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How to import Thunderbird emails from a USB drive to Thunderbird after Windows crash and reload.

  • 2 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 20 views
  • Paskiausią atsakymą parašė DiDooley

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My Windows 10 crashed thanks to Malware that I bought as a fix for a Nero problem. I bought it from Cleverbridge in Germany - stay away from them. My mechanic backed up all my data (photos, music, docs on external hard drive) i.e. mainly e-mails, onto a flash drive, USB stick or pen, call it what you will. Then he cleaned etc. and reloaded Windows and all the other data was easily transferable back onto the new C drive -- except e-mails including address book cannot be transferred into the new download of Thunderbird. He and I are both getting desperate, I need these e-mails for a court case in progress. Can anybody PLEASE help?? Thank you.

My Windows 10 crashed thanks to Malware that I bought as a fix for a Nero problem. I bought it from Cleverbridge in Germany - stay away from them. My mechanic backed up all my data (photos, music, docs on external hard drive) i.e. mainly e-mails, onto a flash drive, USB stick or pen, call it what you will. Then he cleaned etc. and reloaded Windows and all the other data was easily transferable back onto the new C drive -- except e-mails including address book cannot be transferred into the new download of Thunderbird. He and I are both getting desperate, I need these e-mails for a court case in progress. Can anybody PLEASE help?? Thank you.

All Replies (2)

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Assuming you were using the default location, all Thunderbird profile information would have been stored here: C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\

It is usual to backup the 'Thunderbird' folder as it contains everything; all preferences, address books, mail accounts, emails, etc etc. Assuming the Roaming/'Thunderbird' folder was backed up....

Download and Install Thunderbird and run once. A default profile is auto created. Close Thunderbird - this is important. Access : C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\'Roaming' folder Delete the default 'Thunderbird' folder from the 'Roaming' folder. Then paste the backed up 'Thunderbird' folder into the 'Roaming' folder - replacing the default 'Thunderbird' folder with the backup 'Thunderbird' folder. Restart Thunderbird.


However, you do not say exactly what was backed up. Did you backup the 'Roaming' / 'Thunderbird' folder ? Or Did you backup only the 'profile name' folder...the 'profile name' folder is usually 'xxxxxxxx.default' where the x's are letters and numbers.

OR did you choose to save all emails as separate .eml files ?

Did you backup the .MAB files from the 'profile name' folder as a separate backup? OR Did you export the individual address books separately and save as eg: LDIF files or as .CSV files?

The process you need to use depends upon what you have got backed up and in what format.

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Many many thanks.......I have passed this on to my tech, I'm sure he'll appreciate your know,edge and support. Di.