

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  • Last reply by Matt

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I would like to wipe all traces of my Thunderbird installation off my computer--profiles, etc.--and start all over. I have tried deleting the Thunderbird "Profiles" folder, downloading T-bird anew, and installing it afresh. It will not start; I get the error message "missing profile." But THAT WAS THE POINT. I don't want to use the old profile or retrieve any of my old emails. I wasn't born with that profile, but now it's the only one Thunderbird will allow me to use.

How do I start from scratch, as if I had never installed T-bird before?

Thanks,

 GAS
I would like to wipe all traces of my Thunderbird installation off my computer--profiles, etc.--and start all over. I have tried deleting the Thunderbird "Profiles" folder, downloading T-bird anew, and installing it afresh. It will not start; I get the error message "missing profile." But THAT WAS THE POINT. I don't want to use the old profile or retrieve any of my old emails. I wasn't born with that profile, but now it's the only one Thunderbird will allow me to use. How do I start from scratch, as if I had never installed T-bird before? Thanks, GAS

All Replies (3)

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profiles are stored in a Thunderbird\profiles\Profile name folder structure.

The file that designates the profile that is in use is stored in the Thunderbird part of the folder structure, so you delete the Thunderbird folder and it's sub folders, not just the profiles folder several levels lower in the folders.

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Thank you, Matt, but that hasn't given me what I want. I want to scrub every trace of my current Thunderbird installation from my machine and start afresh.

I've re-posed the question in another question, so if you see it and have some advice, I'd appreciate it.

Gary

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Well I see your new question has received a lot of ecommendations.

gstring1940 said

Thank you, Matt, but that hasn't given me what I want. I want to scrub every trace of my current Thunderbird installation from my machine and start afresh. I've re-posed the question in another question, so if you see it and have some advice, I'd appreciate it. Gary

If you got the Thunderbird somewhere other than the Microsoft store.

In windows file manager type %appdata% in the location bar. Select the Thunderbird folder and delete it.

Done. Which is basically what I told oyu before. But I tried to explain it. Sorry about that.