Restore profile folder after new install
Hi All
I recently upgraded my C: drive. I created a cloned copy of my drive, installed a new drive and restored the image. After opening Thunderbird though, I've lost all my e-mail accounts and messages in local folders.
I then proceeded to uninstall Thunderbird and re-install - same problem. I could see all the original info in my profiles folder, but somehow it's just not showing up in the program.
I then proceeded to uninstall Thunderbird and manually deleting the whole Thunderbird folder under: c:\Users\xxx\AppData\Roaming
I then re-installed Thunderbird. It created two new profile folders: c:\Users\xxx\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\cvnwxoi2.default-release and c:\Users\xxx\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\ifqx6sfj.default
When I choose "open folder" under Help->Trouble Shooting Info ->Profile folder, it seems to open the cvnwxoi2.default-release one.
I then copied all the data from the original xxx.default folder (from my old drive) into this new cvnwxoi2.default-release folder.
But still Thunderbird does not load my 6 e-mail accounts or any old e-mails. Interestingly, my address book seems ok.
Any help will be greatly appreciated as I feel like I'm losing my mind here...:-) Regards Andrew
Chosen solution
Quit Tbird, then rename the prefs.js file to prefs.bak. Rename the newest prefs-#.js that mentions your missing accounts to prefs.js, then launch Tbird.
Read this answer in context 👍 0All Replies (9)
Make sure you Quit Tbird and confirm it's not running in the background, before you copy files from the old profile folder to the new one.
Hi Stans
I did quit before copying the folder.
It's weird how my address book imported fine. But my email accounts are gone.
Delete the global-messages-db.sqlite file in the default-release profile, while TB is closed. Do the accounts appear when you restart TB?
Hi sf I tried that, but still no difference.
I can see some xxx.com and xxx.msf file under the ImapMail folder that has the names of all my e-mail accounts. They just are simply not loading when TB starts up - so frustrating :-(
Help/Troubleshooting, about:profiles. Select the ifqx6sfj.default profile and click Launch in new browser. Do the accounts appear? If you open prefs.js from the profile folder in a text editor, are there references to the accounts?
Hi SF
Help/Troubleshooting, about:profiles. Select the ifqx6sfj.default profile and click Launch in new browser. Do the accounts appear?
No, they don't
If you open prefs.js from the profile folder in a text editor, are there references to the accounts?
There are 9 similar files: prefs.js : no indication of my e-mail accounts prefs-1.js, prefs-2.js all the way through prefs-9.js : all these DO mention the missing accounts
Chosen Solution
Quit Tbird, then rename the prefs.js file to prefs.bak. Rename the newest prefs-#.js that mentions your missing accounts to prefs.js, then launch Tbird.
Dear SF and Stans Thank you so much for your help and perseverance! The last comment from Stans did the trick. It's all back and looking good!!
Regards Andre
You are welcome.