Join us to show up for other Firefox users 🦊. Earn fun badges and Mozilla swag vouchers! Find out more: https://mzl.la/askafox150

Windows 10 reached EOS (end of support) on October 14, 2025. If you are on Windows 10, see this article.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

how do I recover emails from a failed computer/ can access hard drive. ?? Mitch

  • 1 jibu
  • 0 wana tatizo hili
  • 27 views
  • Last reply by david
  • Open

mrmulch
mrmulch

All old cmptr usb ports fail.. copied most data to new computer but Moz. Thndrbrd did not copy. Installed NEW Tndrbrd and got mail, but only last 4 weeks or so since failure. Copied ALL Moz. Thndrbrd files from old to Thumb drive. Old system had 70 files, 10 folders (11*.exe, 31 *dll, 4*ini, 297MB) and 5 single element files. New Thnddrbrd has 72 files, 12 folders, 55.7MB. Could find NO hidden files / folders on either unit. Suspect all recoverable OLD mail on thumb drive but do not know how to recover. H E L P ! ! Mitch ~ " X@mcsnet.ca " VERSION 148.0.1 BUILD ID 20260305172141

(PII redacted by moderator)

All old cmptr usb ports fail.. copied most data to new computer but Moz. Thndrbrd did not copy. Installed NEW Tndrbrd and got mail, but only last 4 weeks or so since failure. Copied ALL Moz. Thndrbrd files from old to Thumb drive. Old system had 70 files, 10 folders (11*.exe, 31 *dll, 4*ini, 297MB) and 5 single element files. New Thnddrbrd has 72 files, 12 folders, 55.7MB. Could find NO hidden files / folders on either unit. Suspect all recoverable OLD mail on thumb drive but do not know how to recover. H E L P ! ! Mitch ~ " X@mcsnet.ca " VERSION 148.0.1 BUILD ID 20260305172141 (PII redacted by moderator)

Modified by Ed

All Replies (1)

david
david
  • Top 10 Contributor

In the old profile, look for the imapmail folder for IMAP accounts, and the mail folder for POP accounts and the mail\Local Folders folder for other messages folders. Messages will appear double, such as inbox, inbox.msf, sent, sent.msf. The msf files can be ignored, but the other component is where the messages are.

To salvage them, you can use windows file explorer and simply COPY from where there are to the mail\Local Folders foLder of your Thunderbird setup (with Thunderbird NOT running).

If you're uncomfortable with that approach, install the addon, importexporttools NG. Then highlight the Local Folders folder in thundebird, rightclick, and select the importexport option to import mbox file. Then click to open one of the message files you identified and click it. Repeat the process for each such file. And you're done. Let me know of any problems.

Uliza swali

You must log in to your account to reply to posts. Please start a new question, if you do not have an account yet.