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Recovered Thunderbird email folders from a crashed drive. Want to import them into my new install.

  • 2 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 4 views
  • Last reply by Strutt

Strutt
Strutt
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Tried to copy/paste the recovered folders into Profiles/Mail/Local Folders in my new installation, but with no luck. I can't find an option to import messages from a folder. Any ideas? Thank you!

Tried to copy/paste the recovered folders into Profiles/Mail/Local Folders in my new installation, but with no luck. I can't find an option to import messages from a folder. Any ideas? Thank you!

Chosen solution

re: Tried to copy/paste the recovered folders

Are you certain you are copy/pasting the correct data? Emails are stored in mbox files, not folders. mbox files do not have any extension.

As example, In the image below, it shows:

  • Inbox (mbox file containing email)
  • Inbox.msf (indexing file - no emails)
  • Inbox.sbd (Created if subfolders in Inbox. This folder contains more mbox and indexing files)

Note: Thunderbird must be closed when copy pasting or doing anything in the Profile folders.


There is also an addon which is rather good. download to desktop or downloads folder. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/importexporttools/

Install: Tools > Addons OR Menu icon > Addons click on gear wheel icon and select 'Install addon from file' locate the xpi file you downloaded and click on Open You may need to restart Thunderbird.

Right click on 'Local Folders' select 'Importexporttool' > 'Import mbox file' select: 'Import directly one or more mbox files' and click on OK Then locate the mbox files and click on Open.

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All Replies (2)

Toad-Hall
Toad-Hall
  • Top 25 Contributor
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Chosen Solution

re: Tried to copy/paste the recovered folders

Are you certain you are copy/pasting the correct data? Emails are stored in mbox files, not folders. mbox files do not have any extension.

As example, In the image below, it shows:

  • Inbox (mbox file containing email)
  • Inbox.msf (indexing file - no emails)
  • Inbox.sbd (Created if subfolders in Inbox. This folder contains more mbox and indexing files)

Note: Thunderbird must be closed when copy pasting or doing anything in the Profile folders.


There is also an addon which is rather good. download to desktop or downloads folder. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/importexporttools/

Install: Tools > Addons OR Menu icon > Addons click on gear wheel icon and select 'Install addon from file' locate the xpi file you downloaded and click on Open You may need to restart Thunderbird.

Right click on 'Local Folders' select 'Importexporttool' > 'Import mbox file' select: 'Import directly one or more mbox files' and click on OK Then locate the mbox files and click on Open.

Strutt
Strutt Question owner
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Strutt said

Tried to copy/paste the recovered folders into Profiles/Mail/Local Folders in my new installation, but with no luck. I can't find an option to import messages from a folder. Any ideas? Thank you!

Thank you Toad-Hall. A brilliant solution. With your help I was able to search the recovered files until I found the likely mbox data and imported them all into my new install.