Tbird was not working. Downloaded upgrade verbatim off of website. lost all files, contacts, archives, etc.

Where did you find these instructions for a "clean re-install"? Depending on how you chose to do it, your email collection may still be available. Did you uninstall the old version first or did you just install the new one over the old?

What is your operating system?

Do you have a backup copy of your Thunderbird Profile?

Did you download the installer files directly from Thunderbird.net or from the Microsoft Store or similar? I'm talking about your original installation AND the new one that you did the "re-install" from.

Thanks Lin,

I got the directions from Mozilla Support and downloaded from that page. I downloaded the new version first, then uninstalled the old one, and then installed the new, as it said. I use Windows 11, no back up. And it's been so long, I'm not sure where I installed the original from.

Pat

OK, I was able to retrieve my files by reinstalling an old version of TBird 2018 that I found in my Recycle Bin archives.... wow.

Thanks again.

OK, glad you're back in the saddle. Normally, installing as new version over an old one preserves your Profile, which is the folder that holds all your messages and preferences. But if you uninstall, you're offered the option to either keep or delete your profile, and it would be easy to accidentally choose "delete", which I'm guessing is what happened here.

One moral to this story is to make regular backups of your Profile for that inevitable day when things go wrong, as they always do with computers.

Thanks... however it's still not working. I can navigate through my old files, but it won't let me sign into M365 email. I downloaded the update through settings, help, about Tbird, and restarted but it still didn't work? For some reason Tbird stopped working with Microsoft 365 and I can't get it to work or upgrade correctly. I turned off my antivirus while signing in, still didn't work. So, at this point I guess I'll just keep my old files in Tbird and use M365 which I don't like. Any thoughts?

Pat

I have domains and email thru godaddy and they use M365 email. Previously I could us Tbird, but lately it won't let me sign in. When I put in my password I get "Sending of password for user pat@coveryourglass.com did not succeed. Mail server outlook.office365.com responded: Authentication failure: unknown user name or bad password"

Lets just backup here.Lin was so busy congratulating you on reinstalling some old version that the modern changes to M365 that have occurred apparently slipped through the cracks.

What version of Thunderbird do you have installed? Help menu > about will give the version number

Note that anything less than something in the 150 range will require an addon to work with EWS or office365 as sold by godaddy do you have an addon installed for that function? Is it the latest version. Many changes in login requirement at Microsoft in the last couple of years to nothing old will do.

Next is you version of Thunderbird 32 or 64bit. that will also be shown in the help baout panel. Changing to 64 bit almost always falls foul of the profile per install "feature" and I use that term very loosly. That result in a situation like you initially describe from your new install where everything appears lost and it "just reappears" when you install a suitably old version. USe the losd verion is not anything like a fix for the issue.

See https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/dedicated-profile-thunderbird-installation

The real solution is in the article. Except it must have been written by a Linux user that talks about a command line no one else has seen since DOS was the operating system and windows ran on it about 1995 . Open the Run window (windows key+r) and type Thunderbird -ProfileManager and click ok Pick to profile from the list you want to use and make it the default. If you get a complaint about the version being wrong. repeat the Windows key+R and Type Thunderbird -allow-downgrade in the box

Thanks Matt,

Now I can't even open my old version, giving me the "create a new profile" box so.... I'm just going to try and re install my old version and try and keep my files and just surrender and use Mic Outlook. It's just too frustrating and complex to use Tbird any longer I guess. Maybe I'll revisit this when I have a couple more hours of BS to endure.

Pat