Just a thought: Could it have something to do with the squillions of filters I have set up to direct mails into specific folders?

Was the old account an IMAP account? If so, whatever is still on PC may be just remnants (headers without content), as the full messages would be on the now unavailable server. If the old account was POP, all messages can be copied by exiting thunderbird and copying from within profile folder under the Mail\<POPaccount> folder. My guess is that your account was IMAP, in which case you may not be able to salvage all messages due to the server switch.

Thanks, David.

Yes, it was an IMAP account. And yes, when I open up mails in the folders that won't copy, there is nothing there. Other ones are fine, though - any idea why that is?

All the best

Ian

IMAP accounts sync to the server. If an IMAP account attempts to open but the server isn't there, the content on PC is stripped as that is part of syncing to server. That isn't Thunderbird, it's IMAP. If you think some of the folders have content, your only way to salvage is to exit thunderbird and copy with windows file explorer and place in the Mail\Local Folders folder, restart thunderbird and then check for content. Attempting to check from within a nonexistent IMAP account may cause whatever is there to be deleted.

> If you think some of the folders have content, your only way to salvage is to exit thunderbird and copy with windows file explorer and place in the Mail\Local Folders folder, restart thunderbird and then check for content.

Sorry, what exactly should I copy and place in the Mail\Local Folders folder?

Thanks, Dave!

- click help>troubleshooting information - scroll down to 'profile folder' and click 'open folder' - exit thunderbird - you are now in the profile, click the imapmail folder - now, click the imap account folder - here are entries such as inbox, inbox.msf, sent, sent.msf, etc. - copy the files that have an associated msf, but ignore the msf entries - paste in the Mail\Local Folders folder - restart thunderbird and see if the content is there.

OK, thanks Dave.

I've called up the folder and there are only folders and msf files there. This is presumably because I had already set up a new mail profile with the now migrated email address and this is what I am seeing there, right?

If so, what I'll do at the weekend is apply the method you mentioned to Thunderbird on my laptop. This is set up exactly the same way as my main work PC but I haven't configured it for the migrated email address yet.

If this works and I have all the old mails there as a kind of archive, that would be a very good second best.

Thanks for all your help!

Ian

I suggest not starting thunderbird on the laptop until you have copied the files. The very act of starting thunderbird might destroy any content due to IMAP protocol.

Thank you, David - I'll make sure to do that.

Thanks, David. I implemented the steps you suggested ("copy the files that have an associated msf, but ignore the msf entries") on my laptop and can now call up all my old mails in full.

I didn't plan it this way but I now have a streamlined email system on my work PC with only recent mails and current customers. And if I ever need to refer back to any old mails (not a common occurrence), they're all on my laptop!

So thanks for taking the time to help me out!

It was a pleasure to assist. :)