How to read backup file, how to find backup file SOLVED!

[terrathunderbird]

I've lost some messages. And I'd like to open up an old backup to see if they are there.

Does anyone know how to open a backup file to look for specific messages?

[tanstaafl]

It depends upon what you used to backup the messages. Messages are normally stored in a "mbox" file named after the mail folder, but with no file extension ("inbox.", "sent." etc.)

Mozbackup creates a single *.pcv file for the entire backup, which is really a renamed .zip file. The mbox files used to store the mail can be imported using the ImportExportTools add-on. Ditto if you had exported the mail folders using that add-on. You can also read them directly using a MboxViewer utility. See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Mail_Utilities#MboxViewer

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Importing_folders

[terrathunderbird]

Thanks! I'm reading old emails, but I can't seem to find the actual backup. I can find pieces of it in my user data folders. Is there a way to figure out where the latest whole backup went?

[tanstaafl]

What software did you use to back it up?

[terrathunderbird]

There were two backups. One was just TB asking me if I wanted to backup.
The other was me moving the profile folder to the external disk.

I found the ones that it looks like TB backed up. Oddly, some folders are there (and I can see them in the viewer!) but some folders are not there.

[terrathunderbird]

OK, this is what I figured out.

You've got to look for your backup folder. Inside that backup folder is a folder called something like, name.default.20180501, where the number is the backup date.

Then get MVoxView (see link above) install, and open that. That seems to install itself each time. OK, it works. Anyway, choose "file" and then "select folder" and find the folder with the name.default.20180501 or whatever date. And highlight that. And click "OK". NOW wait. This was my mistake. I didn't wait. I just thought it wasn't loading or it wasn't the right filed, etc and kept going and trying other folders. I did this for an hour. Seriously. But I walked away from my desk and one of name.default.date folders loaded! I could then see each of my mail folders, inbox, etc. Each mail folder has to be "parsed" before you can read your backed up emails. BUT this is easy. Just click on each of the mail folders one by one and wait a few seconds (longer for bigger folders) and voila!

THANKS EVERYONE!!!

[terrathunderbird]

Oh, also, unless I'm doing this wrong, MBoxView doesn't seem to want to read/open folders from the external drive. So if you want to check that your backup worked...you've got to reload it onto your computer, etc. A small price to pay, IMHO, for being at least able to read these backups.