You might be better off using https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/thunderbird-export

Thanks Merv, I had actually tried that too. However the resulting zip file was reported as invalid by Windows Explorer. I will try again tomorrow. Regards Ray

Sorry, Thanks Wayne :) I've been fighting Thunderbird and the many incorrect posts on this forum and others for too long today.

Here is the link for moving a profile in Windows when installed in default location:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/moving-thunderbird-data-to-a-new-computer

here is the info in brief steps:

1. ensure thunderbird is NOT running on old machine
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
5. ensure thunderbird is installed on second computer and NOT running
6. enter %appdata% in search window on task bar and press Enter key
7. you should be in Appdata\roaming folder , copy&paste the exported Thunderbird folder there. This may prompt to overwrite an existing folder of same name. allow it
8. start thunderbird and all should be there

Thank you David, That was the procedure that I had followed. However even though Thunderbird on the new laptop is using that profile, there are no previous sent or received emails, no personal folders, and no address book entries. Thunderbird was a Standard (default) installation on both. I will try the procedure again today. Regards Ray

Thank you again David,

I followed the same procedure again this morning, and this time it worked.

All previous emails, folders and address book now there.

Regards

Ray

You're most welcome. I'm glad all went well. :)

David - Trying to migrate my email from Win 10 PC to Win 11 PC. I have used the same procedure as documented in the video and in your narrative above. But I haven't yet succeeded. This time when I brought up Tbird after the copy, I got the mail pane with my email address, and the cloud icon to download mail and the button send a new message, but no folders. Tried sending a test message,which worked, but generated an error message because Tbird couldn't save a copy in the Sent folder. I have a lot of folders that I would hate to lose, the product of years of Tbird use. (They're still OK on the old computer.) I have used One Drive as the transfer medium without incident. According to the Copy, my profile is 956 MB, 435 folders, 40 folders. That doesn't seem to be an issue and it works fine on the Win 10 machine. (also) David

something isn't working. do a screenprint of the profile as it exists in OneDrive. Seeing the contents prior to importing it will be useful. Do screenprint of the folder with the missing content. If you made the copy with thunderbird running, you will have missing data.

Agree something isn't working. Did screenprint of content of Thunderbird from One Drive. Five folders: Crash Reports, Pending Pings, Profiles, installs, profiles. Properties: 957 MB, 447 files, 40 folders. On old (Win 10) machine, got same contents, but 956 MB. From new (Win 11) machine, got 955 MB, 441 files. Took great care to make sure Tbird wasn't running at copy and at paste, checking Task Manager to be sure. This time I got address books & complete contents as near as I could tell, but still no email. I'm worn out for today. Try again tomorrow!

Still trying. Today I decided to abandon One Drive as the courier medium and fell back to a physical 1 TB HDD. Again took great care to make sure Tbird wasn't running at Copy or Paste. This time Explorer / Screenprint showed Six folders: Crash Reports, Pending Pings, Profiles, Thunderbird, installs, profiles. Overall size was considerably different from One Drive version of last night: 2.80 GB, 1,330 files, 122 folders. Functionally, it works: receives email, sends email, has address books. But my large historical collection of emails in folders is not there. I would be very sad to lose them. Two things possibly worth mentioning:

1) Tbird on Win 10 PC: v. 128.9.1 esr; on Win 11 PC: v. 137.0.2 (64 bit); both said to be up-to-date.

2) Poking thru profile on Win 10 PC, I find: Local Directory: D:\DBF\Libraries\DBF Mail\Mail 4.765\Mail\pop.east.cox.net. That file exists on the old machine, but hasn't been modified since 2/5/2018, about the last time I moved Tbird from Win 7 to Win 10. I vaguely remember that it had something to do with how the folders were stored and that I had to migrate it.

Tried again today. Decided to abandon One Drive and use 1 TB HDD as courier device. Again careful to make sure Tbird wasn't running at Copy or Paste. Got considerably different file size (2.80 GB, 881 files, 81 folders) and six folders instead of five. Address books are there, can send email and receive. But no historical folders. Would be very sad to lose them. Two things possibly worth mentioning:

1) Tbird on Win 10 PC: v. 128.9.1 esr, up-to-date, on Win 11 PC: 137.0.2 (64 bit)

2) Poking around in account settings>Server Settings>Message Storage>Local Directory: D:\DBF\Libraries\\DBF Mail\Mail 4.765\Mail\pop.east.cox.net The file referenced is on the old Win 10 PC, but hasn't been modified since 2/5/2018. The mail account pop.east.cox.net hasn't been used since before that. I vaguely remember that the Mail 4.765 file had to be ported in the move from Win 7 to Win 10.

Fortunately, all historical messages are still on old WIN 10 PC!

Have you successfully copied to Thunderbird, or are there still issues? Thank you,

David - Thanks for your help and staying in touch! Not sure what you've seen from me. Posted status yesterday. Still no folders or email history. However, can send/receive email on new Win 11 PC, and have my address books. Noted that Win 10 PC and Win 11 are not running same version of TB. Win 10: 128.9.2 esr 32 bit "up to date"; Win 11: 137.0.2 64 bit. Also found old, obsolete setting in TB account on Win 10: Server Settings>Message Storage>Local Directory> D:\DBF\Libraries\DBF Mail\Mail 4.765\Mail\pop.east.cox.net. That path leads to a file on the Win 10 machine, but the contents haven't been modified since 2/5/2018, roughly when I ported from Win 7 to Win 10. Vaguely remember that the file had something to do with where the messages were stored. Thinking about blanking that out. DavidF

Didn't read entire message thread. Sorry for the redundancy.

David - Thanks for checking up on me. Short answer: No. Still no folders / email history. Been a bit out of pocket today because of Easter holiday. Please see two earlier posts about observations - difference in versions on old / new PCs, and obsolete message storage entry in profile on Win 10 PC. Not sure what to make of these. Thanks, DavidF

Let's do a reset of the issue. As I recall, you have folders on old pc and not on new pc that you want to copy. Is that still the problem? If so, please post screenshot of the profile on old pc, showing those folders. They would be in the Mail\<POPaccountname> folder or the Mail\Local Folders folder

The answer is both of those folders have my email folders that I'm trying to move. The path is: This PC > Data (D:) > DBF Libraries > DBF Mail > Mail 4.765 > Mail > and then either pop.earthlink.net or Local Folders. I have pdfs of both, but can't seem to post them using the Browse window. I definitely remember needing to copy and transfer Mail 4.765 last time I upgraded in 2018.

I am confused. You state that the folders are there, but that you cannot move them.What is preventing that??