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how to download contact list from a dead computer to a new one???

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  • Last reply by Matt

jonnynu
jonnynu
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My laptop died and will not restart. My computer tech has removed the hard drive but has been unable to bring over my contacts list from that hard drive, although he was able to set me up to receive e-mails again on my new computer. HOW EXACTLY does my tech need to do in order to bring over my contacts list from the hard drive of my old dead computer???

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP!

My laptop died and will not restart. My computer tech has removed the hard drive but has been unable to bring over my contacts list from that hard drive, although he was able to set me up to receive e-mails again on my new computer. HOW EXACTLY does my tech need to do in order to bring over my contacts list from the hard drive of my old dead computer??? THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP!

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Matt
Matt
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What operating system did your old hard drive have?

Your tech needs to do nothing. You need to install an addon and import a file. But the instructions on how to find that file depend on the operating system it used.

jonnynu
jonnynu Question owner
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the operating system is Vista...

Matt
Matt
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Ok first ensure windows is set to display hidden files and folders.

Then on the vista drive locate the folder

appdata\[username]\Thunderbird\roaming

Open the file profiles.ini in notepad, you will see something that looks like this. 

[Profile0]
Name=tester
IsRelative=1
Path=Profiles/zwldg1rp.tester
Default=1

locate the group with Default=1 in it if there is more than one group. If IsRelative=1 then the path below it starts in the location the profile.ini file is. If it is 0 it is a fully qualified path to your profile.

The default is relative, so go back to explorer and drill down to the folder identified in PATH.

in this folder you will see a number of MAB files. These are your address books. Abook being the personal address book and History being the collected addresses.

Install the more functions for address book add-on You get it here https://freeshell.de//~kaosmos/morecols-en.html

Instructions to install an add-on http://chrisramsden.vfast.co.uk/3_How_to_install_Add-ons_in_Thunderbird.html

Use the import function of the add-on to import the old address books to the new installation.