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Profile has a separate mail directory

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  • Last reply by dogdaze

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I've used thunderbird for years across many updates. At some point I moved my profile to a custom location. According to the docs, if I wanted to migrate my mail I just have to copy my profile directory contents. However, I seem to have a profile directory, which is c:/Thunderbird/Profile AND a parallel directory called c:/Thunderbird/Mail. I've actually moved thunderbird between systems by creating a profile at c:/ThunderBird/Profile, and restoring BOTH of those directories. If I temporarily rename the Mail directory, sure enough, thunderbird will come up with all the right accounts, but the folders are all empty, and it creates a new c:/Thunderbird/Mail when I exit. I restore my old c:/Thunderbird/Mail and it's OK again. Questions:

How did it get this way?

If I decided I wanted to actually move my profile directory to a different location, how do I reconfigure the location of that "Mail" directory, which is apparently pointed to somewhere in the profile?

I've used thunderbird for years across many updates. At some point I moved my profile to a custom location. According to the docs, if I wanted to migrate my mail I just have to copy my profile directory contents. However, I seem to have a profile directory, which is c:/Thunderbird/Profile AND a parallel directory called c:/Thunderbird/Mail. I've actually moved thunderbird between systems by creating a profile at c:/ThunderBird/Profile, and restoring BOTH of those directories. If I temporarily rename the Mail directory, sure enough, thunderbird will come up with all the right accounts, but the folders are all empty, and it creates a new c:/Thunderbird/Mail when I exit. I restore my old c:/Thunderbird/Mail and it's OK again. Questions: How did it get this way? If I decided I wanted to actually move my profile directory to a different location, how do I reconfigure the location of that "Mail" directory, which is apparently pointed to somewhere in the profile?

Chosen solution

Never mind. I figured it out. Account settings allow you to specify local mail directories.

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Chosen Solution

Never mind. I figured it out. Account settings allow you to specify local mail directories.