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After moving old profile to new machine, thunderbird states that it cannot use the profile because it is in use and to close thunderbird, but it is closed.

  • 2 replies
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  • Last reply by pgensinger

pgensinger
pgensinger
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I am moving Thunderbird to a new machine and want to move the old profile. After installing Thunderbird, I copied the profile and using the "thunderbird.exe -p" command added the old profile. When I start Thunderbird, I get the following error message; "Thunderbird cannot use the profile "profile name" because it is in use. To continue, close instances of Thunderbird or chose a different profile" But Thunderbird is not running and I cannot get this to work. Please help!

I am moving Thunderbird to a new machine and want to move the old profile. After installing Thunderbird, I copied the profile and using the "thunderbird.exe -p" command added the old profile. When I start Thunderbird, I get the following error message; "Thunderbird cannot use the profile "profile name" because it is in use. To continue, close instances of Thunderbird or chose a different profile" But Thunderbird is not running and I cannot get this to work. Please help!

All Replies (2)

Toad-Hall
Toad-Hall
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Assuming you use a Windows OS when creating the backup. Access profile name folder. In the same folder where you can see 'Mail' folder. Scroll down. Locate and Delete the following file.

  • 'parent.lock'

Then try to start Thunderbird.

pgensinger
pgensinger Question owner
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Toad-Hall,

Thanks for your reply; it turned out to be a corrupt "profile" file. I restored an older one and it worked with a few missing emails. Good thing I backed up the older computer first.