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I've lost all my data during failed migration using Windows easy transfer

  • 10 replies
  • 7 have this problem
  • 6 views
  • Paskiausią atsakymą parašė Wesley Branton

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I tried to use Windows easy transfer to move my data between two computers (both running Windows 7), using a Transcend external hard disk. Now it seems to have disappeared from the Transcend during the process, and the Thunderbird on the old computer won't work any more (the message is that the program is running but not responding).

Is there any way of retrieving my old address book, at least??

I tried to use Windows easy transfer to move my data between two computers (both running Windows 7), using a Transcend external hard disk. Now it seems to have disappeared from the Transcend during the process, and the Thunderbird on the old computer won't work any more (the message is that the program is running but not responding). Is there any way of retrieving my old address book, at least??

All Replies (10)

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Please ensure that you are also moving the Thunderbird application data to the other computer.


<strike>Please note that this is a forum for support with Firefox. The volunteers here will be able to best help you with Firefox related issues.
To receive help from the Thunderbird support team, please post a thread to this website.</strike>


Modified by Wesley Branton

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I tried to, but failed. I've since opened the account again on the new computer, so that I can at least attend to current correspondence, but all the old mail, address book etc. from the old computer has disappeared from the external hard disk I downloaded it to. The Thunderbird application on the old computer won't open. All that comes up is an error message stating that "Thunderbird is running but not responding, and it should be closed and re-opened" (or something similar). Try as I might, I can't get it to re-open. It seems strange that a whole year's stuff has just disappeared, and I would like the address book to be retrieved, if possible. The rest I can live without.

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hello Jim, please try to transfer the address book from your old computer like it's described at http://kb.mozillazine.org/Moving_address_books_between_profiles

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I can't get near Thunderbird on the old computer, as the application won't upload there at all. All I get is an error message - this is at the centre of my problem!

The strange thing is that later I was able to upload and re-activate my account (same email, username and password) from the Thunderbird website, but I've lost all my transferable data from the old computer.

Is there another way to retrieve this?

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hey, the instruction i've linked to above doesn't require that you get the thunderbird program to open at all. you can copy the appropriate file that holds the address book directly from the file system (the thunderbird profile folder to be more exact). this is described in more detail in the mozillazine kb article.

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Sorry Philipp, I was being a bit thick there.

I've checked out the article, and followed the instructions via the application data>profiles, but there's very little information on the old computer, so I'm no further on really. I've phoned a friend (as it used to say on an old gameshow), who knows an awful lot more about computers than I do, and I'll see if he can help me out with this when he gets my message.

My hopes aren't high!

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Wesley Branton, Thunderbird support is being moved to sumo now.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions?product=thunderbird

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Sorry,

I just don't understand the significance of this.

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Wesley Branton replied by telling you to go to the former Thunderbird support forum when Thunderbird support is being moved from mozilla_messaging section on getsatisfaction to here.

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@James
Thank you for that information.
I was unaware of the change and was informed, via a message shortly after posting.
I have since then edited the response.
Thank you.