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Find and Back up Email Files (like microsoft .pst files)

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  • Last reply by jim0701

jim0701
jim0701
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Hi! I am trying to rid myself of Microsoft Outlook and am transitioning to Thunderbird. I will speak in Outlook terms... I want to do the same with Thunderbird. My Outlook activity is saved on the server and on my hard drive as .pst files. I periodically do a backup up by simply copying them to another drive. I would like to do the same in Thunderbird but don't know what the file name, extention or folder name/locaton is.

What is the file name and extention for the Thunderbird version of these files and what folder on my hard drive can I find them? A search on C:/ for .mbox returns nothing. Your insights will be welcomed!

Jim

Hi! I am trying to rid myself of Microsoft Outlook and am transitioning to Thunderbird. I will speak in Outlook terms... I want to do the same with Thunderbird. My Outlook activity is saved on the server and on my hard drive as .pst files. I periodically do a backup up by simply copying them to another drive. I would like to do the same in Thunderbird but don't know what the file name, extention or folder name/locaton is. What is the file name and extention for the Thunderbird version of these files and what folder on my hard drive can I find them? A search on C:/ for .mbox returns nothing. Your insights will be welcomed! Jim

Chosen solution

Thunderbird mail folders are in mbox format, but the name doesn't reflect that. The easiest way to backup is to backup the entire profile. Here are example steps:

  1. ensure thunderbird is not running
  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

To answer your question in detail, IMAP accounts are at c:\users\<yourid>\appdata\roaming\thunderbird\profiles\<profilename>\imapmail\<accountname> and have names such as input, input.msf, sent, sent.msf, where the msf files are disposable indexes and the mbox file is the associated input or sent or other file name.

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david
david
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Chosen Solution

Thunderbird mail folders are in mbox format, but the name doesn't reflect that. The easiest way to backup is to backup the entire profile. Here are example steps:

  1. ensure thunderbird is not running
  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

To answer your question in detail, IMAP accounts are at c:\users\<yourid>\appdata\roaming\thunderbird\profiles\<profilename>\imapmail\<accountname> and have names such as input, input.msf, sent, sent.msf, where the msf files are disposable indexes and the mbox file is the associated input or sent or other file name.

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jim0701
jim0701 Question owner
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David, THAT was the simplest, easiest solution I have EVER received for a software issue! Thanks so much!

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