It may help to explain in detail what you mean by stating thunderbird will not start. Are there any messages?

Thanks for the contact David

When I start with the profile in question, I get the window, shown in the screenshot, instead of starting it. As shown in the screenshot I only can create or rename or delete a profile. I cannot select the profile in question. If I start the default profile, the command line remains empty, no error message at all. Also the switch --verbose will not help. I cannot see any error message.

You don't specify the entire path to the profile. Just use the profile name.

./thunderbird -P default

I would take this approach:

1. in receiving PC, click help>troubleshootinginformation
2. scroll to 'profile folder' and click 'open folder'
3. exit thunderbird
4. now, paste contents of exported profile, overlaying contents of profile.
5. if there is a compatibilitie.ini file, delete it
6. restart thunderbird

You don't specify the entire path to the profile. Just use the profile name. ./thunderbird -P default

I started Thunderbird from a different location (an old version) and I used not the default location of the profile. Because of that I thought, I have to tell Thunderbird, where the profile is located. But also copy the profile to the default location did not work.

I removed the whole .thunderbird folder and tried to create a new one. Here is the output as a screenshot.

Here you can see the user rights and what I see after trying to create a new profile.

I still suggest you let thunderbird create the profile and just replace the contents. Creating a profile seems an unnecessary step (in my opinion).

I would take this approach:

1. in receiving PC, click help>troubleshootinginformation
2. scroll to 'profile folder' and click 'open folder'
3. exit thunderbird
4. now, paste contents of exported profile, overlaying contents of profile.
5. if there is a compatibilitie.ini file, delete it
6. restart thunderbird

Sorry, I cannot start thunderbird, see the messages above

Is it possible that the structure of .thunderbird has changed from 115 to 140?

version 115: the folder nnnnnnnn.default is located in: .thunderbird/Profiles/nnnnnnnn.default

version140: the new profile should be created directly here: .thunderbird/nnnnnnnn.default

Can this be a reason for my problem?

I copied the nnnnnnnn.default directly into the .thunderbird folder so it is: .thunderbird/nnnnnnnn.default

still the same problem. But now Thunderbird starts and I see the profile select dialog - with no profile to select.

My point is is you're 'fighting' thunderbird. If you just install thunderbird and then replace its default profile, you should be good.

My point is is you're 'fighting' thunderbird. If you just install thunderbird and then replace its default profile, you should be good.

Dear david, that is exactly, what I tried at first.

I replaced the new installed default/new and empty .thunderbird folder with the .thunderbird folder from backup. But maybe the structure has changed from 115 to 140 ?

No, the .thunderbird folder is more than the profile. focus on the profile

So it was wrong to copy the whole homedir from the old system to the new system without adjustment? Can you give me a hint concerning Thunderbird? What in detail is the profile? From - Where to move? What do I have to change?

I would appreciate any help.

If you click the .thunderbird folder, you will likely see another profile named 'profile.' and in that folder will be real profiles. The active profile was identified in the file, profiles.ini. You can verify that by then opening that profile where you should see your accounts and recent dates for update. That is the profile folder to which I was referring in my earlier response. By just replacing the profile folder, you excuse yourself from figuring out how thunderbird is ordering things.