Importing Thunderbird email (folders and Sub Folders)

[Dottonedan]

Hello all,

My old PC Mother Board fried, and now I have a new PC (but also have my old Hard Drive installed). Can I get my old mail (FOLDERS) from the old Thunderbird?

I have always created folders and sub folders where I would store my email from different customers. I organized many different things in my email program using this method. Now, since the crash of 2012, I have lost all that.

 I ran into this before when switching from another computer to a new one and could not take the folders with me to the new PC.   I see the folder where all of my old Thrunderbird "stuff" is kept, but can't open THAT email program as they (the programs) cannot be copied and re-used from that old HD (right Pierre)   So, I must re-install a new program. So, I've lost all my folders with years of emails in them.

We have to have a way around this. Am I missing it? Why give you something in a program that you can't keep?

So, I check on Thunderbird and thus far, I'm reading that I can't get them back What The Fraggle?

[royster13]

Not sure how to solve your current problem, but I suggest gmail for the future.....

[ebscreen]

Go to your application data/thunderbird/profiles/random number/   folder. Each folder you created should have two files named after it, mbf and one with no extension. Set up your new thunderbird, and copy these files (the ones with no extension) into the profile/random number folder. Start thunderbird and it should have new folders with the same names. May take a while to import, and may not work on huge files.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

[Dottonedan]

Go to your application data/thunderbird/profiles/random number/   folder. Each folder you created should have two files named after it, mbf and one with no extension. Set up your new thunderbird, and copy these files (the ones with no extension) into the profile/random number folder. Start thunderbird and it should have new folders with the same names. May take a while to import, and may not work on huge files.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

I don't know what platform you are on, but so far, I can't even get past finding the Application Data. Searched and nothing came up. I first thought to look in my program files but nothing.  I then thought maybe I should look inside Thunderbird, nothing.

[inkman996]

App data folder is c\users\"your name"\appdata

[ebscreen]

Inkman is correct, and you have to make sure that "hide system folders" is not checked in your Folder Options.



Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

[Frog]

Dan, I got curious and checked, and yes, I found 'em (and if I can find 'em, anyone can!)

In XP, I went to Documents and Settings/Andy/Application Data/Thunderbird/Profiles/x8541ech.default/Mail

[Dottonedan]

In Windows 7, here is how I found where you all are talking about. Alas, it still did not work after copying the folders over.

WINDOWS EXPLORER (VIEW, SHOW HIDDEN FOLDERS). - This was the kicker for me. It was hidden before.

1 WENT TO THE OLD DRIVE WHERE THE OLD MAIL PROGRAM RESIDES.
2 USERS
3 APP DATA
4 ROAMING
5 THUNDERBIRD
6 PROFILES
7 (RANDOM NAME/NUMBER FOLDER) - This is where it gets a little different than what you all describe but I have no other options.

8 MAIL

9 POP-SERVER FOUND FOLDERS -YET NONE HAD THAT SAME SUFFIX HE MENTIONED. (MUST BE DIFFERENT IN WINDOWS 7) THEY HAD A DIFFERENT ONE + THE ONES WITH NO SUFFIX.

10 COPY OLD FOLDER NAMES TO (NEW EMAIL).

 I also see the actual FOLDERS with proper names that I created. When you look into the folders, you see nothing, but when you copy those folders over, it showed copying 2.7gb. and an additional 1.65gb folders with no suffix.

So, I restarted and NOTHING. no folders. So, I restarted again, nothing. Now, I went to Tbirds support site and found a link to a mod for importing and exporting. Said to be able to do what I'm looking for in one step. (can't get it to work).

Currently still n folders or previous mail.

[inkman996]

Dan what version was the old drive windows?

Let me do some testing but I believe you can also place your old profile stuff in a local folder and point TB to that local folder.

[inkman996]

This is what i think may be the issue. With XP the file structuring is different than W7. Example below

WinXP c\windows\document and settings\name\application data\thunderbird\profiles\random #s\mail

Win7 c\users\name\app data\roaming\thunderbird\profiles\random #s\mail

As you can see the fold structure is different. Now I believe that with in your mail folder where all the files are relating to your server folders each foler ie. inbox has two files one is the actual mail the other is the settings etc. for that folder. That file I believe has written in it where to point to to retrieve the mail etc, so in XP the inbox file probably points to the above address I spelled out. Now if you copy these files from the xp folder to the new TB install on win7 the files are pointing to the wrong address with in win7 file structure. Make sense?

Here is a trick and i tried it using an old PC back up from an XP machine.

I created a folder in my documents and called it temp. I then copied the mail folder contents from the XP back up to the folder named temp in my documents on my win7 rig.

Then I opened TB and went to account settings from there go to local folders and changed the target path to the test folder.

I rebooted TB and yep all the mail from that XP back up was all in my local folders. From here you can drag and drop everything you want into your POP acount whole folders or individual mail.

[Dottonedan]

Dan what version was the old drive windows?

Let me do some testing but I believe you can also place your old profile stuff in a local folder and point TB to that local folder.

@Inkman,  It was Windows 7 to Windows 7.  Thunderbird to Thunderbird.  The files/folders on my versions are of course all the same, but the results have been different thus far.  I really appreciate the eforts you all ahv eput in to helping. I'd reallly like to have all my stuff back. Tons and tons of info. I am going to inspect what you have below and give it another shot.

@ Royster, Yes indeed, I need to either really figure this process out or find another method of saving files. I'd kind of hate to always be logged into Google but it might be the most efficient methods these days with what all it offers. Spread sheets and all.

Thanks
Dan

[inkman996]

Dan I cannot understand why it is not working properly if copying from win7 to win7 strange. All I can think of is you are copying maybe the wrong folder instead of just the contents. You should only copy over the contents of the folder called MAIL not the profile folder or the random named folder. I also assume you are copying and replacing the existing files.

[Dottonedan]

Getting close.    folders are importing (with nothing in them)...and yes, I was copying over the wrong folders thus far. Trying again.

[Dottonedan]

Copying over 4. some odd GB.  If this bugger works, I'm going to send you a six pack of your fav beer!!!!!

[Dottonedan]

Nope.      Not yet.  I gotta run but will try gain later tomorrow.

THANKS!!!  I think I'll get it.