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Cant access TB from Win7 user acct - only from administrator

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 6 views
  • Last reply by Matt

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I have loved TB for years and always had it on computers that only had the administrator account (yes I knew that was not wise but ----). I have now been forced to reload Windows 7 Pro due to a malware that would have been blocked if I was using a separate user account. Naturally I now have both the Admin account and my user account. Thunderbird is running great from Admin but when I try to open it in my user account it wants to load a new email address and I am concerned that if I load the same account data there will be problems. Is it possible to have TB accessable from both accounts or must I delete it and re- install it purely from the user account? If it is possible then simple instructions please - I am over 70 and the nearest computer shop is over 100km (60 miles) away

I have loved TB for years and always had it on computers that only had the administrator account (yes I knew that was not wise but ----). I have now been forced to reload Windows 7 Pro due to a malware that would have been blocked if I was using a separate user account. Naturally I now have both the Admin account and my user account. Thunderbird is running great from Admin but when I try to open it in my user account it wants to load a new email address and I am concerned that if I load the same account data there will be problems. Is it possible to have TB accessable from both accounts or must I delete it and re- install it purely from the user account? If it is possible then simple instructions please - I am over 70 and the nearest computer shop is over 100km (60 miles) away

Chosen solution

lets start slow. Were you logged on as administrator to copy? You will not have access to the files if you were not. Did you find the Thunderbird profile?

If you think you have copies it where it needs to be and it is not working. try using the profile manager to tell Thunderbird where that location is.

edit the shortcut on your desktop for Thunderbird (Right click Properties) and add a -P to the target so it looks like

"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe" -P 

Now close Thunderbird

When you start Thunderbird you will be asked for a profile to use. However hat we are doing is creating a new one. Selecting a new profile and pointing to one that already exists causes it to be used.

Now to the actual profile part. Originally I told you to copy %appdata%\Thunderbird. Now you need to drill down into the Thunderbird folder and open profiles. This folder will, if you only have one profile, contain a folder with 8 random characters and .default That is the actual profile folder.

So using the profile manager to point to a new profile in that location should cause Thunderbird to load with your old data all intact (IF it actually got copies of course)

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you need to move the data in the admin account to the same location in the new account.

in the start menu type %appdata% and press enter. note the location well. now do the same in the admin account.

Copy the Thunderbird folder and sub folders from %appdata%\local\Thunderbird and %appdata%\roaming\Thunderbird to the same location in your limited profile and then start Thunderbird.

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Thanks Matt. I have tried to do what I think you mean with zero success. Any chance of a more detailed reply as my knowledge of geek is unfortunately far less than your knowledge of geriatric. My apologies for being so behind the eight ball on computers

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Chosen Solution

lets start slow. Were you logged on as administrator to copy? You will not have access to the files if you were not. Did you find the Thunderbird profile?

If you think you have copies it where it needs to be and it is not working. try using the profile manager to tell Thunderbird where that location is.

edit the shortcut on your desktop for Thunderbird (Right click Properties) and add a -P to the target so it looks like

"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe" -P 

Now close Thunderbird

When you start Thunderbird you will be asked for a profile to use. However hat we are doing is creating a new one. Selecting a new profile and pointing to one that already exists causes it to be used.

Now to the actual profile part. Originally I told you to copy %appdata%\Thunderbird. Now you need to drill down into the Thunderbird folder and open profiles. This folder will, if you only have one profile, contain a folder with 8 random characters and .default That is the actual profile folder.

So using the profile manager to point to a new profile in that location should cause Thunderbird to load with your old data all intact (IF it actually got copies of course)