For weeks, I have been searching everywhere for a definitive method for transferring my Thunderbird 91.8.1 profile to a new PC. There are lots of posts mainly covering wi… (read more)
For weeks, I have been searching everywhere for a definitive method for transferring my Thunderbird 91.8.1 profile to a new PC. There are lots of posts mainly covering windows applications and older versions of Thunderbird.
One reoccurring problem seems to be that some installations have 2 profiles. Some have a profile with just a xxxxxxxx.default profile and others have a xxxxxxxx.default-release and a xxxxxxxx.default profile.
It would appear that if you have the 2 profiles then the .default-release would be the one you would use for transferring to a new PC.
I was wondering if some one could lead me to a current definitive procedure, for transferring a Linux based Thunderbird 91.8.1 profile, from one PC to new Linux PC .
What to do if you have the 2 profiles? Can you just delete the yyyyyyyy.default profile?
Perhaps some one could comment on the following procedure that I have cobbled together from the myriad of posts that I have read.
THIS IS MY VERSION (UNPROVEN)
Transfer Thunderbird (91.8.1) profile to new PC [v_4]
On your SOURCE computer [Linux Mint Cinnamon 20.3]
1. Connect a device for data transfer, either a USB flash drive, or a USB SSD/HDD drive.
2. Open the Home directory and click the “View tab” then check the box “Show Hidden Files”.
3. You should find a directory called .thunderbird.
4. Open .thunderbird and look for the folder, xxxxxxxx.default-release. Note; the x represents a string of 8 random alpha/numerical text.
5. Right-click on the xxxxxxxx.default-release folder and select Copy.
6. Paste a copy of xxxxxxxx.default-release to your transfer device. Remove it safely from the source computer when done.
7. Uncheck the “Show Hidden Files” tab that you checked in step 2.
Note: a) These steps can also be used to create a backup of your Thunderbird profile folder.
b) In step 4, you may not find a default-release folder. You may see a xxxxxxxx.default or
both. Choose the one that is active.
On your DESTINATION computer [Linux Mint Cinnamon 20.3]
1. Open thunderbird and then close it. A new profile will be created yyyyyyyy.default-release, or .yyyyyyyy.default.
2. Locate and open the backed-up profile folder, xxxxxxxx.default-release.
3. Select all of the folder contents and choose Copy.
4. Locate and open the new profile folder, yyyyyyyy.default-release.
5. Paste the contents of the backed up profile folder into the new profile folder. Choose to overwrite existing files of the same name.
6. Start Thunderbird.