Backing up and moving Thunderbird

[queenpictoria]

Hello.

 

I am getting ready to transfer my computer work to a new computer.

I am trying to backup my C Drive and could not get my Pocket Sync program

to back it up without interruption.

 

I went through my C Drive and saved everything except the Program Files

and the Windows file.

 

I am not entirely sure of what I am doing, but there is one thing I'd really like

to do I've never been able to do before. I'd like to save my emails.

 

It is not obvious to me where to find my emails in the C Drive.

I need to make sure I make an actual copy of the emails, not just a shortcut.

 

Well, there it is!

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks.

 

Regards,

queenpictoria

[TCH-Don]

If you are using Outlook Express,

then launch Outlook Express and select Tools > Options > maintenance.

Click on Store Folder button at the bottom right to see where your emails are located.

I changed mine to a folder on a separate drive so I won't lose them if I reinstall Windows.

[queenpictoria]

If you are using Outlook Express,

then launch Outlook Express and select Tools > Options > maintenance.

Click on Store Folder button at the bottom right to see where your emails are located.

I changed mine to a folder on a separate drive so I won't lose them if I reinstall Windows.

 

Hello Don,

 

I am using Thunderbird for email client.

Do you know how I can find the email inside Thunderbird?

 

Regards,

queenpictoria

[PeterPeter]

April if you look under Tools/Account Settings it should show you were the data is stored on your hard drive. Mine points to c:\Documents and Settings\username\application data\thunderbird\profiles\mail\local folders

[TCH-Bruce]

I would suggest copying the entire profile folder for your Thunderbird. Once you install Thunderbird on the new drive you can copy your profile back and you will not have to reset up your accounts or anything.

 

This is one of the nicest features of Thunderbird. You can even get a USB flash drive and install portable Thunderbird and copy your profile to the USB drive and run from there.

[queenpictoria]

Hello.

 

I have been using Thunderbird for several months now. I am getting a bit more comfortable with it.

In the process of finding my email folders for saving to my hard drive, I discovered a previous concern

I had forgotten about.

 

I am finding myself still not able to find the "Application Data" file in my C Drive. I know it is important

because I've needed it before and I do now. I am puzzled because I found it only by walking back from

Thunderbird Message Storage.

 

So I am concerned because when I am looking for the “Application Data” file on my C Drive, it is not there.

Am I supposed to see it inside my “Username” file? Apparently it is there, because if I go into

Thunderbird \ Tools \ Account Settings \ ---There is a “Message Storage” section that shows me the path to the Local Folders file.

The Local Folders file is inside the Application Data so it must be there.

 

I click on the browse button inside Thunderbird and it opens up a file tree. As I walk the path back, there it is:

Documents and Settings \ Username \ Here all the folders are, including “Application Data” \ Thunderbird \ Profiles \ xxxxxx.default \ Mail \ Local Folders.

 

This is great because I now know that I do have a folder called “Application Data”.

The thing that bothers me is that I cannot get at it though “My Computer”. When I try to go to “Application Data” through My Computer this is what happens:

 

My Computer \C Drive \ Documents and Settings \ Username \ and then I see the items under “Username”:

 

Cookies

Desktop

Favorites

My Documents

Start Menu

UserData

WINDOWS

But NO “Application Data”

 

Does anyone else have this happen?

 

Is there another way to find the “Application Data” file other than through

Thunderbird’s Message Storage, and there by walking it back?

 

Perhaps there is something I cannot see.

Maybe my settings are off.

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Thanks for being there!!

 

 

Sincere Regards,

queenpictoria

[queenpictoria]

Hello.

 

I so much appreciate you guys being there.

 

In making an effort to save my emails before reformatting my hard drive,

I went through Thunderbird's Message Storage and found the Local Folders

file where the emails are.

 

They have extension names and I was wondering if anyone knew what the extensions

represented.

 

In the “Local Folders” file, the two extensions: “.msf” and “.sbd”. What do they represent?

 

This forum really helps me keep trying to learn. Thanks for the help I’ve already received.

 

Regards,

queenpictoria

[TCH-Thomas]

The only place I can think of looking in besides your own username is "All users" and "Default user" and if then not found, I would search the whole computer and see where it went.

[TCH-Thomas]

MSF seems to be a Summary File and SBD seems to be Mail Subdirectory files.

 

Source: filext.com

 

I would backup the whole profile folder and not just the msf and SBD though. This way you would loose no mail, settings or anything.

[TCH-Bruce]

The Application Data folder is only visible if you have your Windows Explorer set to show hidden files.

[queenpictoria]

The Application Data folder is only visible if you have your Windows Explorer set to show hidden files.

 

Bruce!

 

Thanks for shedding light on something I've wondered for a while!

I'll check my settings.

 

Best,

April