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Help! Thunderbird is treating this like a brand new install

  • 6 replies
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by doncapps

doncapps
doncapps
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Somehow, Thunderbird updated to a new version. I didn't download or install a new version. I just closed and reopened it and it updated. When I tried to roll back to the new version, I lost all of my emails and addresses! I literally had tons of business emails and contacts and now they are gone. Thunderbird is treating this like a brand new install and I am having to set up all of my accounts all over again! Is there some way to get all of my stuff back? Or has the new install/rollback somehow written over all of my previous data?

Somehow, Thunderbird updated to a new version. I didn't download or install a new version. I just closed and reopened it and it updated. When I tried to roll back to the new version, I lost all of my emails and addresses! I literally had tons of business emails and contacts and now they are gone. Thunderbird is treating this like a brand new install and I am having to set up all of my accounts all over again! Is there some way to get all of my stuff back? Or has the new install/rollback somehow written over all of my previous data?

Modified by Wayne Mery

All Replies (6)

Wayne Mery
Wayne Mery
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Do Help > Troubleshoot Mode > About:profiles - tell us what profile is in use, and which other profiles are shown.

doncapps
doncapps Question owner
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Wayne Mery said
Do Help > Troubleshoot Mode > About:profiles - tell us what profile is in use, and which other profiles are shown.

Ok. There are four profiles. They are...

Profile: default-release Profile: default Profile: Don Profile: default-release-1

The last one on the list...default-release-1...is the profile currently in use.

Wayne Mery
Wayne Mery
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It seems likely to me that your data is either in default-release (which is the normal default) or Don (which must have been created by you).

Use your OS to examine those directories and determine, by usage date and contents, which one has your most recent data.

Please post your results.

doncapps
doncapps Question owner
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Wayne Mery said
Use your OS to examine those directories and determine, by usage date and contents, which one has your most recent data. Please post your results.

Ok. It LOOKS to me like the profile named 'Don' is the one containing my old info. How do I proceed from here?

Wayne Mery
Wayne Mery
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Nice!

You have two choices

  • start Thunderbird with -P switch on command line, which will allow you to pick the profile on startup
  • in about:profiles click "Set as default profile", then restart Thunderbird

See https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/using-multiple-profiles

doncapps
doncapps Question owner
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Wayne Mery said
  • in about:profiles click "Set as default profile", then restart Thunderbird

I chose 'Don' and set it as the default profile...and it WORKED! I have all my stuff back! Thanks SO much!