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.

Avatar for Username

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

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Thunderbird Backup options

  • 4 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 5 views
  • Last reply by knibbo2004

knibbo2004
knibbo2004
more options

I asked these questions earlier this morning and got a reply from Christ1, so thanks for the reply. 

       Question one, please is there a current version of MozBackup I can use? 
       Question two is how do I stop the automatic download of the latest Thunderbird until I can find a new 
       platform with backup that I can switch my mail to?

So Mozbackup was abandoned so there is no alternative. I tried the alternative backup method that was suggested and found it very cumbersome and totally confusing in places. Maybe I did something wrong but it ended up with the same disastrous result in that I lost all my old emails and entire address book. I did a backup with Mozbackup beforehand so luckily, with an old version of Thunderbird that I was lucky enough to find on an old backup disc I was able to recover everything. I see in the latest version of Thunderbird there's an option to stop automatic downloads of newer versions which is great. Unfortunately, it seems that facility doesn't exist in the old version that I'm managing to run on.

Unfortunately, with no simple to use backup for the current version of Thunderbird, and the inability to stop automatic downloads of the current version, I can see no alternative other than to shift to a new mail platform. Does anyone know of one that can import from MozBackup?

I asked these questions earlier this morning and got a reply from Christ1, so thanks for the reply. Question one, please is there a current version of MozBackup I can use? Question two is how do I stop the automatic download of the latest Thunderbird until I can find a new platform with backup that I can switch my mail to? So Mozbackup was abandoned so there is no alternative. I tried the alternative backup method that was suggested and found it very cumbersome and totally confusing in places. Maybe I did something wrong but it ended up with the same disastrous result in that I lost all my old emails and entire address book. I did a backup with Mozbackup beforehand so luckily, with an old version of Thunderbird that I was lucky enough to find on an old backup disc I was able to recover everything. I see in the latest version of Thunderbird there's an option to stop automatic downloads of newer versions which is great. Unfortunately, it seems that facility doesn't exist in the old version that I'm managing to run on. Unfortunately, with no simple to use backup for the current version of Thunderbird, and the inability to stop automatic downloads of the current version, I can see no alternative other than to shift to a new mail platform. Does anyone know of one that can import from MozBackup?

All Replies (4)

svlad2009
svlad2009
more options

You mention above that you have recovered old emails so then I will like to ask you what solution you are looking for - can you mention the issue that you have now?

knibbo2004 said
with an old version of Thunderbird that I was lucky enough to find on an old backup disc I was able to recover everything.

Modified by svlad2009

knibbo2004
knibbo2004 Question owner
more options

I've been using MozBackup for many years but a couple of weeks ago when I needed to recover my emails I discovered that MozBackup is no longer compatible with the current version of Thunberbird. The only way I could recover emails was to revert back to an older version of Thunderbird that was compatible. If I remain on the old version of Thunderbird I can continue to perform reliable backups. However, I can find no way of stopping unwanted downloads to the latest version of Thunderbird. Each time a new version is downloaded and I power down, I have to reload the older version. I tried the current method of backing up the profile, but it failed. I found it too complicated and very confusing. Probably a problem with me not understanding, rather than a fault with the process. I am looking for one of two things: 1. Either a way to stop automatic downloads of the latest versions of Thunderbird (it doesn't seem to be an option in the older version I'm using), or 2. Another mail platform I can migrate to that will allow me to import my current mail and address book from my MozBackup file onto it.

A third possibility, and quite possibly the only solution) would be to somehow run the older version of Thunderbird at a different location on my computer so that any future automated downloads of updated software don't overwrite it. I'm not sufficiently computer savvy to work out how to do that. I tried a simple Directory name change but that didn't work. I'm getting desperate.

svlad2009
svlad2009
more options

I've installed an old TB version - v38 - and I could set it to not download updates - attached. Same options are in the new TB versions (different interface though) but it's not recommended to remain on old TB versions...

Though, for backup you don't need a separate software - you need to know where the settings, email storage are and you can use them on any TB configuration (also new versions) https://support.mozilla.org/kb/moving-thunderbird-data-to-a-new-computer

If you tried already like that but something was not ok you might mention what exactly was not imported and we will try to find a solution for that specific issue...

knibbo2004
knibbo2004 Question owner
more options

Thanks for the help. I've managed to reinstate v52 and successfully recover all my files from MozBackup, and I believe I've figured out how to stop new versions of TB from being downloaded. I'm simply a non-technical end user and I'm afraid the suggested method of backup up data is beyond my abilities - the first problem occurs when I have several default files to choose from at the beginning of the process. From memory of having tried it, it becomes more complex after that. I've enjoyed TB for many many years now but with no simple user friendly backup system, it's time to move on and find something different. Hopefully I'll be able too take my old emails with me from TB. However, just in case I can't take them with me, I've managed to find a method of archiving them so I can continue to access them without TB. Thanks again.