does your computer hard drive (C:\) contain a folder windows.old. If not your reset has deleted all your data.

Hi Matt,

I found the folder "windows.ol" but nothing useful in there.

I have a different email provider on my samsung s9 phone which shows all my folders, but I can't see a way to export/importthem to my PC. It is called "FairEmail".

Is there a way to do what I want?

Thanks for your help.

Eddie

If I am reading your responses correctly adding your account again to Thunderbird as IMAP will bring in all your mail and folders from the IMAP server they are stored in. Assuming that the account is IMAP, but that they are copied into the phone would indicate they are probably on the server.

Hi Matt,

I have downloaded Microsoft Outlook and my missing (from Thunderbird) folders and addresses have both arrived.

I could just continue using Outlook, but feel more comfortable with Thunderbird when all is well.

Any further ideas please?

Eddie

When you reinstalled Thunderbird, did you compete adding your email account, so that Thunderbird could access your online email? You must have done that with the Outlook client you installed it. Thunderbird needs the same account information in order to download your emails. Unfortunately you lost the settings you had previously because of the Windows reset, so treat it like setting up Thunderbird for the first time.

Hi Agnes,

Thanks for your response.

I've had Thunderbird for many years on several PCs and yes, I installed it and it runs OK, retrieving and sending emails, but no addresses or folders.

I recall that on another occasion, a similar thing happened, but I eventually got everything going again - I can't recall how.

There must be a gremlin in the works.

Addresses would have been stored in the profile that you wiped with the Windows reinstall. Outlook likely does not have them either, unless they were saved in a webmail contacts book. Any folders that exist in your online webmail account should be duplicated in Thunderbird, assuming you are using IMAP which must be if a different device can see the same folders. You may need to 'subscribe' in Thunderbird to see them - please search this support site for how to subscribe folders. However, in Thunderbird you can also make Local Folders, and those cannot be retrieved except from the profile. If you can retrieve the Profiles folder from Windows.old you can get back the address book and local folder structure. Find the article on Profiles to learn how to move it back to your current Thunderbird profile structure.