This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Can't effectively transfer profile to new pc. Spent hours and various suggested solutions.

  • 2 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 7 views
  • Last reply by Bob Craig

more options

I saved my Thunderbird profile to an external hard drive, then I reset my pc. I installed Thunderbird and tried to move the profile to the new pc without success. I read various articles on how to do this but none worked for me. I found how to create a new profile and tried that and then moved the mail files into it, but still no success. I must be missing an important step. I can set up new mail but that doesn't transfer years of old saved mail some of which has important keys etc. After multiple hours at this I am very frustrated. Please help.

I saved my Thunderbird profile to an external hard drive, then I reset my pc. I installed Thunderbird and tried to move the profile to the new pc without success. I read various articles on how to do this but none worked for me. I found how to create a new profile and tried that and then moved the mail files into it, but still no success. I must be missing an important step. I can set up new mail but that doesn't transfer years of old saved mail some of which has important keys etc. After multiple hours at this I am very frustrated. Please help.

Chosen solution

Did you follow these instructions?

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Moving_your_profile_folder_-_Thunderbird#Use_the_Profile_Manager_to_move_your_profile

To start Profile Manager, close TB, Windows key+R, type

thunderbird.exe -p

Next time, save the Thunderbird folder, which contains the profile folder and the important profiles.ini file:

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

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (2)

more options

Chosen Solution

Did you follow these instructions?

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Moving_your_profile_folder_-_Thunderbird#Use_the_Profile_Manager_to_move_your_profile

To start Profile Manager, close TB, Windows key+R, type

thunderbird.exe -p

Next time, save the Thunderbird folder, which contains the profile folder and the important profiles.ini file:

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

more options

I had already tried some of those with no success. I then tried "Nothing you do works" and lo and behold that worked!! Thanks much for your help. Now I just have to figure out all the other problems caused by reinstalling Windows.