THUNDERBIRD = TB.
TB uses different TB-profile folders/sub-folders , those contains all emails,data,settings,etc,etc.
all TB-profile sub-folders are inside/under this "Profiles'" folder, here:
"~/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/"
that is usually located here:
MacHDD volume: "/Users/<YourMacOsUserName>/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/"
that ...\Thunderbird\Profiles\ folder contains multiple sub-folders , those sub-folders are various TB profile folders,
a TB profile folder looks like this : "xxxxxxxx.profile-name"
( where x in xxxxxxxx is random alphanumeric characters/letters/numbers, etc )
( the "xxxxxxxx" is profile-folder-ID part , and "profile-name" is profile's name part )
you MUST make a backup/copy of that .../Thunderbird/Profiles/ folder in your Desktop.
then do whatever step you prefer or appropriate.
( your old Mac computer , or your "Time-Machine"-software backup will also contain TB-profile folders )
AV = Anti-Virus . FW = Firewall . SS = Security-Suite software.
• some AV/SS creates insecure proxy/gateway for scanning/checking emails, but there are other secure way to scan/check emails.
• user may have to Disable AV/FW/SS software, OR, enable+add+allow EXCEPTIONS in it (use your exact "mail-server" name/address).
• if that does not solve, then see below:
• in NEW MAC , you have to reinstall TB in below exact way:
• use "Activity Monitor" tool/app in macOS, & completely STOP/KILL any running thunderbird.
• download exact same version of TB , that you were using in OLD MAC . get DMG installer file.
• get older version TB's DMG file from a linked page, that link is shown here , then press Ctrl+F to find the link "Download Thunderbird Installers"
• in Finder , copy (Ctrl+C) "/Applications/Thunderbird.app" , then goto Desktop , click on empty area once , press Alt+Cmd+V to move the app into Desktop, temporarily.
• double-click on DMG file, new volume will appear in "Finder" > go into it > select Thunderbird or Thunderbird.app > press Ctrl+C.
• go inside "Finder" , click on "Applications" once in left side > click on GEAR button in menu bar > select > Copy .
• start "Terminal" tool/app in macOS:
• use only one command from below TWO commands.
• start TB with below command in this/below way once-only, to choose specific/earlier TB-profile:
"/Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird-bin" -P
• OR, start TB with below command:
/usr/bin/open -n -a "/Applications/Thunderbird.app" --args -P
• a small window will appear from TB, showing you list of available TB-profile(s) , choose earlier TB-profile or choose any profile , Do not select the option "Continue to use this as default profile".
TB will start with your chosen TB-profile,
check & find out if this profile is uptodate or not , (does it have all older data/settings/emails,etc or not).
if it is , remember the "xxxxxxxx.profile-name" portion,
next time when you run TB again with same command , in profile window select the option to remember your choice & choose correct profile, as default folder.
profile choosing window will show only profile-name portion , it will not show the alphanumeric "xxxxxxxx" portion.
• exit/close TB.
• start TB again with below any one command (out of two commands) in this/below way once-only, to choose specific/earlier & correct TB-profile:
"/Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird-bin" -P
• OR, start TB with below command:
/usr/bin/open -n -a "/Applications/Thunderbird.app" --args -P
• after profile choosing window appears, this time choose the correct profile-name and also select the option "Continue to use this as default profile", etc.
• TB will start , wait for it do initial operations.
then close it.
• now you can click on Thunderbird or Thunderbird.app icon inside /Applications folder to start Thunderbird = TB.
• you may/should disable auto-update in TB.
( when everything is back to normal as before, then you can update/upgrade, etc )
and by the way, all of your "Local Folders" are here:
MacHDD volume: "/Users/<YourMacOsUserName>/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/xxxxxxxx.<profile-name>/Mail/Local Folders/"
you can copy-paste all contents inside these into another profile , but some sub-fodler's name will not or may not remain intact , you may+will have to test emails inside it & rename sub-folder if necessary . after transfer Local-Folders , you will need to restart the TB.
EXTRA INFO for other/related problems/solutions:
• Disabled auto-update of TB : inside the linked page , click on the topside 1st link to goto the auto-update disable instruction page into another website.
• Regain old data(in Windows, by using: downgrade process, or second-TB, or manual file-transfer,etc).
• Downgrade TB in macOS: downgrade by using second-TB , upgrade TB.
• ATT-Yahoo related settings for TB.
• Yahoo related settings for TB.
• Microsoft related settings for TB.
• Convert mab based Address-Book into other format.
THUNDERBIRD = '''TB'''.
TB uses different TB-profile folders/sub-folders , those contains all emails,data,settings,etc,etc.
all TB-profile sub-folders are inside/under this "''Profiles'''" folder, here:
"~/Library/Thunderbird/'''Profiles/'''"
that is usually located here:
MacHDD volume: "/Users/<YourMacOsUserName>/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/"
that ...\Thunderbird\'''Profiles'''\ folder contains multiple sub-folders , those sub-folders are various TB '''profile''' folders,
a TB profile folder looks like this : "xxxxxxxx.profile-name"
''( where x in xxxxxxxx is random alphanumeric characters/letters/numbers, etc )''
''( the "xxxxxxxx" is profile-folder-ID part , and "'''profile-name'''" is profile's name part )''
you '''MUST''' make a backup/'''copy''' of that .../Thunderbird/'''Profiles'''/ folder in your Desktop.
then do whatever step you prefer or appropriate.
''( your old Mac computer , or your "Time-Machine"-software backup will also contain TB-profile folders )''
AV = Anti-Virus . FW = Firewall . SS = Security-Suite software.
• some AV/SS creates insecure proxy/gateway for scanning/checking emails, but there are other secure way to scan/check emails.
• user may have to [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1315734#answer-1373915 Disable AV/FW/SS software], OR, enable+add+allow EXCEPTIONS in it (use your exact "mail-server" name/address).
• if that does not solve, then see below:
• in NEW MAC , you have to reinstall TB in below '''exact''' way:
• use "Activity Monitor" tool/app in macOS, & completely STOP/KILL any running thunderbird.
• download exact same version of TB , that you were using in OLD MAC . get DMG installer file.
• ''get older version TB's DMG file from a linked page, that link is shown [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1316147#answer-1372552 here] , then press Ctrl+F to find the link "Download Thunderbird Installers"''
• in '''Finder''' , copy (Ctrl+C) "/Applications/Thunderbird.app" , then goto Desktop , click on empty area once , press Alt+Cmd+V to '''move''' the app into Desktop, temporarily.
• double-click on DMG file, new volume will appear in "Finder" > go into it > select Thunderbird or Thunderbird.app > press Ctrl+C.
• go inside "Finder" , click on "Applications" once in left side > click on GEAR button in menu bar > select > '''Copy''' .
• start "Terminal" tool/app in macOS:
• use only one command from below TWO commands.
• start TB with below command in this/below way once-only, to choose specific/earlier TB-profile:
"/Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird-bin" -P
• OR, start TB with below command:
/usr/bin/open -n -a "/Applications/Thunderbird.app" --args -P
• a small window will appear from TB, showing you list of available TB-profile(s) , choose earlier TB-profile or choose any profile , '''Do not select the option "Continue to use this as default profile"'''.
TB will start with your chosen TB-profile,
check & find out if this profile is uptodate or not , (does it have all older data/settings/emails,etc or not).
if it is , remember the "xxxxxxxx.'''profile-name'''" portion,
next time when you run TB again with same command , in profile window select the option to remember your choice & choose correct profile, as default folder.
profile choosing window will show only '''profile-name''' portion , it will not show the alphanumeric "xxxxxxxx" portion.
• exit/close TB.
• start TB again with below any one command (out of two commands) in this/below way once-only, to choose specific/earlier & correct TB-profile:
"/Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird-bin" -P
• OR, start TB with below command:
/usr/bin/open -n -a "/Applications/Thunderbird.app" --args -P
• after profile choosing window appears, this time choose the correct '''profile-name''' and also select the option "Continue to '''use''' this '''as default profile'''", etc.
• TB will start , wait for it do initial operations.
then close it.
• now you can click on '''Thunderbird''' or '''Thunderbird.app''' icon inside /Applications folder to start Thunderbird = TB.
• you may/should disable auto-update in TB.
( when everything is back to normal as before, then you can update/upgrade, etc )
and by the way, all of your "'''Local Folders'''" are here:
MacHDD volume: "/Users/<YourMacOsUserName>/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/xxxxxxxx.<profile-name>/Mail/Local Folders/"
you can copy-paste all contents inside these into another profile , but some sub-fodler's name will not or may not remain intact , you may+will have to test emails inside it & rename sub-folder if necessary . after transfer Local-Folders , you will need to restart the TB.
EXTRA INFO for other/related problems/solutions:
• [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1316147#answer-1372552 Disabled auto-update of TB] : inside the linked page , click on the topside 1st link to goto the auto-update disable instruction page into another website.
• [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1316147#answer-1372552 Regain old data](in Windows, by using: downgrade process, or second-TB, or manual file-transfer,etc).
• [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1304550#answer-1352743 Downgrade TB] in macOS: [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1317224#answer-1374579 downgrade by using second-TB] , [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1318142#answer-1377801 upgrade TB].
• [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1315734#answer-1373022 ATT-Yahoo related settings for TB].
• [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1304518 Yahoo related settings for TB].
• [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1316618#answer-1374784 Microsoft related settings for TB].
• [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1317619#answer-1375337 Convert mab based Address-Book into other format].