Migrate to computer
Hello
I wanted to migrate my entire profile to my laptop rather than try to install the latest version with several add-ons I've followed the video on how to do this but I get a "can't find profile" error every time. What's more, as this stops Thunderbird from opening, I can't seem to try any of the fixes that you can read about on the forum So are there any known issues that stop a transferred profile from loading and what are the workarounds
Thanks
All Replies (3)
If using an old version, support is not available as everyone is here is using the latest version for their operating system. Talk about older versions is purely from recollection. Currently Thunderbird has downgrade protections to actively make downgrading difficult as backward comparability of profiles is no longer assured. So the question becomes what version of Thunderbird are you trying to move. Versions prior to 68 generally had no issues, but your error is not suggesting downgrade protections are kicking in. It is suggesting the profile can not be found where you said it was. This is often the case when people with no experience using the file manger copy and past stuff. If almost invariably ends up in the wrong place.
Hello Matt and all
I finally managed to install my profile and if it helps anyone, I think I know what the problem was.
There was a number of default files in various places with the extension .default and these files seemed to be pointing to old default profiles on my laptop
I got around this by uninstalling TB completely using Revo Unistaller, which finds any trace of an installed program and deletes it.
Then I reinstalled TB and put my TB folder is the SAME place as I had tried unsuccessfully before.
This time it worked and TB found the installed profile without any problem !
Just for info
Regards
supporters, volunteers needed to know from you what version of TB you were using earlier in source/src computer, and what version of TB you want to use in destination/dst computer , finally. then they could have given accurate instruction.
many components were changed in v78 series TB , than what were used in v68 series or earlier series. for-example : v68 series TB uses MORK/MAB based Address-Book files , v78 series TB uses SQLITE based Address-Book files, etc, etc.
TB = Thunderbird.
More info for other users:
initially for migration (TB profile, settings, emails, data, etc) from src to dst computer , both computers should use exact same version of TB or same series of TB , later you can change/update/upgrade to another version or another series of TB in destination.
if src & dst have exact same TB version , then after migrating TB-profile folder from src to dst , if dst computer's TB still ask for password (to access emails of mail-aaccount) , then you may have to delete the "pkcs11.txt" file in dst computer's TB-profile folder , restart TB in dst and re-enter all mail-account's password again in dst computer's TB , when TB asks for it.
More/Related Info: • Disable AV/FW/SS software mail-protection OR enable+add+allow EXCEPTIONS in it & add mail-server names/address . Some AV/SS creates insecure proxy/gateway for scanning/checking emails, but there are other secure way to scan/check emails . Please make sure the option "Allow AV to Quarantine email" is selected inside TB, and make sure your AV/SS is set to "Scan all files on access". • Regain old data in Windows : by using downgrade process, or by using a Second-TB, or by using manual file-transfer, etc). • Downgrade TB in macOS : downgrade by using second-TB , upgrade/downgrade TB. • Convert MAB/mork or SQLite based Address-Book into other format , MBOX (combined)-email files into other format. • Disable auto-update or update of TB : inside the linked page , click on the topside 1st link to goto the auto-update disable instruction page into another website.