Pasting Profile to new Linux installation. Folders in Profile are there but nothing corresponding appears on desktop.
Upon changing between old and new Ubuntu installations, I saved my entire Thunderbird profile thinking I could paste it into in my new installation as I have successfully done before. I am aware the .ini file needs to be edited accordingly. The version was probably a late 52.
However, nothing from my old profile appears when the latest version of Thunderbird opens. Yet when the previously saved, and now inserted, profile is viewed in a file manager, the Mail folder, address books, etc. are all present and can be opened to reveal their correct contents. Please see screenshot below.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/uona5onj7l2k0eh/thunderbird_profile.jpg?dl=0
I tried to use the Tools > Import function for mail. The message appeared, "No file of application to import data from was found". I then tried the same for address books and pointed it toward the .mab's my saved profile using the "text" file setting. Again, nothing related shows on the desktop.
Unless there is a recommended solution, I intend to proceed on the basis that the profile is somehow incompatible with the latest Thunderbird, or has become corrupted. I do not have access to the old computer to make a new copy.
All I need (desperately) are the several address books and mail boxes. I would thus like to try cutting and pasting the relevant individual folders and files.
What are the minimum folders and files I need to insert into my new Thunderbird installation to restore this data? Any alternative advice along these lines would also be appreciated.
Chosen solution
I am left wondering why TB ignores imported address books when transferring profiles.
It doesn't as long as you transfer a complete profile. Your's isn't (lacking prefs.js).
I have found no other reliable method of backup.
Backing up the profile is sufficient, and the recommended way. https://support.mozilla.org/kb/profiles-where-thunderbird-stores-user-data#w_backing-up-a-profile
Read this answer in context 👍 0All Replies (6)
When opening Thunderbird what is the current profile? Please post the name of the profile as well as the path to it. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-thunderbird-stores-user-data#w_how-to-find-your-profile
Also, please post the name and the path to the profile folder you copied over.
Yet when the previously saved, and now inserted, profile is viewed in a file manager, the Mail folder, address books, etc. are all present
Looking at your screenshot, are these all the files you have? There should be a whole lot more. E.g. I don't see the main config file prefs.js. Without that I'm not surprised nothing shows up.
I intend to proceed on the basis that the profile is somehow incompatible with the latest Thunderbird, or has become corrupted.
Looks more like the latter.
All I need (desperately) are the several address books and mail boxes.
You can try to create a new profile using profile manager. https://support.mozilla.org/kb/using-multiple-profiles
Then start Thunderbird with the new profile also using profile manager.
Now you can manually carry over the data from the corrupted profile. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_data_to_a_new_profile_-_Thunderbird
Note, without a full backup of your existing profile you may not be able to easily carry over multiple address books to the new profile. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Moving_address_books_between_profiles
Modified by christ1
Thank you for your reply.
Moving on a bit, I have now successfully pasted my old mail boxes and associated .msf files to my new install of TB by creating identical file names and using copy/paste.
The only remaining problem is how to transfer the several address books. Upon viewing the text, they do appear to be intact.
As per instructions in the link you kindly sent, I created an address book in my new TB which appeared in the file structure as "abook-1.mab". But when I replace its text with that of the old address book, TB crashes when I click "Address Book".
I note that my old address books are named "impab-1.mab, etc. and not abook-1.mab, etc. as they are in the new TB install. Even though I am only transferring the contained text and not the whole file, I suspect this is causing a conflict.
Can you please suggest a solution to this final issue?
Modified by pnielsen
You probably need to import any user-defined address books. Only the two default address books, Personal Address Book ("abook.mab") and Collected Addresses ("history.mab") can be copy-and pasted between profiles. User-defined address books need a matching entry in the prefs.js file and if you have built that from new you won't have those entries.
The MoreFunctionsForAddressBook add-on is the go-to solution for this situation. It allows you to export and import address books. However its author has stated that he won't be re-writing his many add-ons for TB60.
Modified by Zenos
I can't really tell you any more than what's stated in the article.
That says: "Create as many address books as you had in the damaged profile"
Why you ended up with .mab files named impab-1.mab, and not abook-1.mab, I have no idea.
According to the article below, IMPAB files are imported address books, such as would appear outside of the Personal and Collected Addresses books in the tree. Accordingly, they are ignored when installing a saved profile.
https://forums.techguy.org/threads/solved-thunderbird-address-book-problem.1087615/
Although I did not receive a direct reply on this forum, those who responded did point me in the right direction. My solution was to copy over the individual IMPAB files and associated prefs.js IMPAB text entries from my saved profile into the profile created by my new install. The address books now appear in TB and are fully functional.
To avoid these complications in the future, I will now create new boxes in TB and copy the contact lists over.
However, I am left wondering why TB ignores imported address books when transferring profiles. This is disappointing, since I have found no other reliable method of backup.
Chosen Solution
I am left wondering why TB ignores imported address books when transferring profiles.
It doesn't as long as you transfer a complete profile. Your's isn't (lacking prefs.js).
I have found no other reliable method of backup.
Backing up the profile is sufficient, and the recommended way. https://support.mozilla.org/kb/profiles-where-thunderbird-stores-user-data#w_backing-up-a-profile
Modified by christ1