What Are "riq95rfc.default-20170923-1146" Folders and Can I

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skuddle
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Joined: September 8th, 2012, 9:46 am

What Are "riq95rfc.default-20170923-1146" Folders and Can I

Post by skuddle »

There are 7 folders and they are named "riq94rfc.default-20170923-1146" thru riq94rfc.default-20171103-1807 with various dates. They appeared below the first Trash icon after I did a backup with TB. I don't remember this happening on previous backups. What are they and is it safe to delete them?
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tanstaafl
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Re: What Are "riq95rfc.default-20170923-1146" Folders and Ca

Post by tanstaafl »

Just to be clear, these are deleted folders with weird names in the trash folder for a POP account in Thunderbird that suddenly appeared when you restarted after backing up the profile?

I wouldn't expect a backup to effect the existing profile. What software did you use to do the backup?
Did you also run some cleaner utility like CCleaner after doing the backup?

I don't recognize the format of those folder names. Can you open them and browse the messages inside?

You said below the first trash icon. Are you using view -> folder -> unified? The unified view can get corrupted sometimes. Use "Help -> Troubleshooting Information -> Open Folder" to display the contents of the profile using windows explorer (or whatever file manager you are using). Then exit Thunderbird and delete the "smart mailboxs" directory within the Mail directory, and the virtualfolders.dat file. That file is used for Saved Search (aka virtual folders) settings. A side effect is that if you had any saved searches they will be deleted and you will have to recreate them. The reason for deleting the file is Unified Folders is a "advanced folder view" that uses saved searches. Restart Thunderbird. It will automatically create replacement smart mailboxes and hopefully will have fixed the problem.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unified_Folders_not_working
skuddle
Posts: 332
Joined: September 8th, 2012, 9:46 am

Re: What Are "riq95rfc.default-20170923-1146" Folders and Ca

Post by skuddle »

Thank you for your reply. I hope I can get this problem resolved. Here are my responses:

Yes, these folders are in the trash can. I would delete them but in the trash can is a file with a date code of 20171110 which was my last TB backup. I am using POP for my email, and yes, the filenames appeared after doing that backup.

On Nov. 10th I received a message asking me to do a backup. I've received this message several times since I started using TB (March 2017). I assume that TB performed the backup. I did not run a cleaner utility (never have, never will).

The files are text files containing the email headers and messages, images, etc. for messages that were in my Inbox when I did the backup. They are located in D:\Thunderbird Backup. Here is my email folder layout:

===============================
c-xxxxxx@bresnan.net (This is the email address that I use all the time)
Inbox (10)
Drafts
Sent
Trash
riq94rfc.default--20170923-1146
...etc....

pipxxxxxx@bresnan.net (I very rarely use this email address and there are no folders beneath it)

Local Folders
Trash
Outbox
Agent
...all of my email folders containing emails that I saved...
============================

The emails in the folders under Local Folders are stored in D:\Windows Mail Message Store.

No, I am not (to my knowledge) using View -> folder -> unified. I don't use that process, I just use View > Folders > All.

Hopefully what I've written here will help you help me with the problem. I will now use your suggestions in your last paragraph and will report what I find. Also, I will leave the trash can un-emptied for now.
* HP Pavilion Desktop 510-p114
* Windows 10 Home 22H2 19045.4046
* Firefox 123; Thunderbird 115.8
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tanstaafl
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Re: What Are "riq95rfc.default-20170923-1146" Folders and Ca

Post by tanstaafl »

"On Nov. 10th I received a message asking me to do a backup. I've received this message several times since I started using TB (March 2017). I assume that TB performed the backup."

Thunderbird doesn't have a built-in backup capability. You can copy & paste the profile manually using file explorer, use a standalone utility such as the beta version of Mozbackup (you can even have the windows scheduler automatically run it), or use an add-on such as ImportExportTools to backup the profile. I'm not aware of a backup program that would automatically create "text files containing the email headers and messages, images, etc. for messages that were in my Inbox when I did the backup." Could you have archived the folder? Thunderbird has a built-in capability to do that.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_backup
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Third_party_p ... d_services
skuddle
Posts: 332
Joined: September 8th, 2012, 9:46 am

Re: What Are "riq95rfc.default-20170923-1146" Folders and Ca

Post by skuddle »

I wasn't aware that Thunderbird was not creating the backups. I do have ImportExportTools, so that probably was what I was using.

While trying this and that, I deleted all of the riq95rfc.default-yyyymmdd-hhmm" folders leaving only those with a date code later than 20171101. After that I could no longer start Thunderbird because my Thunderbird profile was completely gone from my C: drive and I couldn't find it on my D: drive either.

I spent the rest of the day redefining my account. Then I had to find a way to get all of my saved emails into that account. I did not succeed with that. I do have those files on my D: drive though. Furthermore, my ISP keeps returning an "incorrect userid or password" error.

I did notice that after each folder named "riq95rfc.default..." is another one with the same name but with ".sbd" after it. Those folders are in D:\Thunderbird Backup.

I have (had) a lot of folders but I did not archive any of them.

I have done just about everything except totally uninstall Thunderbird (including removing all TB entries from the registry).

I'm slowly becoming discouraged with this, and perhaps tomorrow will bring me new insight and I hope you will keep working with me. My ISP gave up and offered no additional help.
* HP Pavilion Desktop 510-p114
* Windows 10 Home 22H2 19045.4046
* Firefox 123; Thunderbird 115.8
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tanstaafl
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Re: What Are "riq95rfc.default-20170923-1146" Folders and Ca

Post by tanstaafl »

I am confused. I thought the riq95rfc.default-yyyymmdd-hhmm fodlers were in your trash, so you'd just empty the trash to get rid of them (after verifying that they had nothing you wanted to keep) How did you delete those folders? It sounds like you deleted them using file explorer (Windows 10 equivalent of Windows Explorer), not Thunderbird.

*.sbd directories are used to organize the two files (for example "inbox." and "inbox.msf") used per mail folder into a directory hierarchy. That is what creates the mail folder hierarchy you see in Thunderbird. Thunderbird will create .sbd directories in child folders etc. in preparation for lower level folders being added.

When I use Thunderbird to delete child folder xyz in a POP account it doesn't copy it to the trash folder and hide the original, like it does for a message. Instead it physically moves that folder's files ("xyz.", "xyz.msf", and "xyz.sbd") into the trash.sbd child directory You're not supposed to empty the trash by using file explorer to remove its contents, its meant to be all done via Thunderbird.

"After that I could no longer start Thunderbird because my Thunderbird profile was completely gone from my C: drive and I couldn't find it on my D: drive either."

Does the profiles.ini file still point to the profile? See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profiles.ini_file

If things are really messed up one workaround would be to delete the profiles.ini file for Thunderbird (make certain you don't delete the one for Firefox) and start Thunderbird. It will create a good profiles.ini that points to a stub of a profile. Exit the new account wizard (which it automatically started) and restore your backup. Worst case find where ImportExportTools backed up the profile (I don't think it zips it) and see http://kb.mozillazine.org/Moving_your_p ... u_do_works
skuddle
Posts: 332
Joined: September 8th, 2012, 9:46 am

Re: What Are "riq95rfc.default-20170923-1146" Folders and Ca

Post by skuddle »

I apologize for the confusion, it's my fault. The riq95rfc... folders are shown BELOW the trashcan file rather than IN it. They kept reappearing when I tried to delete them from within TB, so I deleted the ones with a date code of September using File Manager. From then on TB failed to start and I could not find profiles.ini.

In total exasperation I uninstalled TB completely, including removing all TB entries from the registry (there were two that I couldn't delete, and those were:
"Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-4083679645-449375760-1735527031-1001\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.msf\UserChoice" with a ProgId of "Applications\thunderbird.exe"
and
"Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.msf\UserChoice" with a ProgId of "Applications\thunderbird.exe"


I reverted to Win 10 Mail and using the same connection data that TB used I am able to send and receive emails; however, I don't like it at all, and I'm afraid to reinstall TB. On my other desktop computer I can receive using TB but cannot send or reply.

If you have any more suggestions I would appreciate them.
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tanstaafl
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Re: What Are "riq95rfc.default-20170923-1146" Folders and Ca

Post by tanstaafl »

Its normally not necessary to delete registry entries after uninstalling Thunderbird. It tries not to store stuff in the registry, its mainly glue for integrating mailto:, MAPI, spawning the browser etc.

Did you ever figure out what caused the "riq94rfc.default-20170923-1146" thru riq94rfc.default-20171103-1807 folders?
If they kept re-appearing in a POP account after you deleted them I'd suspect something outside of Thunderbird on your PC is creating them. Perhaps a side effect of some security or anti-virus software. Avast and Avira seem to work well with Thunderbird.

I suggest you create a new thread for the problems on your other PC. Please mention who your email providers are, and the full text of any error messages. If it mentions your email address replace the username portion of it with "user_name". If we can help you get that profile working you can experiment with copying that profile to your second PC and see if that solves its problems. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Moving_your_p ... hunderbird
skuddle
Posts: 332
Joined: September 8th, 2012, 9:46 am

Re: What Are "riq95rfc.default-20170923-1146" Folders and Ca

Post by skuddle »

Okay, will do. The riq94rfc.default-20170923-1146 thru riq94rfc.default-20171103-1807 folders are already gone, and I have a copy of Thunderbird 52.4.0 Setup.exe that I will use.

Thanks again for your help.
* HP Pavilion Desktop 510-p114
* Windows 10 Home 22H2 19045.4046
* Firefox 123; Thunderbird 115.8
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