cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

User Help for Mozilla Thunderbird
paddypower99
Posts: 8
Joined: August 15th, 2009, 1:12 am

cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by paddypower99 »

same-same but different -as we say here in Thailand.
My Plan: to migrate to Windows 7.
I Decided to do a clean install of windows 7.
Resulting in a clean wipe of my hard drive.
Starting Point: OS was Win XPro SP2, thunderbird v. 2.0.0.21
Before doing this, I did 2 backups of my Thunderbird data.
I backed up my email messages, and address book data, in 2 separate steps,
Step 1 I went to the Thunderbird Profile folder, on drive C:
i.e. C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\defaults\profile
I selected all of the files in the Profile.
I did a ‘copy to’ a new folder, in my external HD labelled “I”.
Folder label:\My backups\date\email

Step 2. I did a complete back up, of my local drives C: and D: using my backup manager application. (Seagate back up)
This back up data resides in my 2nd extermal HD, labelled “H”.
.
I went to Thunderbird online help.
It suggested that I go to the backup folder and change name of folder containing my backed up messages to <Inbox.old>
Then make a copy and paste it in the Profile folder of the new thunderbird app.

My first Try:
downloaded Thunderbird v. 2.0.0.22
Set up a folder in the Local Folders section. I labeled it <Inbox.old>.
I now had 2 folders, in my Local Folders: <Inbox> and <Inbox.old>
Then I closed the program (T/bird). Reopened it to find – nothing, contrary to what I had read.
My second Try:
I worked through the same set of steps:
- file/import/messages/please select source app (ignored)/browse/keyed in the folder where my Inbox.old resided (yes I had checked first to make sure it contained the data, or at least the correct number of bytes. It did.)
Result: failure to import any of my previously saved messages.
3rd Try:
Windows 7 support suggested that I download the Import/Export tool.
I did this.
Closed And restarted T'Bird after installing the Import/Export tool.
Did an import, using the tool.
It asked: import mbox file. I selected inbox.old at the folder where I had stored my backup of my Profile.
Although I did manage to import my old folders – no messages were imported.

What shows in my Thunderbird now:
Folders:
Local folders
In Box/Inbox 380
Unsent
Trash
Inbox
Inbox.old
Inbox.old.old
Inbox.306
New folder
Pop.gmail.com
Subsidiary folders of pop.gmail.com
All of my old folders – but no files of messages in there.
if i screwed up - no problem. I would hope i can recover my stuff.
TIA, paddypower
User avatar
SK.
Moderator
Posts: 20814
Joined: October 18th, 2007, 1:28 pm
Location: Third Rock From The Sun
Contact:

Re: cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by SK. »

I am not entirely sure what directions you were following, but the procedure is a lot easier than the steps you took.

Let's start with a new profile - Close Thunderbird and open the profile manager. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_manager. Create your new profile, naming it something other than "default", and setup your accounts. Make sure it's working including for sending and receiving mail.

Check this knowledge base article on moving your profile. This applies whether you are moving your profile from one location to another on the same system, or moving your profile to another system.
John 3:16 and Philippians 4:13
paddypower99
Posts: 8
Joined: August 15th, 2009, 1:12 am

Re: cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by paddypower99 »

SK wrote:I am not entirely sure what directions you were following, but the procedure is a lot easier than the steps you took.

Let's start with a new profile - Close Thunderbird and open the profile manager. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_manager">http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_manager</a><!-- m -->. Create your new profile, naming it something other than "default", and setup your accounts. Make sure it's working including for sending and receiving mail.

Check this knowledge base article on moving your profile. This applies whether you are moving your profile from one location to another on the same system, or moving your profile to another system.
Thanks for the guidance, SK. But, spare me a bit more patience!

Question to forum:
Where is the profile manager in windows7 ?
as far as I can determine, I have no profile manager in Windows 7.
This is what I did/ I followed these steps:
Checked to make sure program is closed.
Went to Windows search;
entered thunderbird.exe mozilla.exe – profilemanager
this brought up the thunderbird application and the screen showing ‘All Folders’
clicked on Local Folders
View settings for this folder
opened settings
I get account settings for myname@gmail.com
I see 2 items to choose from:
- add account
- manage identities/multiple identities/add or edit.
paused/I reread the firefox new profile instructions.
I redid my steps, starting with Windows/search/thunderbird – P
This produced the same results. Sitting looking at the Thunderbird screen and no sign of a Profile manager anywhere.
I have to confess – I cannot find where to set up a new profile.
Can you have patience and guide me? Thanks,
still Paddypower
User avatar
SK.
Moderator
Posts: 20814
Joined: October 18th, 2007, 1:28 pm
Location: Third Rock From The Sun
Contact:

Re: cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by SK. »

The Profile Manager is launched with the command "thunderbird -P" or "thunderbird -profilemanager" - I don't understand why you included "mozilla.exe," since that's not part of the instructions I linked you to.
John 3:16 and Philippians 4:13
paddypower99
Posts: 8
Joined: August 15th, 2009, 1:12 am

Re: cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by paddypower99 »

SK wrote:The Profile Manager is launched with the command "thunderbird -P" or "thunderbird -profilemanager" - I don't understand why you included "mozilla.exe," since that's not part of the instructions I linked you to.
Ok, thank you for responding.
I mis-keyed in the earlier part of my post. as I wrote in the second half of my previous post, I did try this step, namely:
<I redid my steps, starting with Windows/search/thunderbird – P

This produced the same results. Sitting looking at the Thunderbird screen and no sign of a Profile manager anywhere.>
the bottom line for me is - keying in the words "thunderbird - P" in to the Windows 7 search function does nothing for me - other than leave me looking at the regular screen that you get when you open the application.
Has anyone tried to do this step, using windows 7 ?
thanks, paddypower
User avatar
SK.
Moderator
Posts: 20814
Joined: October 18th, 2007, 1:28 pm
Location: Third Rock From The Sun
Contact:

Re: cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by SK. »

paddypower99 wrote:<I redid my steps, starting with Windows/search/thunderbird – P

paddypower99 wrote:"thunderbird - P" in to the Windows 7 search function does nothing for me

I tried this with Windows 7 before I posted. You are not placing the command in the right place - it does not go into the Search function. Go to Start | Run and place "thunderbird -P" in the resulting box labeled [Open].
John 3:16 and Philippians 4:13
paddypower99
Posts: 8
Joined: August 15th, 2009, 1:12 am

Re: cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by paddypower99 »

SK wrote:
paddypower99 wrote:<I redid my steps, starting with Windows/search/thunderbird – P

paddypower99 wrote:"thunderbird - P" in to the Windows 7 search function does nothing for me

I tried this with Windows 7 before I posted. You are not placing the command in the right place - it does not go into the Search function. Go to Start | Run and place "thunderbird -P" in the resulting box labeled [Open].
Oh. Thanks.
paddypower99
Posts: 8
Joined: August 15th, 2009, 1:12 am

Re: cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by paddypower99 »

excuse the delay, busy installing a phone line and upgrading to adsl service.

first, thanks for pointing out my mistake.

as best as I can describe it, these are my steps:
I downloaded a new version of the application - thunderbird/v2.0.0.23
I tested sending email and receiving email. It worked properly.
exercise #1:

1.1. set up a new profile labeled it ‘prewindows7’.
1.2. went to the new profile folder and deleted all the files in there.
1.3. went to the old profile folder I had saved. Moved it to the new profile folder ‘pre-windows7’.
1.4. i had forgotten to close t/ bird while I did this. So I closed t/bird. Restarted computer and opened T/bird.
1.5. this is what it shows: gmailmyname inbox/junk/trash/abook.map/blocklist.xml/cert8.db/compatibility.ini
compreg.dat/cookies.txt/extensions/extensions.cache/key3.db/mail – subfolders local folders/pop.gmail.com then continuing with more folders: mimeTypes.rdf/panacea.dat/partent.lock/prefs.js
1.6. there are no files in any of these folders.
I tried an alternative approach:
exercise #2
2.1. Went to C:\Users\paddy\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\x3e99gtu.PREWINDOWS7/EMAILS/
there are 6 files in there:
Name type of file size
Inbox.old OLD 398kb
inbox.msf msf 0
msgfilterrules.dat DAT 0
popstate.dat DAT
so, it appears my in box is saved and available to be imported.
2.2 Back to Thunderbird
I clicked on Tools/import/browse/C:/C:\Users\paddy\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\x3e99gtu.PREWINDOWS7/EMAILS/
2.3 Selected inbox.old
2.4 The message at bottom of the main t/bird screen is: "building summary file for inbox.old"
The activity meter shows a moving green bar. Looking good.
I wait 30minutes…….
2.5 check the Status:
ZIP.



Exercise #3
3rd th attempt at investigating why I am getting nowhere.
3.1 clicked on the 'run' utility. keyed 'thunderbird - P'
all that happened is that T/bird program opened at the main screen, IN box and all that. no sign of the profile manager.
3.2 as an alternative, I keyed in thunderbird - profilemanager. same result. I repeated this step 5-10 times. same result each time.
what am i doing wrong? Why does my 'run' instruction not work?
Exerecise #4
4th attempt to ascertain what is wrong.
4.1 I went looking for the folder <profiles.ini file> cannot find it in any of my drives, internal or external. not sure what this means, but it doesn't sound good. however, i can find this folder, using explorer.
for reference: this is what is currently on my C:drive
C:\Users\paddy\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\
Profiles folder
profiles.ini
registry.dat
the contents of Profiles folder are:
#1- 2rbzkkn8.POSTWINDOWS7
#2 - qvaimxr2.default
#3 - x3e99gtu.PREWINDOWS7
both folders # 2 and #3 contain the file 'inbox.old'
folder #2 contains a lot of duplication I have created, namely,
it contains a folder labelled 'Mail'
which in turn contains 3 folders:
Local Folders
mail.cat.evdo.
pop.gmail.com
in these folders are several files, labelled Inbox/Inbox.old/Inbox306
each of which contains the same amount of data (398058 KB).
I have tried to open each of these files, using thunderbird.
I have also used the thunderbird import function and selected each of these file.. the error message each time is - file is empty.
The Thunderbird app is now refusing to open, citing me an error message - already open, close or restart computer. Tried all of these, plus i checked my task manager - says nothing is in use. should i start by uninstalling T/bird?
your guidance would be appreciated. paddy power.
User avatar
Daifne
Moderator
Posts: 123071
Joined: July 31st, 2005, 9:17 pm
Location: Where the Waters Meet, Wisconsin

Re: cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by Daifne »

Going back to your first post, C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\defaults\profile is NOT where your profile was on XP. If that's all you have, you don't have any data to move in.
paddypower99
Posts: 8
Joined: August 15th, 2009, 1:12 am

Re: cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by paddypower99 »

Daifne wrote:Going back to your first post, C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\defaults\profile is NOT where your profile was on XP. If that's all you have, you don't have any data to move in.
Thank you, Daifne:
did I screw up with my backups?
I was told by someone whom I thought was a very reliable source, to backup my emails every week, by going to the Settings/Directory/.
then copy the entire address of the directory.
paste that to the top of the screen and press enter.
That brought me to the location of where my email in box data was stored. I copied all of the files in that folder to a new folder, on my external hard drive, and labelled it 'backup date email'.
i have 20 weekly backups. does what you wrote mean that that I cannot access or read or import that data in to a new profile folder?
I'd . really appreciate knowing how badly I messed up. paddy (with very little power these days).
User avatar
Daifne
Moderator
Posts: 123071
Joined: July 31st, 2005, 9:17 pm
Location: Where the Waters Meet, Wisconsin

Re: cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by Daifne »

The path in Server Settings should be the right one, but it shouldn't lead to Program Files. It should point to C:\Documents and Settings\*user name*\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\*random string.profile name* in XP. Vista and Windows 7 have a different path.
paddypower99
Posts: 8
Joined: August 15th, 2009, 1:12 am

Re: cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by paddypower99 »

Daifne wrote:The path in Server Settings should be the right one, but it shouldn't lead to Program Files. It should point to C:\Documents and Settings\*user name*\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\*random string.profile name* in XP. Vista and Windows 7 have a different path.


Aha! thank you for this. It should have been obvious to me, upgrading to Windows 7. That some things will not work.
I just read an article about how different the operating system is for W7 - as compared with the DOS based Windows XP.
I am thinking maybe I should uninstal T/bird;
and go back to XP
and reinstal T/bird
Maybe then, I can find my entire filing system of emails in their respective folders.
warning to anyone planning to upgrade to Windows 7. Make sure of your T/bird back up.. Paddy power.
kzintz
Posts: 1
Joined: September 12th, 2009, 1:33 am

Re: cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by kzintz »

Not sure if you want an easy way to do this but just use MOZBACKUP....

MozBackup is a simple utility for creating backups of Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird, Mozilla Sunbird, Flock, SeaMonkey, Mozilla Suite, Spicebird, Songbird and Netscape profiles.

It allows you to backup and restore bookmarks, mail, contacts, history, extensions, cache etc. It's an easy way to do Firefox backup, Thunderbird backup ...

http://mozbackup.jasnapaka.com/
paddypower99
Posts: 8
Joined: August 15th, 2009, 1:12 am

Re: cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by paddypower99 »

kzintz wrote:Not sure if you want an easy way to do this but just use MOZBACKUP....

MozBackup is a simple utility for creating backups of Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird, Mozilla Sunbird, Flock, SeaMonkey, Mozilla Suite, Spicebird, Songbird and Netscape profiles.

It allows you to backup and restore bookmarks, mail, contacts, history, extensions, cache etc. It's an easy way to do Firefox backup, Thunderbird backup ...

http://mozbackup.jasnapaka.com/

Great idea. Thanks for the link. Now, all i have to do is figure out why T/bird will not open (repeating error message: 't/bird is already running. but not responding. You must first close the existing process or restart your system. windows7). i do understand that i have gone off topic. but someone else is going to follow my path. so a cross-reference to another thread would be appreciated. Paddypower.
User avatar
Daifne
Moderator
Posts: 123071
Joined: July 31st, 2005, 9:17 pm
Location: Where the Waters Meet, Wisconsin

Re: cannot find my emails after doing a clean instal windows 7

Post by Daifne »

Post Reply