Can someone help me in real time? I have to move twenty years of records to a new computer.

These steps work for most:

1. ensure thunderbird is NOT running on old machine
2. enter %appdata% in search window on task bar and press Enter key
3. this should open windows file explorer in Appdata\roaming folder
4. highlight the Thunderbird folder and copy to external media
5. ensure thunderbird is installed on second computer, started once and NOT running
6. enter %appdata% in search window on task bar and press Enter key
7. you should be in Appdata\roaming folder. DELETE the thunderbird folder there
8. now , paste your copied thunderbird folder there.
9. start thunderbird and all should be there

it is so confusing. i will not be able to complete these tasks without making a mess of them. turn on, turn off, delete - that all sounds so risky. and what is external media? i don't understand what that is. so the connecting data transfer cord is not applicable? and what is turned off? the computers or the Thunderbird.... so 1) Do not open Thunderbird on the source computer 2) do i need all the percentage marks on the word app data? 3) what is external media? 4) how should I install thunderbird? do I get an entirely new download in the new computer? do I need to load it in with all the information abouit POP3 and passwords before I transfer anything? I mean, start from scratch as though I have not been using it for twenty years? 5) - now this second command to open app data - this is on the new computer, correct? I am Deleting the newly installed thunderbird? this is really confusing. mostly this thing about "external Media" - and that can't be the BRAVURA Plugable Transfer Cable? those are the points that seem to cause me stumbling blocks. thanks -candace at least the second keyboard/mouse came in the mail...

ok. i downloaded Thunderbird. It remembered everything, but no files, of course, and that is what we are talking about, isn't it?

My reference to external media is because most do not have a connecting cable and must copy the data to a USB stick and then to the receiving computer. The download should be just as instructed: no accounts, nothing. Just install, start it, and then exit.

i apologise. I am still confused about what to turn off and when and what to copy and how and I really need help. SOmeone who is patient enough to stay on the phone or computer and walk me through it step... by very slow and cautious step. I am sorry. I just do not get enough of it to feel that I will not completely ruin everything.

After the download it loaded a thousand+ emails and remembered all my personal data

i turned off thunderbird in the old computer app data

and entered app data in the search and it didn't show me thunderbird, or any other application

the screen lists this PC, 3D objects, desktop, documents, downloads, music, pictures, vidos, OSC, HP Recovery, DVD RW Drivethree USB drives and Local Disk L and some old Microsoft office stuff I have no idea

Not app data but %appdata% - the percent signs are part of it. What I gave are detail steps to follow. If you are uncomfortable with that, you may do better by having someone else read the steps and follow them. I do understand your caution.

i DID ask if the percentage marks were part of it. using the instructions online from mozilla support, i have got as far as the copying of the thunderbird folder, now I am wrestling with the plugable application. Nobody here, just this chicken

Once thunderbird in installed on new PC, just copy the appdata\roaming\thunderbird folder from old PC to overlay the thunderbird folder on the new PC at appdata\roaming\thunderbird. Be sure that thunderbird is not running on either PC while doing this.

i followed instructions carefully... the data I was trying to move sems not to have moved.

I did the procedure with finding the Thunderbird folder (up three) in the old computer, closing thunderbird, copying the folder to a usb stick, moving it to the other computer, finding the Thunderbird folder (up three) on the new computer, closing Thunderbird, pasting from the USB... 

But I am not seeing the area on the left under my email address or under local folders where I would expect that MANY files and folders should populate the field. Am I looking in the wrong place? or perhaps just not activated? Computer has been turned off and started again since the procedure. Under my email address all i see is inbox, sent, trash, and drafts Under local folders, only drafts, trash, and outbox - and it will not allow me to empty trash under local folders. Also, I would expect all these files/folders to be listed there if the data transfer worked. Please advise. Thanks!

Can you post a screenshot of what you see? That will be a big help.