Creating an IMAP account does not include a prompt to move messages, so I am unclear on what you have. I presume you are referring to the messages saved from POP account or that were in Local Folders? Please share a screenshot of the email folders and one of the location you want them in the profile and I'll give detail directions.

Hi Dave,

Here is the account page

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l_H66jbRjx10n1ul2QsP5BszyG2x-jwE/view?usp=drive_link

Here is the users folder page

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l_H66jbRjx10n1ul2QsP5BszyG2x-jwE/view?usp=drive_link

Here is the data directory with the email data folders

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l_H66jbRjx10n1ul2QsP5BszyG2x-jwE/view?usp=drive_link

Let me know what else you need.

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, to give more info. The Tom@ImNottFunny address is the main one now. It was something called Netcom, where the address was TM...@ix.netccom (email addresses are misspelled on purpose). That's the account where the data folders were attached.

I would like to attach the Netcom data folders to the new Tom@... account, which is now IMAP.

I hope that's enough info, but I'm happy to give as much info as you need.

Thanks David!!!!!!!!

Tom

Please post screenshots to the forum so we have continuity. Thank you.

Here are the screen prints.

Ok, the clean way to do this within thunderbird would be to:

1. install the addon, importexporttools NG

- hghlight local folders, rightclick, and select importexport option to import mbox. then locate and select one of the netcom folder, such as inbox (ignore the msf entries as they are just incexes that will be rebuilt) - repeat this for each folder to use - now, if there are thousands of messages to move to IMAP, i suggest creating a manual filter to COPY the messages to the desired IMAP folder. (If much fewer, just highlight the folder, rightclick and select 'copy to folder' This is a delicate step because IMAP was not designed for high volume uploads. the intent of the filter is to slow the process a bit. - once done, spot check to verify you have the messages in the account prior to deleting the local folders.

Thank you, David. I will give it a try tonight. Yes, there are thousands of messages, so I'll take that extra step.

Thanks!!!!!!!!! Tom

FYI the normal default profile has in the directory name "default-release", not just "default"

David, that worked like a charm. I wasn't actually able to restore the profile, but the entire message structure was intact and imported it nicely. Maybe three or four folder names were garbled, but that's a tiny, tiny price to pay for the recovery effort. That tool is awesome!!! And I thank you for your expertise. Not sure how I got in this mess, but you got me out. THANK YOU!!!

You are very welcome. My first email account, decades ago was with ix.netcom.com. There was also netcom.com, but that was exclusively for Unix users.

You're right about the decades part. I think I got this address in about 1993 or so. The ix.netcom accounts were popular with the IT crowd for some reason. Back then, you had to configure WINSOCK to even get the connection working. And a website wasn't necessarily anything useful, unless you wanted to see a stranger's rock collection. I'm betting you remember all that. Also, having the IX in there and also the "com.com" part in there confused everyone. But, I keep it because so many people still have it. And all that helps explain why a living human still has pop mail in 2025.  :-)

Thanks again, David.