Help! Can't restore from backup files

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JeffLeites
Posts: 113
Joined: April 23rd, 2008, 7:49 pm

Help! Can't restore from backup files

Post by JeffLeites »

I had a disaster. Lost my AppData.

I reinstalled T-bird, I moved the email folder and files from my Carbonite backup to the proper place in my T-bird profile but when I reopen T-Bird the Folder doesn't appear.

I've done it this way before when transferring email from one computer to another and when I got a new computer, but it's not working now.

HELP!!!
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tanstaafl
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Posts: 49647
Joined: July 30th, 2003, 5:06 pm

Re: Help! Can't restore from backup files

Post by tanstaafl »

Did you try creating a new profile and then copying the complete contents of the old one over it, as is? You could create a new one by clicking on the about:profiles link in help -> more troubleshooting information, and then press the create profile button. Just be careful not to copy the profile directory too. i.e. if the old profile was in a xyz directory you shouldn't see a xyz child directory in the new profile.

If you don't want to do that or your backup didn't backup the complete profile I suggest you import the mbox files using the ImportExportTolsl NG add-on into the Local Folders special account. If that works then you can move the folders and/or messages in them to the desired location. Its not the quickest solution but it doesn't require you to figure out the right place to copy the files.

"Inbox." is the mbox file for the inbox folder. Its named after the mail folder, has no file extensions, and contains the messages. "inbox.msf" can be ignored, its basically a cache of the folder listing. "inbox.sbd" would be a renamed directory used to help organize the mbox files into a hierarchy. "Sent." would be the mbox file for the sent folder ....

https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-us/th ... ng/?src=ss is the ImportExportTools NG add-on.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Importing_folders is out of date (links to the old version of the add-on and some of the menus have changed slightly) but the basics haven't changed.
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tanstaafl
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Posts: 49647
Joined: July 30th, 2003, 5:06 pm

Re: Help! Can't restore from backup files

Post by tanstaafl »

Did you get some error message about that version of Thundebrird didn't support that profile? You can work around that by clicking on the about:profiles link in help -> more troubleshooting information, finding the old profile, and then clicking on the set as default button.

That could occur due to the hash code in profiles.ini pointing to a different location that Thunderbird is installed, than expected. One of the drawbacks of the "dedicated profile per installation" feature added in version 68.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/de ... stallation
JeffLeites
Posts: 113
Joined: April 23rd, 2008, 7:49 pm

Re: Help! Can't restore from backup files

Post by JeffLeites »

I just checked back here after hours of struggling. I finally realized that a new profile was created, but it's not in the AppData folder in my user name, it's in AppData in TEMP.name of my computer. It works there, but I don't think that is a good place for it.

I'll try what you suggested, but I'm really getting tired.


UPDATE - This is bigger than T-bird. After a power glitch my computer rebooted and created an new user file called TEMP.computer name. That is the one that the computer is using instead of User/username.

Any ideas on to get rid of the TEMP user folder and use the User/username folder?

FINAL UPDATE When I realized the scope of the problem I sought help on the Tens Forum. I got a reply in minutes. Apparently something went wrong in that post power glitch restart that caused me not to be signed in correctly and the creation of the User/TEMP.computer name folder. There was a long fix but it was suggested that I try restarted 4 times first. I'd already rebooted twice. After two more restarts my computer came up with the desktop looking like it should. The TEMP user folder was gone an Thunder bird was working correctly using the correct profile. Just hope I didn't lose anything in my file shuffling :? Now I can go to bed :D
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