It may be that you just have a new profile and that the local folders are okay. Is it that you started thunderbird and were presented with the pane to create an email account?

I thought I had selected "an existing" set up, but perhaps I went ahead too fast as I'd forgotten all my server settings (it was a while ago and I'm 71!)

In the program now is:

.var/app/org.mozilla.Thunderbird/.thunderbird/4opa2kti.default-esr/Mail/Local Folders

But I searched and did find my folders such as "2024 Tax.msf" and "2024 Tax" (no extension) in:

.var/app/org.mozilla.Thunderbird/.thunderbird/v2hw2sr8.default-default/Mail/Local Folders

Suggestions?

Ok, I'ma bit confused. It looks like you located your tax message folder. if you're wanting it import it into your current profile, a simple way is to - install the importexporttools addon if not already done - click to Local Folders - rightclick and create a new folder called TAX (or whatever) - highlight this new folder, rightclick and select the importexport menu option to import mbox - select the 2024 Tax folder (NOT the msf one) and it will appear in your Local Folders

Thanks David...I must have done something (I certainly did not delete anything on purpose) but I cannot now locate any of the file names I mentioned before...seems I've lost everything from 2022 on...including my address book, etc.

I believe something happened when I was presented with an update to version 128 along with pop_os update...I did select "Update All", but I can see the TB is still showing version 115, and the TB update is still showing as not updated.

Thanks for your help.

So, since my last post, you attempted to upgrade Thunderbird and have now lost everything?

No, I tried the upgrade to 128, was presented with the screen "existing profile or new?", thought I had configred it manually, had the problem of lost folders/directories. As I said I did not deliberately delete anything after that.

Whilst going through TB, I noticed the version installed was still 115...I'm reticent to upgrade to 128 now!

Go here .var/app/org.mozilla.Thunderbird/.thunderbird How many profiles are listed.

Which sounds most like your original profile folder? Based on the update dates of things like the pref.js file in the root of each profile folder. A new prefs.js, with a creation date in say the last week will obviously be an after where one that was updated in the last month and has an older creation date will suggest to profile you wish to be using.

As an aside, what Distro and where did your update come from?

There appears to have been some issues with Ubuntu's conversion to SNAP and it's sand boxed nature. But those appear to be access issues, not lost profile ones.

In that directory there are:

v2hw2sr8.default-default Modified Wednesday

dhw94pfn.default Modified 4 May 2021

4opa2kti.default-esr Modified 12:12

In TB Account Setting Server Setting Message Storage is set to:

/home/dennis/.var/app/org.mozilla.Thunderbird/.thunderbird/v2hw2sr8.default-default/Mail/Local Folders

One issue I think may be of concern is when I realized I may have to re-create my folders anew, I had initially created all those folders under INBOX vs. Local Folders. My bad?

So I re-created those folders under Local Folders and copied everything from under INBOX.

What I now SEE is INBOX and all the LOCAL Folders as such, but that structure is associated with the 4opa2kti.default-esr profile...they appear in:

...4opa2kti.default-esr/Mail/Local Folders

I'm not clear on why that can happen!

pop/os offers under Pop!_Shop updates which has Thunderbird as "flathub (flatpak)"