Presumably with Ubuntu 24 you got the Snap version of Thunderbird which uses a different profile location.

And what is the location for the Snap version if not .thunderbird?

They've placed it under .snap/thunderbird. It seems to be identical to the profile folder under .thunderbird. I don't know yet whether new data is stored in .snap, in .thunderbird, or in .both --- the profile folders have identical names. I don't understand what the purpose of this forking is.

I'm struggling with the same problem, otherwise clean upgrade from Ubuntu 22.04 to 24.04 has nuked by Thunderbird data. Perhaps someone associated with this "Snapd" scheme can explain what is happening.

So I have the same question as Thinker2: how can I get my Thunderbird data (archives, previously stored in Local Folder which is wiped clean in new install; Address Books, similarly starting from zero with upgrade installation) back after this unfortunate Snap stuff?

I don't understand what the purpose of this forking is.

May be you should ask in an Ubuntu forum.

Perhaps someone associated with this "Snapd" scheme can explain what is happening.

I'm not using snap, so I'm not guessing. This is what Gemini AI has to say about the profile location:

It's important to understand that Snap packages, by their nature, operate within a sandboxed environment. This affects where their data is stored. Here's the key information regarding the Thunderbird Snap profile folder location:

- Location:

• The Thunderbird Snap profile folder is typically found within: ~/snap/thunderbird/common/.thunderbird/
• Within that .thunderbird folder will be the profile folder itself, that will have a random string of characters, followed by .default.

- Key Considerations:

• This location differs from the traditional Thunderbird profile location (which is usually ~/.thunderbird/).
• The Snap sandboxing influences this change.
• It is worth noting that there have been issues with the migration of profiles when upgrading to the snap version of thunderbird. So if you are moving from a standard install to a snap install, it is important to back up your original profile folder.

- Finding your profile:

• The most reliable way to find your current Thunderbird profile folder, regardless of the installation method, is to:

Open Thunderbird. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information. In the "Application Basics" section, find the "Profile Folder" line and click "Open Folder". This will directly open your profile folder.

This is interesting, thanks for the explanation. It does raise a bunch of fresh questions. Is Snap an Ubuntu thing, is the Ubuntu forum where I might find out more about this?

I am going out on a limb here by saying this maybe, but --- shouldn't the automated upgrade package be warning you that by installing the Snap version of Thunderbird, you will be losing your account history and settings?

As it is, I'm now required to take my computer and backup medium into a shop & see if they are able to restore my installation with the Thunderbird data and figure out how to get it intact onto my 24.04 install.

This is not something that should be happening to someone who has upgraded / migrated from earlier to newer OS's / computers, scores of times, on all three platforms, since the mid-1980s.

I did not find a; "~/.snap" or "~/.snap/thunderbird" folder in Ubuntu 24.04.

I did find a link; "~/snap/thunderbird/common/.thunderbird" linked to "~/.thunderbird".

I still do not know where to put my "~/.thunderbird" folder so Thunderbird on Ubuntu 24.04 will work.

From my old SunOS days, I would think there is a file that tells Thunderbird where to find ".thunderbird"

I suppose one option would be to uninstall Snap Thunderbird and install Mozilla Thunderbird.

https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/

Why they are different is the oldest computer game in the world... JOB SECURITY. I never played it.

I did not find a; "~/.snap" or "~/.snap/thunderbird" folder in Ubuntu 24.04.

Nobody said there would be such a folder.

I still do not know where to put my "~/.thunderbird" folder so Thunderbird on Ubuntu 24.04 will work.

To locate your current profile see https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-thunderbird-stores-user-data#w_how-do-i-find-my-profile

I suppose one option would be to uninstall Snap Thunderbird and install Mozilla Thunderbird.

That would indeed be an option if your original profile underneath ~/.thunderbird still exists, or if not, whether you do have a recent backup of that profile. From what I read about migrating to the snap version of Thunderbird that might not be the case.

Why they are different is the oldest computer game in the world...

You can check with Ubuntu why they thought it was a good idea to switch to the Thunderbird snap version.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-thunderbird-stores-user-data#w_how-do-i-find-my-profile

Finding your profile without opening Thunderbird

1. (Ubuntu) Click the Places menu on the top right of the screen and select Home Folder. A File Browser window will appear. 2. Click the View menu and select Show Hidden Files if it isn't already checked. 3. Double click the folder marked .thunderbird. Your profile folder is within this folder. If you only have one profile, its folder would have "default" in the name.

This (above) does not explain how to find ".thunderbird" for Snap Thunderbird. I explains how to expose files in Linix that start with "." This (above) assumes ~/.thunderbird is the location of your profile.

Basically, Not the answer to; Where is Snap Thunderbird looking for the profile "~/.thinderbird".

This (above) is consistent with Mozilla Thunderbird not Snap Thunderbird.

Finding your profile without opening Thunderbird

This is not the section where the link given points to. You need to scroll up to the 'How do I find my profile?' section. Also, this information has already been posted previously in this thread here: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1499357#answer-1718422