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Reinstalling TB on new PC with Windows 11

  • 3 uphendule
  • 0 zinale nkinga
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  • Igcine ukuphendulwa ngu david

fdw2
fdw2
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I'm trying to migrate Thunderbird from my old PC/Windows 10 to my brand-new PC/Windows 10, following the step-by-step instructions on https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/moving-thunderbird-data-to-a-new-computer. I followed those instructions to the letter (multiple times) but can't get it to work. Are there more recent (and perhaps more complete) instructions to be found elsewhere? Does anyone else have the same?

I have made a copy of my old TB profile folder on a backup stick (it is titled 'Thunderbird', and inside that folder is a folder titled 'Profiles' that contains a number of folders including the most recent profile that I am still using with my old PC. The difficulty is getting this backed up profile info installed on my new 'destination' computer.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I'm trying to migrate Thunderbird from my old PC/Windows 10 to my brand-new PC/Windows 10, following the step-by-step instructions on https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/moving-thunderbird-data-to-a-new-computer. I followed those instructions to the letter (multiple times) but can't get it to work. Are there more recent (and perhaps more complete) instructions to be found elsewhere? Does anyone else have the same? I have made a copy of my old TB profile folder on a backup stick (it is titled 'Thunderbird', and inside that folder is a folder titled 'Profiles' that contains a number of folders including the most recent profile that I am still using with my old PC. The difficulty is getting this backed up profile info installed on my new 'destination' computer. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

All Replies (3)

david
david
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Once you have the thunderbird folder, created when thunderbird is NOT running on old pc, you need to: - install thunderbird on new pc and then exit. - copy the thunderbird folder to c:\users\<yourid>\appdata\roaming that will prompt to overwrite. Allow it. - start thunderbird

fdw2
fdw2 Umnikazi wombuzo
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Thanks much, David. That worked.

The https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/moving-thunderbird-data-to-a-new-computer instructions I used told me (step 5, destination computer) to 'Open (profile) Folder', then close Thunderbird, en then from the Thunderbird profile folder to go three levels up. Doing that got me to the (hidden) 'Thunderbird' folder, and not to the 'Roaming' folder one level higher. Clearly, the online instructions were not an clear/correct as what you told me. Perhaps Mozilla could update/clarify its instructions?

Anyway, I hope your answer will also be of use to others facing the same difficulty.

david
david
  • Top 10 Contributor
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You're welcome, and thank you for your feedback. I post those instructions probably twice a day. I agree with your assessment; I have always had trouble with wording to back up three levels. I think the intent in the wording is that many users are unable to work with Windows File Explorer, so the instructions have to work with that restriction.