Transferring Your Account in Thunderbird (Window XP)
At some point it is likely that you will upgrade past the computer you are currently using, either with a new Operating System, or an entirely new machine. When you do that, you'll have to install all your programs onto that new machine.
However, you aren't going to want to lose your email settings (email, account details, address book, etc.). Thankfully, you don't have to. Although the process is a little more complex than just install Thunderbird itself, if can still be performed easily enough.
First thing you will need to do is find and copy the actual files that comprise your email account in Thunderbird. To do this, you will need to go to the specific files themselves, copy them, and paste them to the transfer device (i.e., a floppy disk, server-side storage folder, CD-R, etc.).
The specific file path will change depending on your actual login name for Windows, however, it will look like this:
To note, to actually see the files you will need to be able to "See Hidden Files". You will need to enable that option, which we will cover in a second.
Also, the folder marked "profilefolder.default" in the above example is actually simply a folder named by a randomly generated batch of letters and numbers, followed by the ".default". The name doesn't matter, so long as you copy the folder in its entirety.
With those caveats in mind, let's copy over your email.
As was mentioned above, first thing we will need to do is enable you computer to see "Hidden Files". Open up "My Computer". At the top will the "File Menu" (so called because the first option on the menu is "File). Click on "Tools" and then "Folder Options".
A window will pop open. Click on the "View" tab. Scroll down until you see "Show hidden files and folders", and click that option so it's enabled. Then click "Apply" at the bottom of the window.
Now we're ready to copy the files. In "My Computer", open these folders, in order:
- The C Drive (C:, Local Disk C)
- Documents and Settings
- UserName (this will be the Windows login name you use -- if you login as "Joe Bob", the folder will be "Joe Bob", if you have no user name, Window just loads, likely your user name is "User" or "Owner".
- Application Data
- Thunderbird
- Profiles
- Copy the "profilefolder.default" folder (this is the folder that starts with a randomly generated bunch of letters and number and ends in ".default" -- as an example: rjxpq6mh.default). Copy it. Do not simply open it. Copy it in its entirety, folder and all.
Copy that profile folder to whatever medium you're using to transfer the files (like a floppy of a CD-R). Then, just take that to the new computer, and paste it right back into the Profiles folder on the new machine. In other words, in "My Computer" on the new machine, open these folders, in order:
- The C Drive (C:, Local Disk C)
- Documents and Settings
- UserName (this will be the Windows login name you will be using on the new machine)
- Application Data
- Thunderbird
- Profiles
- Paste the "profilefolder.default" folder. Paste it. Do not paste the contents without the folder. Paste it in its entirety, folder and all.
Now, with the profile folder where it should be on the new machine, it's time to enable the email account. On the "Start Menu", open the "Programs" folder (it may be called "All Programs" or "Show All Programs" option, depending on how you have Windows XP setup). This will drop out your various programs folders. Open the Mozilla Thunderbird folder.
Here we will see various Mozilla applications. Open (run) the "Profile Manager").
The "Profile Manager" will launch in its own window. Either ignore or delete the default profile that's already loaded (since that's not the one we will be using), and instead click on "Create Profile".
The "Create Profile Wizard" will launch, and will easily guide you through the process. We'll cover, briefly, each of the steps.
First, the Wizard will explain the Create process. Read over it, and click "Next".
Then, the Wizard will ask you to name your new account. This name doesn't matter to the program, it's simply what you will like the Profile to be called. Name it something simple, like "Joe's Email".
Now, on this same screen, we come to the meat of the process, where you actually navigate the program to where the profile is stored. Again, going down the list of folders:
- Open "My Computer"
- Open the C Drive (C:, Local Disk C)
- Open Documents and Settings
- Open UserName (this will be the Windows login name you are using on this new machine)
- Open Application Data
- Open Thunderbird
- Open Profiles
- Click the "profilefolder.default" folder. This is as far as you go.
Now click "Okay" without navigating any further into the folders. The program will recognize the files in this folder, and start using them. Click finish.
You can now click "Start Thunderbird" and the program will start with all your old data. Congratulations!