Windows 10 reached EOS (end of support) on October 14, 2025. If you are on Windows 10, see this article.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More
Open

Inbox disappears from Thunderbird when upgrading from 143.13.0esr to 153 release channal

Thunderbird Update
Wayne Mery replied
cbelov
cbelov

I am trying to switch from the ESR channel to the release channel. I have Thunderbird 143.13.0esr and am trying to upgrade to 153 (not ESR). When I upgraded, Thunderbird could no longer find the inbox for my primary email and I had to restore both Thunderbird 143.13.0esr and my email library from my Time Machine backup.

I am seeking advice on how to do some cleanup of an inbox anomaly so that I can install 153 without losing my inbox.

Details follow:

My primary email account has had an oddity in Thunderbird for years in which I have two inboxes: an active one with lots of email messages as well as subfolders, and an inactive one which is empty and no subfolders. I have tried deleting the inactive one by selecting it in the sidebar and choosing File, Delete folder, but that command is gray.

By poking around in my Library, Thunderbird, my profile, Mail, my pop account of interest, I discovered the inactive inbox is named Inbox and has only two files, "Inbox" and "Inbox.msf". The active inbox is named "Inbox prev" and has these files: "Inbox prev", "Inbox prev.msf", and a folder "Inbox prev.sbd" which has a bunch of files and more subfolders. All of my four email accounts have multiple folders and subfolders, but I was able to identify both my primary email account and my active inbox from various folder names that were unique to that account and inbox.

Today I followed the following procedure:

1. Quit Thunderbird (and all other apps) 2. Force a Time Machine backup 3. Download Thunderbird 153 for English, US 4. Verify the SHA hash 5. Install Thunderbird 6. Verify the signature 7. Launch Thunderbird

Both my active and inactive inboxes in my primary email account were gone from the Thunderbird interface. I checked my library and the files appear to still be there.

I proceeded with the following remediation:

8. Restore Thunderbird 143.13.0esr from Time Machine, replacing the 153 version 9. Restore the Thunderbird library folder from Time Machine

I launched Thunderbird and my inbox has been restored to the UI, but I am on the esr channel and not the desired release channel.

Is there any kind of manual cleanup I can do to get rid of the inactive inbox, rename the active inbox from Inbox prev to Inbox, and then re-upgrade to 153?

I am trying to switch from the ESR channel to the release channel. I have Thunderbird 143.13.0esr and am trying to upgrade to 153 (not ESR). When I upgraded, Thunderbird could no longer find the inbox for my primary email and I had to restore both Thunderbird 143.13.0esr and my email library from my Time Machine backup. I am seeking advice on how to do some cleanup of an inbox anomaly so that I can install 153 without losing my inbox. Details follow: My primary email account has had an oddity in Thunderbird for years in which I have two inboxes: an active one with lots of email messages as well as subfolders, and an inactive one which is empty and no subfolders. I have tried deleting the inactive one by selecting it in the sidebar and choosing File, Delete folder, but that command is gray. By poking around in my Library, Thunderbird, my profile, Mail, my pop account of interest, I discovered the inactive inbox is named Inbox and has only two files, "Inbox" and "Inbox.msf". The active inbox is named "Inbox prev" and has these files: "Inbox prev", "Inbox prev.msf", and a folder "Inbox prev.sbd" which has a bunch of files and more subfolders. All of my four email accounts have multiple folders and subfolders, but I was able to identify both my primary email account and my active inbox from various folder names that were unique to that account and inbox. Today I followed the following procedure: 1. Quit Thunderbird (and all other apps) 2. Force a Time Machine backup 3. Download Thunderbird 153 for English, US 4. Verify the SHA hash 5. Install Thunderbird 6. Verify the signature 7. Launch Thunderbird Both my active and inactive inboxes in my primary email account were gone from the Thunderbird interface. I checked my library and the files appear to still be there. I proceeded with the following remediation: 8. Restore Thunderbird 143.13.0esr from Time Machine, replacing the 153 version 9. Restore the Thunderbird library folder from Time Machine I launched Thunderbird and my inbox has been restored to the UI, but I am on the esr channel and not the desired release channel. Is there any kind of manual cleanup I can do to get rid of the inactive inbox, rename the active inbox from Inbox prev to Inbox, and then re-upgrade to 153?

All Replies (2)

Toad-Hall
Toad-Hall
  • Top 25 Contributor

By poking around in my Library, Thunderbird, my profile, Mail, my pop account of interest, I discovered the inactive inbox is named Inbox and has only two files, "Inbox" and "Inbox.msf". The active inbox is named "Inbox prev" and has these files: "Inbox prev", "Inbox prev.msf", and a folder "Inbox prev.sbd" which has a bunch of files and more subfolders.

Exit Thunderbird - completely close before doing anything in profile.

In profile name folder locate this file: folderCache.json rename as : XfolderCache.json This will force a new file to get created when you start Thunderbird later on. If all works ok then later on you could clean up by deleting the XfolderCache.json file as it's no longer used.

Delete this file: global-messages-db.sqlite This will force a new file to get created when you start Thunderbird later on.

In 'Mail' folder, locate the pop account Backup these files to desktop or another drive as a temp backup.

  • "Inbox" and "Inbox.msf".
  • "Inbox prev", "Inbox prev.msf", and folder "Inbox prev.sbd"

Delete these files:

  • "Inbox" and "Inbox.msf".

Rename these files :

  • "Inbox prev", "Inbox prev.msf", and folder "Inbox prev.sbd"

So they have these names:

  • "Inbox", "Inbox.msf", and folder "Inbox.sbd"

Start Thunderbird and report on results.

Modified by Toad-Hall

Wayne Mery
Wayne Mery
  • Top 25 Contributor
  • Moderator

Who is the mail provider?

Ask a question

You must log in to your account to reply to posts. Please start a new question, if you do not have an account yet.