How can I restore emails from a deleted account
One of my email accounts is no longer functional. Thunderbird keeps on trying to access it which brings up an error message each time. So I decided to remove the account. Unfortunately that removed all the emails along with the A/C. I want to get the messages back - to have access to them. I do not know how to do that.
I do not want to restore the account I just want to access the emails... Thank you
Chosen solution
The files with the *.msf file extension are sometimes called index files, but they're basically just a cache of the folder listing. They're unimportant, and will be automatically regenerated from the mbox file.
One solution is to import the mbox files (files with the folders name and no file extension, which have the messages for the folder). See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Importing_folders for some instructions on how to do that.
The other is to add the account again and change what directory it uses, so that it uses the old directory (which still has your mail). See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Recovering_deleted_mail_accounts for how to do that.
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Given that messages are stored within an account's folders, I find it odd that user are surprised that the messages disappear when they remove the account. What else can you imagine "remove account" to mean?
Perhaps it needs a pop-up dialogue to warn against the consequences?
Your data is still there. "Remove account" does just that; it removes the account from the list of accounts in Thunderbird.
You can use the ImportExportTools add-on to selectively import the lost account's folders. You'll need to do a bit of detective work to discover which folder set in your profile represents the required account, but there is usually some indication in the folder name as to what server it was related to. It will be under "Mail" if it was POP-connected account. Probably the best way to do this moving is to import it into Local Folders, which is not associated with any email address.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/thunderbird/addon/importexporttools/
Had you asked before this accident, I would have advised you just to copy the messages from the account into Local Folders
Modified by Zenos
I found the messages. I tried to import folders and subfolders and it imported just some blank folders. I tried to import messages and it imported just some and not the many folders. I tried to copy using windows and some empty folders appeared. When I open explorer I find .msf files. These seem to be folders. The messages seem to have no extension. I am lost and have spent too much time. Thank you for your help but I am just a computer dummy not an IT specialist or software engineer.
Maybe if I reinstall thunderbird and then copy the profile it will work but I fear the profile no longer has the messages I want to get back
Chosen Solution
The files with the *.msf file extension are sometimes called index files, but they're basically just a cache of the folder listing. They're unimportant, and will be automatically regenerated from the mbox file.
One solution is to import the mbox files (files with the folders name and no file extension, which have the messages for the folder). See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Importing_folders for some instructions on how to do that.
The other is to add the account again and change what directory it uses, so that it uses the old directory (which still has your mail). See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Recovering_deleted_mail_accounts for how to do that.
mbox files did the trick... many thanks