Cannot install profile after reformat
Hubby reformatted his computer. Windows 10.
He then downloaded latest version of Thunderbird and then, as he didn't know what he was doing, messed everything up trying to get his old profile back! Cut a long story short:
Created a new profile and then moved his old profile files into the newly created profile folder. Which has always worked in the past.
But it won't open his old profile. When opening Thunderbird it just brings up a box: "A newer version of Thunderbird may have made changes to your profile which are no longer compatible with this older version. Use this profile only with that newer version, or create a new profile for this installation of Thunderbird."
He downgraded Thunderbird to the version he would have had prior to reformatting, but still keeps getting that message.
Read https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/unable-launch-older-version-profile but didn't find it much help as still couldn't see how to get his old profile working.
Chosen solution
Hi David
Yes, I did erase the roaming/thunderbird folder each time I uninstalled. And again it failed. Until a lightbulb went off!!!
I had been looking at it the wrong way round. I had believed that prior to reformatting he had been using an old version of Thunderbird (he NEVER updates things!). And therefore the message was incorrect as I believed it to be the latest version of Thunderbird and an older profile.
However, I suddenly thought to download and try the BETA version, and it worked!!!
The silly sausage had somehow, at some time in the past and prior to reformatting, thought to update and then somehow (goodness knows how!) managed to update to the BETA version!!! [big sigh]
But we know have it working :) Thanks for your help.
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I don't have a 'solution', but the message is stating not to revert to prior version, as the profile is set for use with a more recent version. If he gets the error when running 102.7, that would imply that he previously installed a beta version, which is not downward compatible. You're attempting to download to a prior version of Thunderbird, when the profile is set for a newer version. But, as you say, we don't know what he really did. If his email account is IMAP, the simpler solution may be to just start with a fresh profile. If POP account, he could install the account, but omit entering password to prevent downloading mail. Then, with thunderbird not running, copy the ...\Mail\account folder from old profile to the corresponding folder in new profile and then restart thunderbird. AND, I'm not the sharpest tool in this forum, so you may receive advice from others. Good luck.
Thanks. Unfortunately it's POP3
He says when he was trying to sort it out he thinks it did say BETA.
I did create a new profile and copied over the main account folder, but it didn't work. He has two email addresses.
Do you know how we can completely remove Thunderbird, so we can start fresh and I'll download it! When you just uninstall it retains setups so as soon as you install it uses those setups which messes us up.
Desperate for help here!
- I removed all trace of the Thunderbird installation
- I downloaded the latest version of Thunderbird 102.7.2 (NOT beta)
- I created a profile within the folder I wanted it in
- I copied over the mail folder from the backup into the new profile
And I still get this message. The message is WRONG. I have the latest version of Thunderbird installed. I don't know which version the backup was using, but perhaps 102.6. It is a clean backup and has not been altered by Thunderbird.
The only thing I can think of is that hubby had saved all his emails in folders under the inbox, whether it was the local inbox or not I'm not sure, but think it was.
Please! How can I get help with this. It's all very well to create a new profile and start over, but that would mean hundreds of emails that were saved in folders are lost
Did you erase the ....appdata\roaming\thunderbird folder? That would be where the beta profile was stored. Once you have a fresh profile, my suggestions in earlier post should work.
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Hi David
Yes, I did erase the roaming/thunderbird folder each time I uninstalled. And again it failed. Until a lightbulb went off!!!
I had been looking at it the wrong way round. I had believed that prior to reformatting he had been using an old version of Thunderbird (he NEVER updates things!). And therefore the message was incorrect as I believed it to be the latest version of Thunderbird and an older profile.
However, I suddenly thought to download and try the BETA version, and it worked!!!
The silly sausage had somehow, at some time in the past and prior to reformatting, thought to update and then somehow (goodness knows how!) managed to update to the BETA version!!! [big sigh]
But we know have it working :) Thanks for your help.