Found missing Profile: Need to know how best to reinstall please
Three weeks ago I attempted to migrate my TB profiles from a 2014 mini-mac to a 2024 mini-mac. I thought I did a better job of backing up my profile using CCC than I actually did. In the migration to the new Mac I lost all my subfolders from the last 20 years. Apple created a new Profile and 2 restoration Profiles on the new Sequoia based mini-mac. I wasn't familiar with these and panicked. I copied those files, took them back to the original mac and tried to follow Toad-Hall's method of restoring the subfolders recommended to bmack1 on 23/11/22. However, I failed to carry out the step of going up two levels in the path of the Library to copy the entire "Thunderbird" file and only copied the Largest restoration file. This in turn, "contaminated" the 2014 original Thunderbird mail profile and only an Inbox and Trash subfolder remained. Today, after 3 weeks of searching and reading the generous contributions of this community, I came across a post explaining that the "sbd files" will show the subfolder headings I created in the original sought after Profile. And I found it!!! My problem is I have re-read Toad-Hall's method of re-installing the original Profile and tried to carry that out to the letter by placing the old Profile within a Thunderbird folder and switching it with the current one. But it's still listed as the "Restoration qqg...file" and probably shouldn't be, but I don't want to go any further and risk losing it because I feel I almost have it. So any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.
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Jack, I can't tell you which of the two procedures, Rick's or mine, will be easier or faster. Mine would keep your old folder hierarchy as much as possible but as I told before there are probably a certain number of empty mbox files to create with TextEdit.
Rick's plan seems to me simpler to accomplish and less dangerous, but I'd simplify it even more: • on your Desktop create a folder ad hoc and name i.e Restore.sbd • systematically copy (not move!) all mbox (message) files you can identify in the old profile folder - excepted the zero kB files but including those mbox files actually "hidden" in the .sbd folders - to the "Restore.sbd" folder. Probably you'll get a list of hundred or more mbox files. • at the end of this procedure create an empty "Restore" text file with TextEdit.app • TB closed move the Restore.sbd folder together with the Restore mbox file to the .../Mai/Local Folders/ in the profile (folder) which you are actually working with. • now when you start Thunderbird you should see all your old folders in Local Folders ... without the old structures I have done this in a little experiment : copied some mbox files from one account into a Restore.sbd folder and created an empty text file Restore with TextEdit.app, put both in the Local Folders of another profile folder and started the other profile (it works > see image) To know which is your actual profile you can start TB, go to Help > Troubleshooting information > Profiles > about profiles (see picture)
Now you could examine in the folder pane all your old folders in the Local Folders, look up their contents and decide what you keep or what you can trash. At the end - if you want - you can create a new folder structure (hierarchy ) in the Local Folders.
Modified by Mapenzi
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