How do I retrieve/open local folders I stored on back-up drive?
My computer died. I had been using Thunderbird on it, and had stored many emails in local folders. Those local folders are/should be backed up on my external back-up drive (WD My Book). I've seen s/thing that says thunderbird profile on the drive; I hope that's it. The problem is I don't know how to open the files that are on the back-up; nor does my new computer. The computer thinks I should use an app, but doesn't know which. How do I open those folders and copy them to my new computer?
Chosen solution
If the TB profile folder was backed up, there will be a Mail folder with a Local Folders subfolder. In that subfolder you should find files with no extension named after the original folder and an accompanying msf file, e.g. MyFolder and MyFolder.msf. While TB is closed, copy just the mbox files, the ones like MyFolder with no extension, into the Mail/Local Folders location in the current TB profile. You can open the current TB profile folder from Help/Troubleshooting Information, click Open Folder; close TB before making any changes. When you restart TB, the copied folder should appear under Local Folders in the Folder Pane.
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What do you mean by 'and had stored many emails in local folders.' Are you talking about the 'Local Folders' mail account in Thunderbird ? Did you do a backup of your 'profile name' folder?
Do you mean you had saved separate emails as *.eml files in a folder on your computer - not in Thunderbird - and that folder is backed up?
Chosen Solution
If the TB profile folder was backed up, there will be a Mail folder with a Local Folders subfolder. In that subfolder you should find files with no extension named after the original folder and an accompanying msf file, e.g. MyFolder and MyFolder.msf. While TB is closed, copy just the mbox files, the ones like MyFolder with no extension, into the Mail/Local Folders location in the current TB profile. You can open the current TB profile folder from Help/Troubleshooting Information, click Open Folder; close TB before making any changes. When you restart TB, the copied folder should appear under Local Folders in the Folder Pane.
Modified by sfhowes
Took me a bit of time to find the help/troubleshooting section (I'm a bit of a newbie here)....but once I did that, I followed your directions and they worked! I got all my saved folders. Thanks so much for your help