Transfering Folders from a Windows 7 PC to Windows 10 laptop

[candelar]

In the past I have had no problem doing this when I needed to do the same to a different Windows 8 laptop. Now I have a brand new HP Spectre x360 notebook with Windows 10. So I did the following: on my Windows 7 VAIO laptop, I copied to a USB stick the 'Local Folders' (which contain all the sub-folders of filed emails I needed) from Thunderbird Mail within the app data on my VAIO. I then changed its name to just 'Folders'. Then after moving the USB stick to my new windows 10 HP notebook, I opened its app data and navigated to its Local Folders on Thunderbird, to which I copied (dragged) the new file 'Folders' from the USB. I then checked how they looked there. And they appear identical to how they are on my Windows 7 VAIO laptop. I.E. each file shows the same 'name', 'date modified', 'type' and 'size'.
And then, when I opened Thunderbird on the Windows 10 HP notebook, there was indeed the newly arrived folder called 'Folders' under its Local Folders. And with all of its sub-folders. But when I go to open one of them to see its filed emails - the sub-folder does not open at all. Yet they are all listed there in the app data > ... > Thunderbird > ... > Mail > Local Folders > Folders.
What have I done wrong? And how can I do it right?
Thanks, Robin

[tanstaafl]

See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Move_to_a_new_PC next time.

Check whether the files you copied to "Local Folders" are marked read-only. That will prevent Thunderbird from listing them (and any child folders under them).

[candelar]

Thanks Tanstaal,

Yes they did indicate the folders (and their children) were marked 'read-only'. I tried to uncheck that box, which seemed to respond favourably - when I clicked on 'apply'. But it didn't change anything. I have no idea how you can go in deeper and make them readable.

I did look at the web page from mozillazine you suggested. But I didn't find anything that showed me how I could copy just the 'Local Folders' (which contain emails from multiple POP accounts) to an external hard drive AND keep all the contents readable.

Then I tried another way which I found recommended on a Mozilla Support web page (from a Google search "moving Thunderbird folders from Windows 7 to Windows 10" > https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/mo ... w-computer This recommended using Windows Easy Transfer Wizard. Nowhere did this say it wouldn't work for Windows 10! So after several hours of copying the Thunderbird files from my VAIO Windows 7 to a large capacity external hard drive - and then connecting it to my new HP Spectre Windows 10 - I had to scream when it told me I couldn't do that. Grrr!!

The following web page recommended using a replacement for 'Easy Transfer' > https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/ins ... windows-10 It says: "Windows Easy Transfer is not available in Windows 10. However, Microsoft has partnered with Laplink to bring you PCmover Express—a tool for transferring selected files, folders, and more from your old Windows PC to your new Windows 10 PC." > http://pcmoverfree.azurewebsites.net/ But, as I can not be sure if I can use it to transfer just my 'Local Folders', I have not tried it yet. Perhaps someone has experience with it and can tell me if I could do that - and safely?

Otherwise I am still at a loss.

[tanstaafl]

You need to tell it to apply the changes to any child folders too, when undoing the read-only attribute. Windows 10 still has the old attrib command that can be run in a dos box/console window if that is easier. See https://www.howtogeek.com/205910/how-to ... nd-prompt/