After transfer from XP to Win7 I can't see out Outlook Express folder
I am converting from running Outlook Express on Windows XP to running Thunderbird on Windows 7. I installed Thunderbird on my XP computer and ran the import from Outlook Express which created the Outlook Express Import folder which does contain all the emails I wish to retain. I installed Thunderbird on my Windows 7 computer and copied the profile folder over from Windows XP. Since the profile names were different I changed the value in the profile.ini file as well as in the settings parameter in Thunderbird to match this copied value. However, I do not see the Outlook Express folder from Thunderbird. If I navigate the folder structure under the profile I do see the Outlook Express import folders. Any help in gaining access to this data would be helpful. Since I still have all the data on my XP box I can if needed reinstall Thunderbird.
Chosen solution
Eureka! I tried an end run and it worked. Tools > Import. Then I selected Mail only > Next > Outlook Express and then I navigated to the Outlook Express folder already under the Thunderbird Mail folder and even though it said nothing was imported the folder structure showed up and I can see and access the emails from Outlook Express.
Read this answer in context 👍 0All Replies (6)
"I changed the value in the profile.ini file as well as in the settings parameter in Thunderbird"
What settings parameter in Thunderbird?
The profile.ini file was located here: C:\Users\John\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\profiles.ini and I changed the path parameter to point to the name of the profile I copied from my XP box: Path=Profiles/jomsbqrn.default
In Thunderbird I changed the Local directory path under tools > Account Settings to point to the name of the copied profile.
Ok can you start again please! that last change will have scrambled more than I can help you with.
delete the prefs.js file in your new copy and replace it with the original.
Now open Thunderbird... do you have your old profile with account setting etc only with the outlook folder missing , or do you have a new profile with nothing.
I tried what you recommended and really see no difference. Let me add something that may help. When I installed Thunderbird on the Win 7 PC it did create a profile (but obviously with a different name from the one created on XP). The changes I mentioned making was to point the Win 7 version to use the profile from XP. But I just thought of one thing, on Win 7 the path would use AppData but on XP it would be Application Data. I think that because if does not have the same path names it does not see the Outlook folder. So if the Thunderbird on my Win 7 PC is not fixable, what is the best way to transfer the profile and all my old folders from XP over to Win 7?
Additional update: I decided to get a little creative since I realized that the old path used Application Data and the new paths use AppData/Roaming. I used a windows grep tool to find those paths and changed them in the following files: panacea.dat perfs.dat - used the config editor for this one. I bounced Thunderbird but I still do not see the Outlook Express folder.
Chosen Solution
Eureka! I tried an end run and it worked. Tools > Import. Then I selected Mail only > Next > Outlook Express and then I navigated to the Outlook Express folder already under the Thunderbird Mail folder and even though it said nothing was imported the folder structure showed up and I can see and access the emails from Outlook Express.