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Recover emails after deleting a user account from PC

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  • Last reply by Toad-Hall

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I deleted a an user account from my PC totally forgetting about emails stored (POP3) on the PC. How could i retrieve them now the account has gone?

I deleted a an user account from my PC totally forgetting about emails stored (POP3) on the PC. How could i retrieve them now the account has gone?

Chosen solution

Just had a thought....perhaps you meant locating the appdata files etc associated with a Windows 'User Account' created on PC which you have deleted and not selected to keep files ?

That is not really in the realms of a Thunderbird program issue.

You need to recover that data first. http://www.computing.net/answers/windows-xp/recover-files-from-deleted-user-account/184128.html

Try using recovery software to see if this will locate some of your old files. Perhaps this one - I've not used it but worth a try.


you will be looking for anything stored in this location. C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\

Suggest you do this asap as those 'deleted' sections could get reused for new storage.

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It is likely the account is still in your profile folder name, just in case you delete in error. check: make hidden files and folders visible:

In Thunderbird Help > Troubleshooting Information click on 'Show folder' button a new window opens showing contents of profile folder name. click on 'Mail' folder you should see a list of mail accounts. Is the deleted mail account still there ? click on the mail account name mbox files contain emails. The file with no extension is an mbox file and it contains emails. the file with .msf extension is just an indexing file - no emails. If you had eg: subfolders in Inbox then you will also see a Inbox.sbd folder. This will also hold mbox files and indexing .msf files. Files with no extension (mbox files) can be opened using a text editor program like 'notepad'.

this would confirm that the files still exist.


If you want to recreate the mail account to see emails which you could then move to 'Local Folders':

It you do not want to recreate the account, but just get the emails, then use this addon: ImportExportTools

How to Install Add-on Extension: After downloading addon extension *.xpi file to desktop or downloads folder.

n Thunderbird 'Tools' > 'Add-ons' or 'Menu icon' > 'Add-ons'

  • Click on gear wheel icon and select 'Install Add-on From File'.
  • Locate the *.xpi file you downloaded and click on 'Open'.
  • You will need to restart Thunderbird when prompted.

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

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Chosen Solution

Just had a thought....perhaps you meant locating the appdata files etc associated with a Windows 'User Account' created on PC which you have deleted and not selected to keep files ?

That is not really in the realms of a Thunderbird program issue.

You need to recover that data first. http://www.computing.net/answers/windows-xp/recover-files-from-deleted-user-account/184128.html

Try using recovery software to see if this will locate some of your old files. Perhaps this one - I've not used it but worth a try.


you will be looking for anything stored in this location. C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\

Suggest you do this asap as those 'deleted' sections could get reused for new storage.

Modified by Toad-Hall