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To move a Thunderbird account folder from older windows 8.1 pc to new 11

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  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by david

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Just got a new pc with windows 11, I used the export from my older Thunderbird to create the file and it worked great, but I messed up when I installed Thunderbird on my new pc, I was so impressed (and curious) that Thunderbird could auto set up my email account, so I let it do it and it worked. I have 3 email accounts and when I used the import I thought it would overwrite the one it just created, but it didn't so I'm missing 3-4 folders I had on that one account It imported the other 2 accounts and folders great Is there a way I can get those folders from the old pc and copy over to the new?

I tried to uninstall Thunderbird from the new pc so I could do it right, only use the import function and get everything, but it doesn't uninstall much, everything is still there. Or is there another way? Thanks.

Just got a new pc with windows 11, I used the export from my older Thunderbird to create the file and it worked great, but I messed up when I installed Thunderbird on my new pc, I was so impressed (and curious) that Thunderbird could auto set up my email account, so I let it do it and it worked. I have 3 email accounts and when I used the import I thought it would overwrite the one it just created, but it didn't so I'm missing 3-4 folders I had on that one account It imported the other 2 accounts and folders great Is there a way I can get those folders from the old pc and copy over to the new? I tried to uninstall Thunderbird from the new pc so I could do it right, only use the import function and get everything, but it doesn't uninstall much, everything is still there. Or is there another way? Thanks.

Chosen solution

I would be hesitant to repeat an import that had failed the first time. The disk location is generic; the items in brackets need to be your specific user id and profilename, omitting the brackets. An easy way to get there in Windows would be to enter %appdata% in the searchbar on desktop. That should open file manager at the appdata\roaming folder and from there you would see the thunderbird folder. Another way to find profile is to click help>troubleshootinginformation, scroll down to 'profile folder' and click 'open profile' and then exit thunderbird. you will now be in the profile.

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Here is the link for moving a profile in Windows when installed in default location:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/moving-thunderbird-data-to-a-new-computer

here is the info in brief steps:

  1. ensure thunderbird is NOT running on old machine
  2. enter %appdata% in search window on task bar and press Enter key
  3. this should open windows file explorer in Appdata\roaming folder
  4. highlight the Thunderbird folder and copy to external media
  5. ensure thunderbird is installed on second computer and NOT running
  6. enter %appdata% in search window on task bar and press Enter key
  7. you should be in Appdata\roaming folder , copy&paste the exported Thunderbird folder there. This may prompt to overwrite an existing folder of same name. allow it
  8. start thunderbird and all should be there

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This seems to be the directions to copy the whole Thunderbird, I'm just wanting to get a few folders I created in one of my 3 email accounts.

I have the whole Thunderbird zip that I exported from the old one. when I imported it, it brought everything from 2 of my email accounts but it skipped the one that my new Thunderbird auto created

Since I still have the exported zip, would I be able to delete this new account that Thunderbird auto created, then do the import again?

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If the zip doesn't include the account, no need to do it again. Do keep my steps for any future PCs, as it will eliminate all of these extra steps. To copy just those folders, do it the 'easy' way. - if the folders are in a POP account, they will be in the Mail\<POPaccount> folder of profile - if the folders are in an IMAP account, they will be in the Imapmail\<IMAPaccount>folder of old profile - if they were in Local Folders, they will be in the Mail\Local Folders folder of old profile - so, on old computer, the profile will be at c:\users\<yourid>\appdata\roaming\thunderbird\profiles\<profilename> - once there, (with thunderbird NOT running), you can copy the folders (e.g., inbox, sent) and paste them in to the Mail\Local Folders folder of NEW profile - IGNORE the msf files

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The exported zip includes all 3 email accounts, when I did the import, it skipped the one account that it created when I first installed Thunderbird on the new pc. The one it skipped is the one that wanting.

Would it work if I deleted the account that it auto set up, then do the import again?

I can not find this - c:\users\<yourid>\appdata\roaming\thunderbird\profiles\<profilename> Thanks

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Chosen Solution

I would be hesitant to repeat an import that had failed the first time. The disk location is generic; the items in brackets need to be your specific user id and profilename, omitting the brackets. An easy way to get there in Windows would be to enter %appdata% in the searchbar on desktop. That should open file manager at the appdata\roaming folder and from there you would see the thunderbird folder. Another way to find profile is to click help>troubleshootinginformation, scroll down to 'profile folder' and click 'open profile' and then exit thunderbird. you will now be in the profile.

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It worked going through Help, found on the old pc, while copying everything to usb drive, I did the same Help way on the new pc and found that everything I wanted was already there, instead of overwriting my charter.net folder, the import made a new folder called charter-1.net and put it all in there. Thank you very much for all your help!

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I'm glad it all turned out well. You are very welcome. :)

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