Deleted

Given the prefs.js file is your entire Thunderbird configuration and settings for preferences and accounts you will need to get it "unquarantined" so it can be read for Thunderbird to ever start again without being setup all over again.

As the file is a text file you should open it and generally confirm that each line other than the first few descriptors starts with "user_pref(". The following is the first few lines of my file.

# Mozilla User Preferences

/* Do not edit this file.
 *
 * If you make changes to this file while the application is running,
 * the changes will be overwritten when the application exits.
 *
 * To make a manual change to preferences, you can visit the URL about:config
 */

user_pref("accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar", 0);

Now the restoration process requires there be no Thunderbird process running on the system. Thunderbird reads the file as it starts and writes it as part of the close-down procedure. If Thunderbird is running when a restore occurs the file is over written when it closes with what is in memory.

Good luck, I hope you have a backup of the unquarantined file.

Thanks Matt. What program can I use to edit the Prefs.js file? Thanks for your quick response

Matt, I closed TB before deleting the existing file and copying the backup into its place. I used wordpad and the file looks good per your instructions. What are my next steps. Thanks again Art

Starting Thunderbird with the correct file in place should be enough.

Matt, I used the best backup I could find, and it worked but for 2019 data, so I closed TB before it fully loaded. I then released the file that was quarantined and used it, but when I submit the setup data it returns error "Incoming server already exists" My version is 91.7.0(64 bit)

If I download and install TB on my laptop, will it recover the folders from my account? Thanks again.

Matt, I finally got a prefs file backup to work and my TB account is up and running. It is converting all my roadrunner mail to gmail and nothing is going to my roadrunner inbox. Probably a server setting, pop3, so I will check with Spectrum on my settings. I lost my contacts, saved folders and calendar, but using the bitrecover utility I am able to read all my old lost email folders. I will be backing up my prefs file regularly going forward. Thanks for your help.

You might want to have a look at what you have configured at gmail, they offer to pickup your ISP email if you give them an email address and password. They do not mention they also remove it from the ISP account.

Just checked my Spectrum email and they are picked up and removed within minutes of arriving, same as previous to the problem. My roadrunner inbox is now being populated, but only about 10% of the messages make it to roadrunner. Everything else is going to the gmail inbox. Not a problem, but I don't know why. At least I have been able to rebuild my calendar and can respond to emails with roadrunner or gmail using TB, whichever is appropriate, same as before. The only thing missing now is my contacts, but that I can deal with.