If you used the thunderbird export feature, it automatically deletes passwords from the exported profile. If you copy the profile using the windows file manager, they're kept. If the old computer is still available, click to settings>privacy&security and then click showpasswords .

Thank @david I guess my reply reply was deleted. I'll try again.

I copied the entire contents of the ///profiles/name/*.* over to new machine. Then when that just copied the emails over, required for each of 34 email accounts,. Email works, but can't login get anything new,

I explained that I know where the Password manager is via Tbird, but it did not copy all the . I also have 34 email accounts, each with specific settings; such as IMAP, or POP, and other prefs for each one.

I expected that the passwords and prefs would follow same logic as copying the emails over. Do I have to manually enter all the prefs and redo all passwords?

~r

Puzzling. For the past few years, my suggested steps have worked for many. Important that thunderbird not be running when the appdata\roaming\thunderbird folder is copied. The only accounts where I have to reset is where there are app passwords. If possible, I suggest starting over. The steps I use are these:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/moving-thunderbird-data-to-a-new-computer

here is the info in brief steps:

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, and NOT running
6. enter %appdata% in search window on task bar and press Enter key
7. you should be in Appdata\roaming folder , copy&paste the exported Thunderbird folder there. This may prompt to overwrite an existing folder of same name. allow it

#   start thunderbird and all should be there

@redacted,

This is resolved?

@redacted, This is resolved?

No. The Christmas Season got in the way. I am aware that unsolved is monitored. Whether it solves it or not, I will advise. In order to help solve this, I till try today to start at the beginning again. ~r

Puzzling. For the past few years, my suggested steps have worked for many. Important that thunderbird not be running when the appdata\roaming\thunderbird folder is copied. The only accounts where I have to reset is where there are app passwords. If possible, I suggest starting over. The steps I use are these: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/moving-thunderbird-data-to-a-new-computer here is the info in brief steps:

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, and NOT running
6. enter %appdata% in search window on task bar and press Enter key
7. you should be in Appdata\roaming folder , copy&paste the exported Thunderbird folder there. This may prompt to overwrite an existing folder of same name. allow it

# start thunderbird and all should be there

Sorry for delay but Christmas Season and New Year holidays had me going out of retirement to fill in for those on leave.

In step 4 above, I have the two Desktops (DT) networked using TightVNC where the old DT is server and new DT is the Viewer. Using TightVNC viewer instead of copying to a USB drive then copying from USB to DT instead t's much faster and lease likely to Windows to slip.

So, I checked and did not need to set original DT files/folders Attributes - everything was open. . From there it was just copy folder Thunderbird as instructed.

I have to shut down Tbird so it can't check for new emails, before the move. It means copying again.

I'll review the link steps you provided again.

I very much appreciate your help and especially patience,

~r

OK, keep me posted.

If you used the thunderbird export feature, it automatically deletes passwords from the exported profile. If you copy the profile using the windows file manager, they're kept. If the old computer is still available, click to settings>privacy&security and then click showpasswords .

Yes thank you. It's one of the first things I do with any new device; Show All.

As HAL said. ... 'replace the unit, and see if it works this time' :)

~r

Puzzling. For the past few years, my suggested steps have worked for many. Important that thunderbird not be running when the appdata\roaming\thunderbird folder is copied. The only accounts where I have to reset is where there are app passwords. If possible, I suggest starting over. The steps I use are these:

I had, many years ago, pre-covid even, occasion to ask a similar question. The responder (don't remember who) said Tbird didn't use passwords. I tried, even with a Step x Step and images, to show that to retrieve mail, one has to log in to their email account Host at the host (I don't included Gmail, Yahoo or any other public mail), I mean real email. We came to logger heads because that person would not read what I provided. They only replied with very stern and heavy with stating Tbird didn't use passwords.

So, when I say ID and passwords, it's those that are required by the mail servers. If not, we'd be reading each others email. ;)

The step x step you provide here

As for the location and viewing of Passwords, I do know about that too.

I have been a fan of Netscape as well as Thunderbird long before Microsoft forgot to renew their domain name and went down for a while. Even before they tried to nix Netscape and were ordered by the courts to cease stopping other browsers from being installed under Windows. Moz came out with upgrade from 3 to 4 while M$ had V.2 and jumped to V4 skipping 3, in order to be even with Moz.

Ahhh, good old days :)

~r