Thunderbird email 'sbd' files
I migrated all files and folders from a Thunderbird email account to a folder on my PC hard drive. My Win10 updated PC can't open the sbd files on the hard drive. When I try to read the sbd files using a Text/Wordpad app, I get loads of computer program code but it doesn't show the simple format of an email message. A different problem occurs when I tell it to use Thunderbird to open the files. It opens a Thunderbird message format and attaches the sbd file. When one double clicks that attachment it simply opens another TB email message format with no readable text the same as the first email it opened. I tried to drag the sbd file to an open TB message body area but this isn't allowed. Does anyone have any suggestion as to how to solve this problem?
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SBD file is the "data-base" format file for your emails. There are all emails - you need to set the path to the folder that contains those "sbd" files on tools - account settings - ##email_account## -> local folders. Ok and restart. After restart for that ##email_account## you should see the real emails.
Thank you for your answer. When you say ' ... - you need to set the path to the folder that contains those "sbd" files on tools - account settings - ##email_account## -> local folders. Ok and restart.', it went a bit above my head. Would it be too much trouble to tell me how to go to where I would '... set the path to the folder ...'? Also, where or how to I get to '... tools - account settings - ...' etc.? Sorry for my ignorance on this one. I do have some skill in other areas of fixing issues but this one is difficult for me. Thanks.
On thunderbird - tools menu - account settings submenu On that page you have listed all emails set. If none - create one. For that specific email (account) you have "server settings" as an option and there (on bottom of the page) you have "local directory" (apologies - I've wrote above local folders). You click browse and select the folder which contain those sdb files. Ok and restart.
I tried what you said to do. If I did it right, it didn't work. Thanks for your effort to help me with this. I'll continue to try and get a solution.
The sbd files are not database files. They are renamed directories used to organize the files used to store messages for each folder into a folder hierarchy. Thunderbird only uses *.sqlite files for its databases and doesn't store messages in a database..
Thunderbird by default uses mbox files to store messages for each mail folder. Its stored in a text file named after the folder, with no file extension. Each mail folder has its own mbox file. This is different from Outlook using .pst files (one for everything) and Outlook Express using a separate .eml file for each message.
"inbox." is the mbox file (it has the messages) for a inbox folder, "inbox.msf" a so-called index file (really just a cache of the folder listing, its not needed as it will be automatically re-created) and "inbox.sbd" the directory used to create the folder hierarchy. It will contain mbox files and *.msf files for any child directories of the inbox. Each child folder that has its own child folder has a *.sbd directory......
If you search for mbox viewer there are free utilities like that (plus some that are commercial programs) that let you read the contents of a mbox file (including any attachments) without using a email client. I'd post a link but the annoying anti-spam feature in this forum prevents me from doing that.
You said you moved just the data for one account. Why don't you create a child folder in "Local Folders" in Thunderbird and move all of the mbox files to its directory in the profile. That should create mail folders you can use and avoid any problems due to duplicate names. Then you can move-reorganize them as desired from within Thunderbird.
The account settings for "Local Folder" has a "local directory" setting (next to a Browse button). That is the directory in the profile that stores all of the files for that account. Another way to find it is to use help -> troubleshooting information -> open folder to open windows explorer at the current profile, open the mail directory and then the local folders directory.
Alternatively if you are using version 60 you could use the ImportExportTools add-on to import the mbox files. If your're using version 68 use ImportExportTools NG instead. Unfortunately it hasn't been ported for version 78 yet.
Normally you want to move the entire profile when you switch to a new PC, not just the files for your account.
You're right @tanstaafl - I have confused them as I thought them as "files" while those are folders actually (on the operating system and on Thunderbird).