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I'm trying to use MozBackup to transfer Firefox and Thunderbird to my new computer, and it's not working. Help!

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  • Last reply by annahaugen

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I have used Firefox and Thunderbird for many years, and have always used MozBackup when I upgraded to a new computer. This time, I am moving from a Windows 7 machine (but with up-to-date Firefox and Thunderbird). I downloaded both Firefox and Thunderbird to my new machine. I used MozBackup to backup my profiles on my old machine and restore them on this machine.

Except when I open Firefox or Thunderbird, nothing has been restored. Thunderbird has no email profiles nor any saved emails, it is a perfectly clean new version asking me to set up a profile. Firefox has the tabs I opened on this machine before trying to restore the profile from my other machine. It has all the data from Firefox Synch, except that (as before the attempt at using MozBackup) all of my carefully curated folders of bookmarks from over a decade of use are gone (all the bookmarks appear to be there, but there is no organization or folders).

I have now tried uninstalling and reinstalling Firefox, Thunderbird, and MozBackup multiple times, and running MozBackup multiple times, and the same thing happens each time.

I have used Firefox and Thunderbird for many years, and have always used MozBackup when I upgraded to a new computer. This time, I am moving from a Windows 7 machine (but with up-to-date Firefox and Thunderbird). I downloaded both Firefox and Thunderbird to my new machine. I used MozBackup to backup my profiles on my old machine and restore them on this machine. Except when I open Firefox or Thunderbird, nothing has been restored. Thunderbird has no email profiles nor any saved emails, it is a perfectly clean new version asking me to set up a profile. Firefox has the tabs I opened on this machine before trying to restore the profile from my other machine. It has all the data from Firefox Synch, except that (as before the attempt at using MozBackup) all of my carefully curated folders of bookmarks from over a decade of use are gone (all the bookmarks appear to be there, but there is no organization or folders). I have now tried uninstalling and reinstalling Firefox, Thunderbird, and MozBackup multiple times, and running MozBackup multiple times, and the same thing happens each time.

Chosen solution

MozBackup is a very old independent project that hasn't been updated since 2012. It's very likely that it no longer works with Firefox.

To transfer your data on Firefox, see Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles. For Thunderbird, see Move Thunderbird data to a new computer.

Hope this helps.

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Chosen Solution

MozBackup is a very old independent project that hasn't been updated since 2012. It's very likely that it no longer works with Firefox.

To transfer your data on Firefox, see Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles. For Thunderbird, see Move Thunderbird data to a new computer.

Hope this helps.

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Thank you!