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error(s) in thunderbird migrate instructions

  • 2 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 28 views
  • Last reply by Amelia

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First, last year migrate would not work because my pc had profiles in a non standard location. The migrate instructions still do not reflect a way to migrate that case, specifically, its not enough to copy the profiles folder, the <user>/appdata/roaming/thunderbird/*.ini files have to be ported. Namely installs.ini and profiles.ini. The instructions should just start with that thunderbird folder, because starting at the profile folder and going up two folders does not get you there for a non default install.

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In any case, once again I am trying to migrate, this time I am migrating a default install, meaning the entire profiles and .ini files are under <user>/appdata/roaming/thunderbird/

Yet I have the same symptom as a year ago, once i copy the old pc roaming/thunderbird over the new pc, then start thunderbird, it acts as if it is a new install and keeps prompting for new account.

The old pc is up to date ( 91.3.0 64 bit), as is the new pc. Both pc's win 10 both up to date.

Is there a way to force the new install to stop acting like a new install.?

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ps - I have been thunderbird user almost as long as thunderbird has been around. The migrate I have done over and over, almost always it does not function as advertised. I will donate as much as needed if someone volunteers to integrate the migrate function into thunderbird. Beginning with a user controlled way for thunderbird to STOP thinking its a new install.

First, last year migrate would not work because my pc had profiles in a non standard location. The migrate instructions still do not reflect a way to migrate that case, specifically, its not enough to copy the profiles folder, the <user>/appdata/roaming/thunderbird/*.ini files have to be ported. Namely installs.ini and profiles.ini. The instructions should just start with that thunderbird folder, because starting at the profile folder and going up two folders does not get you there for a non default install. ============================================================================== In any case, once again I am trying to migrate, this time I am migrating a default install, meaning the entire profiles and .ini files are under <user>/appdata/roaming/thunderbird/ Yet I have the same symptom as a year ago, once i copy the old pc roaming/thunderbird over the new pc, then start thunderbird, it acts as if it is a new install and keeps prompting for new account. The old pc is up to date ( 91.3.0 64 bit), as is the new pc. Both pc's win 10 both up to date. Is there a way to force the new install to stop acting like a new install.? ======================================================== ps - I have been thunderbird user almost as long as thunderbird has been around. The migrate I have done over and over, almost always it does not function as advertised. I will donate as much as needed if someone volunteers to integrate the migrate function into thunderbird. Beginning with a user controlled way for thunderbird to STOP thinking its a new install.

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To whom it may concern,

In both the ini files, having run the migrate instructions over and over, currently it creates a new install entry so there are two entries of the form [Install<gobeldygook1>] and [Install<gobeldygook2>] and under the new key it creates a second profile Default=Profiles/<gobldygook3>.default-release-1 (This being gratuitously wrong)

Apparently, deleting the gratuitously created profile from [Install<gobeldygook2>]

and inserting the desired migrated profile ends the endless state. I have no idea if there are other damaging effects to hand jobbing the profiles entry. Its clear the migrate instructions assume that thunderbird will accept the [Install<gobeldygook1>] entry, and for whatever reason it is no longer doing so.

Hence my offer to pay for an actual migration function. Im tired of this failing every year I have to do it over again.

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Hello,

As you know, Thunderbird (and Firefox for that matter) use profiles to store information and separate that information.

Unlike Firefox, you do not have access to profiles inside Thunderbird. You must start Thunderbird in a special way. You must start Thunderbird with the flag -ProfileManager to access the profiles.

If you did not rename your profile on the previous install, the default name is "default-release" Choose the other default-release in that menu and you should have your previous profile.

For more information regarding Thunderbird profiles, visit this help page. Using Multiple Profiles