# Thunderbird Export and Import



## Abraham Y. Chen (Sep 20, 2008)

Can any one offer some instructions as how to export eMail server profiles and address books from Thunderbird so that I can start another one on a different computer, or even importing such files to a different eMail client software? Thanks (2008-12-11, 14:40)


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

To export addresses: Tools - Address Book - Tools - Export...

To import to another email client would depend on that client.

The way I "clone" my Thunderbird experience to another machine is as follows. I install Thunderbird (2.0.0.18 now) to the second machine and then launch it. As soon as it starts I exit. Then I delete whatever profile was created and copy the profile from my first computer. On Windows XP the profile is in <drive>:\Documents and Settings\<account>\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles, and is named <8 random chars>.default. I've used this to clone to another XP, Ubuntu and to Vista.

If you check the Thunderbird (online) documentation you can probably find a more sophisticated and supported method.


----------



## Abraham Y. Chen (Sep 20, 2008)

Thank you for your quick response. I have some questions while attempting to follow your instruction:

My current Thunderbird (V2.0.0.18) is on a Win2K Desktop. I found the .default file folder at the same location as on your WinXP. However, I can not locate such folder on my WinVista Notebook after I installed and ran Thunderbird once. Could you please identify the path to it?

I am glad that you have also ported your experience to Ubuntu. I have V8.10 installed on the same Notebook above (OS selectable during boot up). Although Synaptic Package Manager shows that Thunderbird "1:2.0.0.14+0ubuntu1" is installed, I can not figure out where is it. Could you please give me some instruction as how to invoke this program and of course, where the .default folder is located?

Thanks a lot.

Abe (2008-12-12, 18:09)


----------



## AKAJohnDoe (Jun 6, 2007)

Vista location:

C:\USERS\*username*\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

From memory, on Ubuntu there is a .Thunderbird folder (note the initial period) in your Home folder. You have to 'show system folders and files' or 'show hidden folders and files' or some such. In Ubuntu 8.04 there was a bug or restriction in the Search function that did not find . files, and I haven't checked in 8.10.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

On Vista there is also some stuff in C:\USERS\<username>\AppData\*Local*\Thunderbird\Profiles\

It may not be at all important; for sure the most important stuff is where AKAJohnDoe said.


----------



## AKAJohnDoe (Jun 6, 2007)

All that is in *local* is the stuff Mozilla uses to handle updates and some cache.


----------



## Abraham Y. Chen (Sep 20, 2008)

Thank you tow guys for the information. However, in following your instructions on my Notebook, I did not get too far:

1) Under Vista, I got to C:\Users\username\. Nothing there looked like what you have mentioned. Interestingly enough, I used "AppData" as keyword for the search window on the upper right corner and saw 91 entries (13 are folders) with the next level names "AppData\Roaming". Still, nothing resembles what I have been looking for. Most of them are "... \Microsoft\windows\ ...". It looks that I should at least try to "un-hide" these folders first. I am familiar with such procedure in older Windows OSs. But, how do I do so to Vista? Please advise. Thanks.

2) Under Ubuntu (I started with V8.04, but it had trouble to find my WiFi AP which worked fine when the same Notebook is running under Vista. So, I recently uninstalled it and then installed V8.10. The new version handles wired ports and wireless APs in one single GUI list and it is easy to establish desired connection as well as switching between them by simply clicking on the desired entry.), from Places -> Home Folder, all I see is a list of folders (Desktop, Documents, Examples, Music, Pictures, Public, Template and Videos), but nothing like what you mentioned. Again, I do not know how to "show hidden folders and files" under Ubuntu. A more explicit instruction would help. Thanks.

3) Just a side note. Both of my Vista and Ubuntu are pretty much operating under "factory default". I have not customized either. Since your two are experts, you may have done something to enhance the managing of the setups that I have not touched, at all.

Abe (2008-12-14, 11:35)


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I'm on XP now, but pretty sure that Vista is the same: Control Panel - Folder Options - View tab - undo all Microsoft's terrible defaults for hidden and extensions and "protected system" files.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Greetings from Ubuntu 8.10 

Places - Home Folder - click on View menu - check mark on Show Hidden Files.

The directory is actually named .mozilla-thunderbird and it contains the profile without the intervening Profiles folder as in Windows. Sorry for my inaccurate memory.


----------



## Abraham Y. Chen (Sep 20, 2008)

Thanks for the additional instructions (I was "spoiled" by "multiple entry points" of the earlier Windows OSs to only use "show hidden files" while in Windows Explorer. My apologies.):

1) Under Vista, I found the .default folder. However, after I replaced it with what I copied from the working PC, Thunderbird continues to start up as if there were no account information. It still creates another .default folder upon exit. I tried to copy the content of my working PC into this new folder. It stops creating new .default folder, although it still behaves as if there is no account information.

2) Under Ubuntu (Glad that you are on V8.10, so that we can be more synchronized.), I now see .mozilla folder with two sub-folders, "extensions" and "firefox". I still do not see anything related to Thunderbird.

More help needed. Thanks.


Abe (2008-12-15, 10:55)


----------



## throoper (Jan 20, 2007)

To transfer the profile from one machine to another, you have to empty out the contents of the *****.default folder on the new machine, leaving the folder itself.
Copy the contents of the *****.default folder of the old machine, not the folder itself, only the contents, and paste them into the empty ****.default folder on the new machine.

If you can't find the Profile folder, try searching for **.msf* as MSF files should only exist in the Thunderbird profile and it's backups.

Go HERE for information on Thunderbird profiles.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

In Ubuntu you only have a .mozilla directory; no .mozilla-thunderbird directory?


----------



## Abraham Y. Chen (Sep 20, 2008)

Yes, I did clear the ******.default content before copying the information from the other PC. Maybe there is difference between OSs? My source PC is a Win2K. The destination PC where I like to clone a second Thunderbird is a WinVista.

Abe (2008-12-15, 15:17)


----------



## Abraham Y. Chen (Sep 20, 2008)

Hi, TerryNet: Yes, that was all. I did not see anything else.

Abe (2008-12-15, 15:19)

P.S.: I am still getting used to this forum. My post preceding this was replying to throoper


----------



## throoper (Jan 20, 2007)

The Windows version shouldn't matter.
You mentioned in post 11 that it was creating a .default folder on exit.
I wonder if it's lost track of where it's profile is located. 
You might try creating a new profile. Name it New so the folder created will be ******.new.
Be sure to open Thunderbird in the new profile to activate it.
Then use the *****.new folder for the file swap.


----------



## Abraham Y. Chen (Sep 20, 2008)

Hi, throper: 

Good to know that Windows versions do not matter.

But, you lost me on the .default folder. What do you mean by "open Thunderbird in the new profile to activate it."? I having been invoking Thunderbird by double clicking on an desktop graphic icon representing it. The ****.default folder is created after I have exited Thunderbird. Are you saying that I should find something in the profile copied from my source PC and double click it to start up Thunderbird?

Abe (2008-12-15, 20:32)


----------



## throoper (Jan 20, 2007)

Here are the step by step instructions for moving the profile from an old machine to a new machine.

On the new machine.

Press the *Win+R* keys to open the Run box.
On the Comand line type *thunderbird.exe -P* (note the space between the exe and the -P). Click OK.
In the Profile Manager, click "Create Profile".
On the Wizard, click "Next".
On the "Enter Profile Name" line, type *New*.
Click Finish.
Uncheck "Don't ask at startup".
Select *New* on the list and click "Start Thunderbird" to open it in the New profile.
Don't set up any accounts or Import anything. Close Thunderbird.

Go to the Profile folder. There should be 2 folders in it, *********.default* and *********.new* (with ****** being 8 random characters).
Open the ********.new folder and click Edit>Select All.
Click *File>Delete*.

If you haven't done this already, place a copy of the entire ********.default folder from the old machine onto the Desktop of the new machine.
(This assumes that this is a properly working profile on the old machine, meaning accounts, mail, everything works)
Open the *********.default* folder on the *Desktop* and click *Edit>Select all*.
Click *Edit>Copy*.

Now in the *empty ********.new folder*, Click *Edit>Paste*.
Open Thunderbird. 
The Profile Manager should come up.
Make sure New is selected and click "Start Thunderbird".
Thunderbird should open with everything exactly as it was on the old machine.

If the new profile is OK, the next time you open Thunderbird, highlight and delete the default profile in the Profile Manager.
New should now be highlighted, and you can place a check in "Don't ask at startup" so the Profile Manager doesn't open when you start Thunderbird.


----------



## Abraham Y. Chen (Sep 20, 2008)

Hi, throoper:

1) Thanks for the step-by-step instruction. It works!

2) To minimize head-scratching for future readers of this thread, I like to make the following notes:

A. There are actually two places under WinVista on my HP pavilion DV6500CTO Notebook that have this "Profile" folder:
a. One is under \username\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\
b. The other one is \username\AppData\Local\Thunderbird\

Somehow, when I was going through the cloning process, I could not find the ********.New folder that I just created under the second path which looked more logical. Since I recall that the word "roaming" was mentioned earlier, I went through the first path and found it. 

More interestingly, after I got the cloning process completed and the original ********.default folder deleted, I found only ********.New in both paths (with the same name). However, the one under "Roaming" has two sub-folders, "extensions" and "Mail" plus 25 other files, while the "Local" path has only two files, "XPC.mfl" (978 KB) and "XUL.mfl" (1,335 KB). So, the first one is complete clone (about 1.75 GB). (This probably explains why I could not get this done previously, because I was trying to do the file copying to the "wrong" folder. 

B. I am not sure how to follow the steps toward the end where the contents of ********.New are deleted and then replaced with those from the working PC. I just used basic Windows Explorer procedures for highlighting , then deleting or copying followed by pasting. They did the tasks need.

Thanks again.

Now I will to work on cloning Thunderbird onto my Ubuntu.


Abe (2008-12-17, 10:25)


----------



## throoper (Jan 20, 2007)

Well, it works now on Vista so you're halfway there. :up:
Can't help you with finding things on Ubuntu, but the principle for putting the old profile into the new should be the same.

The folder under Roaming is the Profile that is used for your settings and mail.
The one under Local is the cache information and can be ignored unless you need to do a "Clean Install".

The way you did the swap is fine. You can do it using Folder Tasks, Menu bar commands, Right click menu, or Keyboard. They are all different ways of doing the same thing and it's just a matter of what you're used to.

T.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

To review Ubuntu, the .mozilla directory you found is because Firefox is installed by default.

If you installed Thunderbird and ran it once, I do not understand why there is no .mozilla-thunderbird directory.


----------



## kindMess (Jan 3, 2009)

Thanks guys! This worked perfectly.
I did not know about the "roaming" vs "local" folders.
(moving from XP to Vista)

As Abraham Y. Chen kindly pointed out, the problem for me was that I incorrectly pasted the profile into the AppData\Local\Thunderbird\ folder.

Worth mentioning again: :up:
Paste the profile into the *AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\* folder!

Thanks again.


----------

