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Restore Local Files from Backup

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by sfhowes

Paul
Paul
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I had messages from back in the 1980's saved in my Local messages folder (c:/users/paul/appdata/local/thunderbird/profiles/mt163uiu.defalut). Obviously, on a windows system. That system has crashed, I tried to reinstall the OS and that didn't solve the issue. It is either the SSD or power supply has died. Parts are on order.

But, because I reinstalled to OS I have a problem getting my old saved emails from Local back. I have a resent backup of the mt163uiu.default folder (actually everything in /appdata) but can't figure out how to import those files into a newly installed version of Thunderbird. To complicate matters a bit, the system I'm using is on Unbuntu. Thunderbird runs fine on it, but I'm unable to find a way to import the backed up c:/ ... mt163uiu.defalut folder.

I had messages from back in the 1980's saved in my Local messages folder (c:/users/paul/appdata/local/thunderbird/profiles/mt163uiu.defalut). Obviously, on a windows system. That system has crashed, I tried to reinstall the OS and that didn't solve the issue. It is either the SSD or power supply has died. Parts are on order. But, because I reinstalled to OS I have a problem getting my old saved emails from Local back. I have a resent backup of the mt163uiu.default folder (actually everything in /appdata) but can't figure out how to import those files into a newly installed version of Thunderbird. To complicate matters a bit, the system I'm using is on Unbuntu. Thunderbird runs fine on it, but I'm unable to find a way to import the backed up c:/ ... mt163uiu.defalut folder.

Chosen solution

Files like AWS 22MB and GitHub 3.2MB are mbox files. Copy an mbox file (ignore the .msf files) into Mail/Local Folders, from any backup or unused profile folder, subfolder of Mail or ImapMail, or any sbd (subdirectory) folder.

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All Replies (5)

Paul
Paul Question owner
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Just for clarity, under the mt163uiu.defalut folder I have two folders; cache2 and startupCache, and two files; _CACHE_CLEAN and .startup-incomplete.

cache2 seems to have most of the files; folder entries and index.

Matt
Matt
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
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mt163uiu.defalut in appdata\ roaming will contain the profile data. The cache is stored in appdata\ local which it would appear you are looking at.

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Mail is not stored in .../AppData/Local/... It is stored in .../AppData/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/<xxxxxxxx.profilename>. If you've saved that folder, you can copy the mbox files, the large files with no extension in subfolders of Mail, Mail/Local Folders or ImapMail, to Mail/Local Folders in an active profile. When TB restarts, the folders should appear under Local Folders in the Folder Pane.

Paul
Paul Question owner
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I think I'm getting closer. But for what ever reason I don't have any large files w/o extensions (actually any files w/o extensions) in ./AppData/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/<xxxxxxxx.profilename>

However, what I did find was under: ./AppData/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/<xxxxxxxx.profilename>/ImapMail/imap.gmail.com/Computer.sbd (plus several other folders with sbd extension)

Inside Computer.sbd I have: AWS 22.2 MB AWS.msf 62.1 kB GitHub 3.2 MB GitHub.msf 54.3 kB etc.

In addition to the <xxxxxxxx.profilename>/ImapMail/imap.gmail.com/ folder there are also these two branches with more large files and associated msf files; ./AppData/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/<xxxxxxxx.profilename>/ImapMail/imap-mail.outlook.com/ ./AppData/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/<xxxxxxxx.profilename>/ImapMail/imap-mail.outlook-1.com/

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Chosen Solution

Files like AWS 22MB and GitHub 3.2MB are mbox files. Copy an mbox file (ignore the .msf files) into Mail/Local Folders, from any backup or unused profile folder, subfolder of Mail or ImapMail, or any sbd (subdirectory) folder.