What is the status of Thunderbird on the new computer? Did you install Thunderbird on the new computer? Did you run Thunderbird at least once on the new computer? Is there anything else you already did on the new computer related to Thunderbird?

Hi, thanks for taking the trouble to respond.

I have installed Thunderbird on the new computer and have been using it as my client (for Gmail) for about a week. I have created 'Local Folders' as close to those I had before (empty of course) because I had reached the point of thinking that I was not going to be able to migrate my old info. So I decided to 'bite the bullet' and start again with fresh folders. I was hoping to migrate my old sent box and my old local folders. I have sorted my address book so am up and running. As mentioned I do have the old xxxx.default folder but think I need more than that for a normal migration?

Regards Steve

As mentioned I do have the old xxxx.default folder but think I need more than that for a normal migration?

No, the actual profile folder is all you need, it contains all your data.

Because you already re-created your accounts on the new computer this isn't relevant anymore now, but for future reference: When installing Thunderbird on a new computer the first time, and starting it once, it will create a new empty profile. All you'd need to do is copy the contents of the old profile into the new one. That would restore your complete Thunderbird environment on the new computer.

In your case, follow these instructions if you still want to copy over data from the old profile. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_data_to_a_new_profile_-_Thunderbird

Hi, thanks for that, I will give it a read.

Regards Steve

Hi christ1

I decided to try an experiment. On a spare Win 10 laptop I have (with no Email client) I downloaded Thunderbird. As you say, because I had not started using it, I could find the 'empty profile(s). There were two (?) one was xxxxxx.default and the other xxxxx.default-release. Looking in the first one I found that there was just one file, times.json, so assumed that this was the 'empty' profile. I then copied my old xxxxx.default files and folders into that folder (replacing times.json when asked). I then set up Thunderbird with my email address etc but there was no data from my old profile. Experiment failed.....Then I checked out my current installation on my new PC and noticed that there are two profiles. One format xxxxxx.default and the other, as before, xxxxxx.default-release. The first had just a times.json file and the other seemed 'well populated' with files and folders. So, a touch confused? I assumed I was transferring my data in my old xxxxx.default to the new xxxxx.default?

Steve

re :On a spare Win 10 laptop I have (with no Email client) I downloaded Thunderbird. As you say, because I had not started using it, I could find the 'empty profile(s). There were two (?) one was xxxxxx.default and the other xxxxx.default-release. Looking in the first one I found that there was just one file, times.json, so assumed that this was the 'empty' profile. I then copied my old xxxxx.default files and folders into that folder (replacing times.json when asked).

I presume you did this whilst Thunderbird was not running. So the xxxxxx.default profile contents is now exactly the same as your old profile name contents.

re:I then set up Thunderbird with my email address etc

Then you started up Thunderbird and I presume you were asked to create a mail account which you did. This means you were not using the xxxxxx.default profile, otherwise you would have automatically seen all the mail accounts, folders etc.

So your Thunderbird was by default starting up using the xxxxx.default-release which had a set of default files and folders and now also contains your newly created mail account.

On a spare Win 10 laptop:

Start Thunderbird Menu app icon (3 horizontal lines) > Help > Troubleshooting Information Under 'Application Basics' section near the bottom locate 'Profiles' and click on 'about:profiles' This opens in a new tab

It will list the profiles. I suspect that Profile: default-release is currently the default profile. Default Profile: yes or no Root directory: location of profile

Locate Profile: default below it will have a 'Set as default' button - click on it. Then click on the 'Launch profile' button

A new Thunderbird window should open. Close the original Thunderbird window.

Thanks Toad Hall - will check out when I have some spare time. Busy just now !!

S

Hi all - looks like I have cracked it! I now have my old profile on my desktop PC. As follows:

Deleted TB off my desktop PC. Reinstalled, but added no new account. Went to profiles folder, deleted contents of xxxxx.default folder and copied contents of my old profile folder. Back into TB, I got to the profiles 'selection' page and changed the default profile to the one I had just input my old files and folders to. Re-opened in a new window, but it said I couldn't use old data in newer version of TB so though I had hit a brick wall again. I closed TB down and opened up again and it had brought in my old folders and address book.

Not sure how this worked but it appears to have so objective achieved.....so far so good.

Thanks to all for reading and assistance.

Steve