You need to start Thunderbird once to create a new profile in the first place. You did this by now, so you should see two profile folders:

1. the one you copied over from the old computer
2. the one Thunderbird created

Only the latter is referenced in your profiles.ini file. While Thunderbird is closed copy the contents of the old profile folder (its files and subfolders) into the new profile folder.

Start Thunderbird.

Thanks for the response, but that's what I did and it didn't work. have you any other suggestions?

that's what I did and it didn't work.

Then you did something wrong.

Installed thunderbird on W10 and prior to lunching copied the contents of old profile folder to new profile folder under AppData/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/profile.default

What does 'prior to lunching' mean? Where does 'profile.default' come from? Is it referenced in profiles.ini?

'lunching' was a typo, I meant launching(starting). I realised I had to start it to create a profile initially. 'profile.default' is the profile folder created when thunderbird starts up for the first time - I couldn't remember the exact name of it. Still no further along I've even tried to de-install thunderbird, then re-install and follow your instructions, but it didn't work. I've done this in the past for XP to W7, and XP to W8 and it has been easy, but I can't see what is different this time.

Please post the name and the full path of your profile folder(s) as well as the contents of profiles.ini.

On my XP Laptop, my profile was C:\Documents and Settings\Fraser\Local Settings\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\elvh5ttl.dfault

I initially copied to here on my W10 laptop as a temporary measure C;\Fraser\Email Backup\Dec 15\elvh5ttl.default

From the temporary location, I have tried copying the contents of the folder to both C:\Users\frase\AppData\Roaming\Tunderbird\Profiles\ezlihcwc.default & C:\Users\frase\AppData\Roaming\Tunderbird\Profiles\kuntvrbr.fraser

The first above was created when I first started up thunderbird and the second I created via profile manager

This is the profile.ini I now have:

[General] StartWithLastProfile=1

[Profile0] Name=default IsRelative=1 Path=Profiles/ezlihcwc.default

[Profile1] Name=fraser IsRelative=1 Path=Profiles/kuntvrbr.fraser Default=1

C:\Documents and Settings\Fraser\Local Settings\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\elvh5ttl.dfault

That isn't the correct profile path for XP. Check this article and make sure you really copy the profile folder. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Thunderbird#Windows_2000_and_XP

I don't understand why you created a second profile. With two profiles you always need to pay attention to start Thunderbird with the correct profile.

Only created a 2nd profile when the first didn't work. Suspect you have identified the issue is that I have the wrong profile from the XP laptop. I'll have ago at that later tonight when the children have gone to bed. Many thanks - I'll let you know how I get on.

on XP open the appdata folder by typing %appdata% into the run box on the start menu. copy the Thunderbird folder containing your profile, but start with the Thunderbird folder. not something lower in the tree.

In windows 10 open the appdata folder by typing %appdata% into the search box and ptressing enter. Copy the Thunderbird folder from XP into the appdata folder that opens. (It should be appdata\roaming I think.)

If that is not working also place a copy in the appdata\local folder

Start Thunderbird. As you have copies the profiles/ini, and the entire profile you should have a working Thunderbird with all mail and add-ons. This does not work if you have moved the default locations of account and folder in settings as their location is no longer relative to the profiles.ini file. This is especially so as XP and later versions store the appdata folder in a very different location.

Many thanks - all sorted now. As christ1 point out, I had got the wrong profile folder on the XP laptop so had copied all the wrong files. Thanks again.