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email backup and restore for closed email accounts

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  • Last reply by david

cynn
cynn
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I am about to close some old email accounts. I would like to back up my thunderbird profile for possible retrieval of old messages.

How does thunderbird behave when restoring an email for an account that is no longer active, so there is no imap etc...? or if the computer is offline? Will I still be able to access messages?

I have years of messages, so this is important.

Might i be able to switch profiles later? So I can search old mail???

Thanks Christine Cynn

I am about to close some old email accounts. I would like to back up my thunderbird profile for possible retrieval of old messages. How does thunderbird behave when restoring an email for an account that is no longer active, so there is no imap etc...? or if the computer is offline? Will I still be able to access messages? I have years of messages, so this is important. Might i be able to switch profiles later? So I can search old mail??? Thanks Christine Cynn

All Replies (1)

david
david
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Here are my suggestions:

  1. install the addon, importexporttools NG, if not already done
  2. click file>offlne/download to ensure that all content is downloaded
  3. highlight inbox folder, rightclick, select importexport option to export mbox to local Windows folder
  4. repeat for each folder to be saved
  5. next, highlight Local Folders, rightclick, select importexport option to import mbox and then select one of the downloaded files
  6. repeat for each folder
  7. now, check the resultant folders to feel confident that you have all the messages
  8. you can now close the IMAP accounts, as you have the content in local folders
  9. finally, I encourage doing a backup as the only copies are now on your PC

The safest way (in my opinion) is to back up the entire profile with these steps:

BACKUP

  1. ensure thunderbird is not running
  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

Helpful?

Uliza swali

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