Can I restore Thunderbird from backed-up files?
My computer crashed due to some corrupted windows files, and I've now had to reinstall windows.
I do have a backed up copy of every file on the computer though, including all of Thunderbird's files.
The question is, can I manually restore all my profile information from these backed-up files, and how? (I'm most concerned about mail sorting rules, addresses, already-downloaded mail and local folder structure, and various program settings, in that order.) Every guide I can find online says to use a Thunderbird function/addon to make a backup of everything first, but that's not possible. I have to use just the raw existing files or start over again completely.
Now, I've already tried the obvious: I installed a fresh version of the latest Thunderbird release, then went into the files and replaced all the new ones I could find with the equivalent old ones: the folder in program files and the folder in user>app data>roaming. That did bring back some things. The folder structure was there, and the sorting rules. But no address book (an error popped up every time Thunderbird tried to access it), it couldn't connect to my email (gmail) even though it did have the login information in the account settings, and it couldn't load any of the mail folders either local or remote, though the folder structure was there.
Am I missing some files that need to be transferred, or is this Frankenstein approach to putting it back together doomed to failure from the start?
Chosen solution
Well, I just tried starting thunderbird up again -- without doing anything in the meantime (because of a power outage) -- and to my great surprise, it works perfectly. Everything's back and humming along just as it should.
I have no idea how, but this problem's definitely solved now.
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You don't need any addons to make backups.
If it was included in your backup, all your data and settings are in your profile. You need to just replace your current new profile with your old one from the backup.
Zenos said
If it was included in your backup, all your data and settings are in your profile. You need to just replace your current new profile with your old one from the backup.
I've done like that page says, and I'm having similar problems...
most things seem to have transferred but there are still big issues: 1- Can't open any of the mail folders, local or remote -- it just acts like it's being slow to load and never loads them. This means I can't check new mail as well. 2- Still get errors whenever it tries to access address book 3- I can send emails, but after doing so, thunderbird is unable to copy it to the sent folder 4- (Not a big deal, but maybe it would help with diagnosis?) When looking at the account settings, clicking 'OK' at the bottom appears to do nothing, and the settings window remains open. It can be closed with the x at the top. Changes to the settings are changed and stay changed, so it's working, but it doesn't close the window.
I don't suppose Thunderbird has a verbose/debugging mode or maybe an error log or something that would let me see actual error messages, rather than it just not doing things?
I found the error console on my own, and it's been busy.
First, when I even hover the mouse over any local or remote folders, I get dozens of these errors: "Error: [Exception... "Component returned failure code: 0x80550005 [nsIMsgFolder.getStringProperty]" nsresult: "0x80550005 (<unknown>)" location: "JS frame :: chrome://messenger/content/folderPane.js :: getSmartFolderName :: line 2790" data: no] Source File: chrome://messenger/content/folderPane.js Line: 2792"
Clicking a folder brings up lots of the above error, but also: "Error: sessionStoreManager: error storing session state data, Win error 5 during operation move on file C:\Users\ocalhoun\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\2xaxav16.ocalhoun\session.json.tmp (Access is denied. ) Source File: resource://gre/modules/sessionStoreManager.js Line: 170" and "Timestamp: 12/23/2015 7:33:51 PM Error: NS_ERROR_FILE_TARGET_DOES_NOT_EXIST: Component returned failure code: 0x80520006 (NS_ERROR_FILE_TARGET_DOES_NOT_EXIST) [nsIMsgFolder.updateFolder] Source File: resource://gre/modules/dbViewWrapper.js Line: 93"
Clicking on a remote folder brings up lots of the first as well as: "Error: [Exception... "Component returned failure code: 0x80070057 (NS_ERROR_ILLEGAL_VALUE) [nsIMsgFolder.getStringProperty]" nsresult: "0x80070057 (NS_ERROR_ILLEGAL_VALUE)" location: "JS frame :: chrome://messenger/content/folderPane.js :: getSmartFolderName :: line 2790" data: no] Source File: chrome://messenger/content/folderPane.js Line: 2792"
Clicking 'OK' on the account settings dialog brings up: "Error: NS_ERROR_FILE_ACCESS_DENIED: Component returned failure code: 0x80520015 (NS_ERROR_FILE_ACCESS_DENIED) [nsIPrefService.savePrefFile] Source File: chrome://messenger/content/AccountManager.js Line: 255"
Trying to check new messages brings up: "Error: : Component returned failure code: 0x80550005 [nsIMsgIncomingServer.getNewMessages] Source File: chrome://messenger/content/mailWindowOverlay.js Line: 2719"
I'm going to try to take control all these files to see if that makes the 'access denied' messages go away.
Update: I've taken ownership of all the files in appdata/roaming, but that hasn't changed anything.
I've noticed the status in the lower left corner of Thunderbird reads 'Null' (The place where it would normally say things like 'Sending login information' or 'there are no new messages'.)
Check the read status of the files and folder that make up the profile. it may be they are set to read only from the backup process, leaving you with a read only profile. Weird things happen when this is the case.
Make sure Thunderbird is not running when editing the profile in any way. That also messes things up. As do undertaking backups with Thunderbird running. The only thing I have seen that does backups with Thunderbird running is the import export tools, and I do not know how he does it.
Matt said
As do undertaking backups with Thunderbird running. The only thing I have seen that does backups with Thunderbird running is the import export tools, and I do not know how he does it.
Oh, damn. That could be a problem, then. All these backup files were made while thunderbird was pretty much continuously running. Maybe I'm screwed after all.
They will not all have been in the process of being written when the backup occurred, or should not have been. I would be more inclined to think the files will have the read only flag set.
Chosen Solution
Well, I just tried starting thunderbird up again -- without doing anything in the meantime (because of a power outage) -- and to my great surprise, it works perfectly. Everything's back and humming along just as it should.
I have no idea how, but this problem's definitely solved now.
Matt said
They will not all have been in the process of being written when the backup occurred, or should not have been. I would be more inclined to think the files will have the read only flag set.
I have a similar problem. But I've gotten to the point that all of my original folders are specified in my new profile. I can go to Profiles>(mine)>Mail>Local Folders and they're all there. Further I can use Notepad to go into any of the folders and find the actual original email. But I still can't see them when I run Thunderbird. Oh, yes, I did go in and delete the "read only" status
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