You can clear the issue up by clicking 'account settings' and clicking "Local Folders' in left column and the looking at where the 'Local Directory' is pointing.

David, Thanks for the quick response. As you pointed out the account settings for the local folders are pointed at the desktop folder. As I said, I don't know how this got moved. From everything I've read this folder should be under the mail folder in profile. How can I move it back? Do I just have to cut and paste the local folders and change the settings to point in the new location. Is there another way? I'm trying to clean up my desktop

It seems you may have copied the profile from the desktop to the laptop and the settings still point to desktop. Assuming the content on Desktop is to be duplicated on the laptop, do this: - exit thunderbird on both - copy the Mail\Local Folders folder from desktop pc to external media - then, paste that content under Mail\Local Folders on the laptop profile - next, start the laptop and click to account settings pane and highlight Local folders - at the Local Directory line, click dropdown menu and select the content you had just copied there. thunderbird will likely close and restart - the laptop should now be set. let me know