Thunderbird Community Forum

I am using Thunderbird as email client on Win 10. When trying to backup old messages I am getting en error message as below. I tried several ways exporting emails as “eml”, PDF’s or even plain text, but all the same. Following error message:

[Exception... "Component returned failure code: 0x8000ffff (NS_ERROR_UNEXPECTED) [nsIPrefBranch.getCharPref]" nsresult: "0x8000ffff (NS_ERROR_UNEXPECTED)" location: "JS frame :: chrome://mboximport/content/mboximport/utils.js :: getSubjectForHdr :: line 186" data: no]

Exporting: Folder: Inbox Msg: Undelivered Mail Returned to Sender

getSubjectForHdr@chrome://mboximport/content/mboximport/utils.js:186:26 onAfterStopRequest@chrome://mboximport/content/mboximport/exportTools.js:1809:14 onStopRequest@chrome://mboximport/content/mboximport/exportTools.js:1743:28

Can anyone assist?

I just had a support session and the tech was unable to solve the problem. We tried installing a new version of Thunderbird and importing the messages over from the default install and it just freezes up. He tried replacing account settings with the account settings from a previous version and that didn't work either. He suggested contacting Mozilla to see if there was a way to import messages from the frozen default to my new profile.

Old win 10 computer with Thunderbird pop account. Want to move all saved e-mails from old computer to new computer. New computer (win 11) installed thunderbird as an IMAP account. Alternatively, if not practical, how to save old e-mail in readable format. Thanks

Hi, I accidentally deleted all my emails on my desktop. I was in Account Settings and pressed the red "Delete" button that appears next to the account name on the screen. I was trying to reset the email account settings but when i pressed delete, the mail account and all my old messages were deleted from my desktop.

I do see a file in the folder in User/appdata/roaming/thunderbird/profiles.../mail/mail.server.co.za that says "Inbox" and I THINK that might be my old emails but I can't seem to get Thunderbird to open the file. I've tried using ImportExportNG but it still won't open that file.

Is there a way to recover my old emails without having to take my computer to a specialist?

Appreciate any help. Hani

In reference to the article [[Knowledge Base Article|http://mzl.la/1ApHiU3]], "Move Thunderbird data to a new computer", this misses the transfer of Local Folders.

The instructions only include moving the Thunderbird application data folder with profile information but does not include Local Folders, after completing these instructions the Local Folders will not be present on the new computer.

The path for Local Folders is under Account Settings > Local Folders, this folder needs to be copied to the similar path on the new computer as well.

I have copied emails from a Windows 10 to Windows 11 computer using these instructions and it appears to work.

My email was rossmann@telkomsa.net My husband died on 25 May 2023 and telkom closed his account. I opened a gmail account. I am now wanting to open a few emails from 2022 regarding contracts but Thunderbird obviously only has my old email. Please could you assist me Kind regards, Chrissie Rossmann

I had to reset my Windows 10 computer and lost all apps and files.  I have attempted to download Thunderbird to replace the one that was lost.  I had hoped to regain my old emails and files but that is beyond my abilities.  I am a senior citizen [81 years] and have been using Thunderbird along with Earthlink mail [which has been recovered along with some of my emails] for over 25 years.  I also recovered Mozilla Firefox [with my bookmarks].  Now I need to recover my Thunderbird account with my emails and files.  There were many years of emails and files in Thunderbird.  Earthlink mail sent me a link on my cell phone that only required me to touch it to install it on my Dell computer.  I did not set up my computer many years ago and the man who did set it up is now deceased so I cannot go to him for help.  If you can send me a link with which I can recover my thunderbird account along with my files and emails I would be eternally grateful.  My cell phone number is [edited phone# from public community support forum].  HELP!!!  PLEASE!  Thank you very much and GOD Bless You.    Janice Chelf,  San Antonio, Texas

I can see where the Local Files are saved under .sdb folders and msf files. I can save these to a USB stick as a backup BUT can I perhaps open on another device also running Thunderbird. Is this possible and how? I can't see an 'open file' in Thunderbird.

I have been with Primus communications for many years, they are no longer supporting email address and I have to sign up with a new company they have nominated. I want to know if how my emails are managed in my Thunderbird screen will all be transferred and that I will continue as normal with Mozilla Thunderbird

I am considering changing from my current email server to another. How do I move my TB account from one server to another? And does the physical location of the server have any effect on my account? I am moving from the US to Europe.

Moving from a Win 10 machine with TB ver 102.15.1 (64-bit) (Old I know but I still dislike the "new" interface and it still works) to new machine using Mint 22.3 Cinnamon with TB 140.9 esr (64 bit) - (biting the interface bullet)

Copied over the content of the profile folder to the existing profile folder on the new machine. Mail files are in ImapMail directory and mail functions normally.

All local folders came over but under mail I have 3 directories: Local Folders non networked Local Folders smart mailboxes all the local folders accessible through the old client are located in the non networked... directory

These local folders are not showing through the new client. I see just deleted and outbox, which presumably corresponds to the trqash and unsent messages files in the Local Folders directory on the new machine.

I have a vague memory that about 18 months ago I looked into whether or not I could place the local folders on a network drive, so that they would be on one of my NAS drives that gets backed up automatically but I didn't think that I had done anything about this.

Question therefore: Is this a version issue, an OS issue or something else entirely causing me to not see the local folder content in the Mint client? & How do I correct this?

Thanks

Hello,

I have never used Thunderbird previously. May I ask a newb question?

I can longer export my emails from my main online email account in the form of a file for back up. That would be an Outlook/Hotmail account. That is not the only scam Microsoft have pulled in the last few years with Outlook as well, which I am more than happy to go into if asked. I do not want to, nor can I install their Desktop Outlook app which I understand still allows export.

So my question is, if I install Thunderbird, does in sync with another email account, then download and store them on PC for back up? It would be many thousands of emails as well. The file exported from Outlook until Microsoft inflicted their latest used to be around 12Gb.

Also, if I do anything via thunderbird, is that replicated in my Outlook email account? I am concerned that emails may disappear from the email account if say Thunderbird is removed from the PC.

Any advice or pointers to already existing thread would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Mike.

I have several MS 365 accounts that I have added to Thunderbird to backup. Now that all the emails and data is in Thunderbird, I would like to deactive the MS 365 accounts completely as the company is closing down. I need to keep the emails as archives for several months in case of an issue, but the MS 365 account will no longer exist. Will Thunderbird delete all the emails once I deactive the 365 accounts or is there a way to store them permanently?

For record, I already tried to add them to my Outlook app on my Windows computer and back up a pst file, but it is not bringing over all the years of data like Thunderbird did. Only recent items.

I want to be able to search my 20,000 emails if needed in the future. I have shut down the actual email account. I don't want to lose them. I do have other email accounts I am using Thunderbird for.

I am losing my Mediacom ISP account (which I have had for 20 years) at the end of this month. I have used Mediacoms web mail server all this time and want to keep many emails and addresses that are on their server. I was told that Thunderbird would allow me to transfer/copy these messages to my computer and retain them there in Thunderbird after I no longer have access to Mediacoms server. I have installed Thunderbird 3 times and spent 2-3 days with help from this forum trying to gt it to work properly but have not succeeded. I have a windows 10 HP laptop and am not completely computer literate so I don't believe I will solve this by myself. I even loaded up an old windows 7 computer which I did with ver 15. but that didn't work either. THe one difference I did notice is that the Tbird auto installation on my Win 10 machine selects POP and on the Win 7 machine it selects IMAP. Mediacom is uses IMAP

I need to migrate from Outlook 2010 to Thunderbird latest version. There are multiple email accounts configured in Outlook and tons emails. This is my wife's system so I don't want to make a mistake doing the conversion.

I intend to use a automated tool if a reliable on exists - paid is fine. I need to get all of the accounts and associated outlook folders moved to tbird. Also need contacts migrated. Some of the Outlook accounts use POP3/SMTP, some use IMAP.

What is/are the best migration tools? Recommendations welcome. What traps do I need to avoid? What is the recovery process if it all goes wrong.

I have 50+ years IT experience and have used tbird for 10 years so I'm not clueless.

Thanks in advance.