Here are my suggestions on copying windows to linux. These steps have always copied everything, If you have windows files on a network, this may not apply:

1. start thunderbird on old PC
2. click help>troubleshootinginformation
3. scroll to 'profile folder' and click 'open folder'
4. exit thunderbird - you should now be in the profile folder. You can verify that by looking to see if abook.sqlite is there.
5. copy profile content to external media
6. install thunderbird on new pc, downloaded from thunderbird.net
7. start thunderbird
8. click help>troubleshootinginformation
9. scroll to 'profile folder' and click 'open folder'
10. exit thunderbird
11. delete everthing there
12. now, paste contents of exported profile
13. if there is a compatibility.ini file, delete it
14. restart thunderbird

All local message folders should now appear.

That's how I did it, having done it before with many other machines. However I've never done one and copied local folders before - at least I was never asked to so never tested whether that worked or not. Logically they should be fine because they are under the profile. However, in this case they aren't - they are physically present in the profile as explained, but not showing in the client.

Please check the following: You need to do this for each mail account and Local Folders to make sure everything is looking in the correct location.

• Account Settings > 'Server Settings' for account name
• Bottom right locate 'Local directory: - the text here needs to be pointing to correct location.

Previously on Windows OS it would have said something like this for a pop account: C://Users/username/Appdata/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/0011qq34.default/Mail/mail.domain.com

Previously on Windows OS it would have said something like this for an Imap account: C://Users/username/Appdata/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/0011qq34.default/ImapMail/mail.domain.com

But now you are using Linux, so everything is in a different location.

• Click on 'Browse' to open directory.
• Locate where your 'mail account name' folder is located - select 'Mail' to see list of Pop accounts or 'ImapMail' for imap accounts.
• select the correct mail account name folder in list and click on 'Select folder' button.
• Then 'Local directory:...' will say something like this if in default location

• home/.thunderbird/zc6ycra7.default/ImapMail/mail.domain.com

Now check the 'Local Folders' account: In Account settings

• Left Pane - scroll to bottom and click on 'Local Folders'
• For 'Local directory: - the text here needs to be pointing to correct location.
• Click on 'Browse' to open directory.
• Locate the profile folder and click on 'Mail' to see contents
• select/highlight the 'Local Folders' account
• Then 'Local Folders' gets shown at bottom left in 'Folders: '
• click on 'Select folder' button.
• 'Local directory:...' will say something like this if in default location
• home/.thunderbird/zc6ycra7.default/Mail/Local Folders

Suggest you then exit Thunderbird and wait a few moments for file updates to complete. Restart Thunderbird.

A BIG thanks, Toad-Hall. My solution was wrong because my testing had been from a setup in a custom folder, not the default. I will change my responses in future. I hadn't seen my flaw until your post appeared. Much appreciated. :)

Thanks Toad Hall.

I suspect that practically that get's me to what I need to do, because the local folders location in the account settings is pointing to <profile>/Mail/Local Folders 1 and this isn't where the files are even though they have been copied over. They are as described in the Q in the "non networked..." subdirectory However... because of the way my brain works and to try to avoid future issues, I'd like to understand a couple of things before I amend this location setting and test.

1. Why did my Windows installation store the local folders in directory <profile>/Mail/non networked Local Folders?? is/was this normal at some point in TB's history? (I've been using TB for a long time)
2. Why, having copied three directories (as per original question) has the Linux client created another one now <profile>/Mail/Local Folders 1? and then pointed it's storage at that. I could understand it not finding the "non networked..." directory but I would have expected it to default back to "Local Folders"

If you have any knowledge or pointers for this I'd be grateful.

On a separate topic, even though the profile was transferred between OS types and the basic location of the profiles changes surely the directory structure below each profile remains identical irrespective? I always thought that the point of the profile was to contain pretty much everything unless the user had changed it specifically. In my case all the mail is working correctly so that's not a particular concern but I guess you've come across situations where it wasn't.

Thanks Toad Hall. I suspect that practically that get's me to what I need to do, because the local folders location in the account settings is pointing to <profile>/Mail/Local Folders 1 and this isn't where the files are even though they have been copied over. They are as described in the Q in the "non networked..." subdirectory However... because of the way my brain works and to try to avoid future issues, I'd like to understand a couple of things before I amend this location setting and test.

1. Why did my Windows installation store the local folders in directory <profile>/Mail/non networked Local Folders?? is/was this normal at some point in TB's history? (I've been using TB for a long time)

I suspect the 'non-network Local Folders' was created because you attempted or used a NAS drive - a non-networked drive to store emails.

1. Why, having copied three directories (as per original question) has the Linux client created another one now <profile>/Mail/Local Folders 1? and then pointed it's storage at that. I could understand it not finding the "non networked..." directory but I would have expected it to default back to "Local Folders"

Your copied 'Local Folders' folder cannot be seen because the Local Directory information stored in prefs file and other files says it's here: C://Users/username/Roaming etc which does not exist on Linux. So Thunderbird auto create 'Local Folders 1' which would a new folder containing nothing - so you see nothing.

If you have any knowledge or pointers for this I'd be grateful. On a separate topic, even though the profile was transferred between OS types and the basic location of the profiles changes surely the directory structure below each profile remains identical irrespective? I always thought that the point of the profile was to contain pretty much everything unless the user had changed it specifically.

All files are copied, so they will be identical to whatever is on Windows. Hence why you have to point them to the correct location so the copied files get updated to store correct info for the Linux computer.

In my case all the mail is working correctly so that's not a particular concern but I guess you've come across situations where it wasn't.

You mention all your 'Local Folder' files are actually in this folder 'non networked Local Folders': On Linux computer

• Exit Thunderbird
• Access Profile
• Access 'non networked Local Folders'
• Copy all files and folders - the entire contents.
• Paste them into 'Local Folders'
• Start Thunderbird
• In Account Settings - Make sure the 'Local Folders' account Local Direcory is pointing to that 'Local Folder' as previously instructed.

Report back on results.

Thanks Toad Hall.

Apologies, couldn't find any instructions as to how to include your responses and comment inline, so bits follow.

So, in summary it looks like I went part way down my experiment to put local folders on a networked drive but never finished - quite likely. That's the root of my issue, but this is quite helpful in understanding.

It appears that the profiles, while very good are not 100% transparent copy and paste between OS.

I tried copying the actual local folders in client to Local Folders directory as you suggested, they still didn't appear. They do however appear if copied to Local Folders-1. Having experimented with a delete of Local Folders, it would seem that however the config is done, the client is no longer looking for that directory, instead preferring the -1 version. I assume that eventually I should find a way to change the config back to the "Local Folders" name to get back toward vanilla.

The prefs files text indicate that this should all be done with about:config or program options so I'll have a shufty at some point.

For the purposes of the original question therefore I think it's now answered.

While I'm here tho' as you seem to contribute all over the place. Although it's not directly related at all, in my efforts to get the new TB interface how I want it, there's the old wrinkle of menu bars etc. I came across a thread in which you participated: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1422908?page=4 briefly, sfhowes CSS got me nearly everything I wanted other than removing the spaces bar button from the unified menu bar. (I minimised the bar as it's got nothing that isn't elsewhere) A search shows bugger all on this topic. Before I raise a question, do you recall seeing anything about this in interface customisation topics anywhere.

Thanks

re :removing the spaces bar button from the unified menu bar. (I minimised the bar as it's got nothing that isn't elsewhere)

Adding info for anyone who reads this question and needs additional info:

The 'Spaces Toolbar' normally displays vertically on the left side of Thunderbird window. It contains quick one click shortcuts to: 'Settings', 'Mail', 'Address Book', 'Calendar', 'Tasks' and 'Chat'. When you hide the 'Spaces Toolbar', it places the shortcut icon onto the top left of 'Unified Toolbar' and can then be used as a drop down menu to the same items.

When you hide the 'Spaces Toolbar' AND use 'Menu Bar' toolbar, there is no real advantage as both methods now get access to same items via more than one click. But the 'Menu Bar' toolbar is a real advantage to display as it contains a lot more access to various options.

Back to last question asked by fred.d1: IF you really do not want to see the Spaces Toolbar shortcut icon at all then do this: Exit Thunderbird Access Profile, open the 'chrome' folder and open the 'userChrome.css' file using Notepad. In the 'userChrome.css' file you need to add the following text shown between the lines below.

/*Remove the shortcut Spaces Toolbar button from Unified Toolbar' */

#spacesPinnedButton {
display: none !important;
}

Thank you so much.

Didn't expect the direct solution.

TB is practically speaking good to go on Linux for me now. It's as close as I can get to the old interface and if there is good new stuff in there as well, I'm sure I'll find that as I move forward.

10 active lines or so of CSS and probably about 10 option changes half of which were my prefs in the old interface anyway!! Shame the release team weren't able to think some of that through and document for people who prefer to change slowly and cautiously. I would almost certainly have done the same in the windows client and been on the new releases a couple of years ago. I simply didn't have the time to mess around learning new names and concepts, thinking up and asking the right questions, even though there aren't actually many of them - it's a daily tool that I need to work correctly. Quicker to turn off updates for a guarantee.