Windows 10 will reach EOS (end of support) on October 14, 2025. For more information, see this article.

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

This thread was closed and archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

How to read external local folder

  • 2 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 35 views
  • Last reply by SuMo Bot

more options

I've recently changed my PC and need to access messages on a local folder of my old PC. The only slight problem is that I don't have the old PC anymore! I do however have the hard drive from my old PC set up as an external drive on my new PC. I can navigate to the local folder on the external drive but I can't read the messages in English. Is there any way to do this? TIA.

I've recently changed my PC and need to access messages on a local folder of my old PC. The only slight problem is that I don't have the old PC anymore! I do however have the hard drive from my old PC set up as an external drive on my new PC. I can navigate to the local folder on the external drive but I can't read the messages in English. Is there any way to do this? TIA.

Chosen solution

Are these messages in the Mail/Local Folders location of the old profile folder, in .../AppData/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/xxxxxxxx.default, where xx.. is a random string? If they are, copy the mbox files, the large files with no extension, named after folders, to Mail/Local Folders in the active profile, then restart TB and look under Local folders in the Folder Pane.

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (3)

more options

Chosen Solution

Are these messages in the Mail/Local Folders location of the old profile folder, in .../AppData/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/xxxxxxxx.default, where xx.. is a random string? If they are, copy the mbox files, the large files with no extension, named after folders, to Mail/Local Folders in the active profile, then restart TB and look under Local folders in the Folder Pane.

more options

Thanks sfhowes, that's worked perfectly!

more options

This question has been locked because the original author has deleted their account. While you can no longer post new replies, the existing content remains available for reference.