- click help>troubleshootinginformation - scroll down to 'profile folder' and click 'open folder' - EXIT thunderbird - you are now in profile - click to the Mail\Local Folders folder - here is where to paste the local folders - then, restart thunderbird

What was the purpose of "reinstalling" Thunderbird? Did you only reinstall the application or also the profile you had used before? Can you show us in a screen shot where your Local Folders are "hiding on your computer"?

Thank you. Almost worked. I got the folders, but no contents in them.

if you copied in the msf files, delete them with thunderbird not running and restart to see if that works.

I have no idea what you mean by msf files.

Here's the requested screenshot.

Sometimes the message file appears as inbox, inbox.msf and sent and sent.msf. msf files are just indexes and can be deleted. from your screenshot, the local folder listed is not used by thunderbird, so I assume you placed it there. The Local Folders must be in the default profile in the Mail folder.

At this point, I have no idea where anything is. Any of the "Local Folders" folders I can find do not contain any messages. If the original messages got deleted (although I was careful NOT to delete anything), I'm out years of important information. I don't know what .sbd files are.

Before you reinstalled Thunderbird did you create a security backup of the Thunderbird profile folder? Your screen shot of the folder "Profiles" shows that it contains three different profile folders: • default • Terry • default-esr Could it be that the profile you are actually using is not the one you used before reinstalling TB and that your missing Local Folders are located in one of the other profile folders?

At this point, I have no idea. I followed instructions from an AI at SiteGround, but they apparently weren't clear enough.

To restore local folders in Thunderbird, you can follow these steps: • Locate the Backup: Ensure you have a backup of your Thunderbird profile, which contains your local folders. This is usually stored in a directory like C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\[ProfileName]. • Close Thunderbird: Make sure Thunderbird is not running. • Navigate to the Profile Folder: Go to the directory where your Thunderbird profile is stored. • Copy the Backup: Copy the contents of your backup profile folder into the current profile folder, replacing any existing files. • Restart Thunderbird: Open Thunderbird, and your local folders should be restored.

AI doesn't see your folder Profiles with three profile folders in it. We are two humans asking you concrete questions which wait for answers.

I understand. It's just at this point, I don't know where I'm supposed to be looking. I just wanted to show you the initial steps I followed.

I have looked in all 3 profiles under "Mail" then Local Folders. I'm not finding my emails in any of them, but this one: C:\Users\terry\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\yjnsejjk.default-esr\Mail\Local Folders\Local Folders has a huge list of both Files and msf files. If I try to open one of the "files", I get asked what I want to use to open it. Thunderbird isn't an option.

Voilà! One needed simply search in ALL profile folders.... and here we are. Your missing Local Folders are wrapped in another Local Folders located in the default-esr profile, don't ask me why. And they are full of nice mailbox files and other .sbd folders, I bet this is what you have been looking for. Now please don't rush to do something which could aggravate the disorder.

I think that the cause of your missing Local Folders is the fact that they are located in another folder with the same name. Try the following solution: open the default-esr profile folder, quit Thunderbird, open the Mail folder and drag the complete "Local Folders" folder (which contains all those folders and files) directly in the Mail folder

Thanks for your patience. I've had computers since the early days of the first home units, but I've never had to do much under the hood. I will try this in a while and get back to you with what I hope will be a success story.

Sorry, but I'm still confused. If I did this right (see attached), I'm in the esr profile>mail>local folders. Where am I supposed to drag that, or am I totally messed up again/still?

I just "replayed" your condition - Local Folders are located in another Local Folders folder - for a test on my Mac (see my image). But when I tried to drag the "real" Local Folders (containing folders and files) directly in the Mail folder my Mac protested. So this would not succeed on Windows neither. Here is the better solution: • copy the "real" Local Folders (on the right in your image) to your Desktop, • rename the Local Folders (on the left in your image) to "Local Folders-old" and drag them on your Desktop • drag the "real " Local Folders from your Desktop in the folder Mail • restart Thunderbird and report .....

Sorry, but I'm still confused. If I did this right (see attached), I'm in the esr profile>mail>local folders. Where am I supposed to drag that, or am I totally messed up again/still?

OK, I got it. It's even more complicated than I imagined.

When you double-click on the yellow Local Folders in your last screen shot il will open and display its content: • a folder "Local Folders.sbd" • a folder "Local Folders" • we don't bother about the rest of the files .....

a) Look in "Local Folders.sbd" whether it contains the subfolders and files present in your image from 10:35 AM. This is my guess, and if I am right copy Local Folders.sbd to your Desktop and rename it in Local Folders (delete the suffixe .sbd). go back in Mail, rename Local Folders in Local Folders-old and drag it on your Desktop

b) If it's the folder "Local Folders" which contains the subfolders and files present in your image from 10:35 AM, copy it to your Desktop Go back in Mail , rename Local Folders in Local Folders-old and drag it on your Desktop

Finale: drag the "real" Local Folders into the folder Mail and start TB

I think I'll sacrifice a goat first, then try this. But again, thanks so much for your patience.

Terry

a) Look in "Local Folders.sbd" whether it contains the subfolders and files present in your image from 10:35 AM. This is my guess, and if I am right copy Local Folders.sbd to your Desktop and rename it in Local Folders (delete the suffixe .sbd).

When I do this, I do see all the folders, but they're empty.