Still have problems migrating Thunderbird to a new computer. Have around 200,000 email in Thunderbird. Help!
I have no problem finding the profile on the old or new computer. My problem is in pasting the old Thunderbird files over the Thunderbird files in the new computer. When I paste, the result is to append the old Thunderbird files into the new Thunderbird folder. I have successfully done this before, but that what when I pasted only the profiles (of which I have two). The instructions say to past the entire old Thunderbird file over the new one - somehow, I am not getting that part right. Thanks!
Chosen solution
The instructions work perfectly ok providing you follow them accurately.
re :When I paste, the result is to append the old Thunderbird files into the new Thunderbird folder. That's because you were pasting the old Thunderbird folder into the new Thunderbird folder. The instructions do not instruct you to do that.
The instructions say : "10: Click on Open Folder. Your Thunderbird profile folder will open in Windows Explorer. " This opens on the 'profile name' folder and shows the contents of your 'profile name' folder. "12: From your Thunderbird profile folder, go up three levels. " Up one level takes you to the 'Profiles' folder and shows its contents. Up two levels takes you to the 'Thunderbird' folder and shows its contents. Up three levels takes you to the 'Roaming' folder and shows its contents which will include the 'Thunderbird folder.
If you go up three levels then you are in the 'Roaming' folder, so it would seem you only went up two levels.
You should have been pasting the old 'Thunderbird' folder into the 'Roaming' folder and when you get prompted, choose to replace your current data. This effectively deletes the default new 'Thunderbird' folder and pastes in the old 'Thunderbird' folder into the 'Roaming' folder. Alternatively, delete the new default Thunderbird folder and then paste the old copied Thunderbird folder into the Roaming folder.
Basically, you are replacing the new default Thunderbird folder with the old Thunderbird folder.
re : Mozbackup Info copied from the Mozbackup download webpage. Please note the comment from the author. MozBackup is not being developed anymore. There are known issues and there is no time on my side to fix all issues and develop new features. Use MozBackup only on your risk.
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Replying to myself. I used Mozbackup and restored on my new system. Worked perfectly. For me the standard instructions are wrong - those found at https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/moving-thunderbird-data-to-a-new-computer along with the corresponding youtube.com explanation. So, there are two ways to migrate Thunderball to a new computer - either paste in the profiles or use Mozbackup which is easiest as you don't have to find the Thunderbird files on either the old computer or the new - Mozbackup does all that for you (and even for me with 200,000 plus emails).
Chosen Solution
The instructions work perfectly ok providing you follow them accurately.
re :When I paste, the result is to append the old Thunderbird files into the new Thunderbird folder. That's because you were pasting the old Thunderbird folder into the new Thunderbird folder. The instructions do not instruct you to do that.
The instructions say : "10: Click on Open Folder. Your Thunderbird profile folder will open in Windows Explorer. " This opens on the 'profile name' folder and shows the contents of your 'profile name' folder. "12: From your Thunderbird profile folder, go up three levels. " Up one level takes you to the 'Profiles' folder and shows its contents. Up two levels takes you to the 'Thunderbird' folder and shows its contents. Up three levels takes you to the 'Roaming' folder and shows its contents which will include the 'Thunderbird folder.
If you go up three levels then you are in the 'Roaming' folder, so it would seem you only went up two levels.
You should have been pasting the old 'Thunderbird' folder into the 'Roaming' folder and when you get prompted, choose to replace your current data. This effectively deletes the default new 'Thunderbird' folder and pastes in the old 'Thunderbird' folder into the 'Roaming' folder. Alternatively, delete the new default Thunderbird folder and then paste the old copied Thunderbird folder into the Roaming folder.
Basically, you are replacing the new default Thunderbird folder with the old Thunderbird folder.
re : Mozbackup Info copied from the Mozbackup download webpage. Please note the comment from the author. MozBackup is not being developed anymore. There are known issues and there is no time on my side to fix all issues and develop new features. Use MozBackup only on your risk.