Windows 10 will reach EOS (end of support) on October 14, 2025. For more information, see this article.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

upgrading profile to be compatible with version > 68

  • 1 reply
  • 1 has this problem
  • 10 views
  • Last reply by sfhowes

nil
nil
more options

The hint to use thunderbird --allow-downgrade is very helpful, but does not really answer my question. I want to upgrade the profile itself so I can use the current version. I fear that creating a new profile will lose all the emails stored in":local folders" and in subsets of "inbox."

I would just use a new profile iff doing so would not lose these emails.

The hint to use thunderbird --allow-downgrade is very helpful, but does not really answer my question. I want to upgrade the profile itself so I can use the current version. I fear that creating a new profile will lose all the emails stored in":local folders" and in subsets of "inbox." I would just use a new profile iff doing so would not lose these emails.

Chosen solution

You are better off creating a new profile with TB 91 and copying the mbox files from the old 68 profile to the new one. The mbox files are the large files with no extension, named after folders, and stored with like-named .msf files, e.g. Inbox and Inbox.msf. Copy the mbox files from Mail/Local Folders, Mail/<popserver> and .sbd subdirectories to Mail/Local Folders in the new profile, while TB is closed. Help/More Troubleshooting, about:profiles, to create a new profile and open any profile folder (Root Directory, Open Folder).

To transfer address books, run the old profile with 68 and export books to LDIF format, then run 91 in the new profile and import the LDIF files.

To keep both versions available while making the transition, install 91 to a separate folder, don't run it at the end of setup, but start Profile Manager by opening a Run window (Winkey+R) and type

<path to TB 91>/thunderbird.exe -p

e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\Thunderbird91R\thunderbird.exe -p

Create a new profile in the PM window.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (1)

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Chosen Solution

You are better off creating a new profile with TB 91 and copying the mbox files from the old 68 profile to the new one. The mbox files are the large files with no extension, named after folders, and stored with like-named .msf files, e.g. Inbox and Inbox.msf. Copy the mbox files from Mail/Local Folders, Mail/<popserver> and .sbd subdirectories to Mail/Local Folders in the new profile, while TB is closed. Help/More Troubleshooting, about:profiles, to create a new profile and open any profile folder (Root Directory, Open Folder).

To transfer address books, run the old profile with 68 and export books to LDIF format, then run 91 in the new profile and import the LDIF files.

To keep both versions available while making the transition, install 91 to a separate folder, don't run it at the end of setup, but start Profile Manager by opening a Run window (Winkey+R) and type

<path to TB 91>/thunderbird.exe -p

e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\Thunderbird91R\thunderbird.exe -p

Create a new profile in the PM window.