re :Last night Windows 10 updated. It apparently uninstalled Thunderbird.

A simple Win 10 update should not start uninstalling programs and deleteing files and folders. Did you update OS from eg: Win 8 to Win 10?

Did you need to download and install Thunderbird program again? Can you see a 'windows.old' folder on your desktop ?

Thank you Toad-Hall. The computer already had Windows 10. This was the Fall Creators Update to version 1709. I told it to restart last night. When I looked at it this morning all the icons were gone. I had to go online to get help to find them.

I did not need to install Thunderbird again. When I clicked on the icon it started but with most of the folders missing and nothing in the address book or inbox etc. It created a new profile and there is no sign of the old one.

There was no windows.old folder on the desktop but I did find under C: but I did not find a link to the profile form there.

re :Fall Creators Update to version 1709 Yes, this update is causing much mayhem according to google search results.

re :There was no windows.old folder on the desktop but I did find under C: but I did not find a link to the profile form there.

Appdata folders and files are usually hidden. You need to make hidden files and folders visible first.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Show_hidden_files_and_folders

Open 'windows.old' folder and check for this location: C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\

Does the 'Thunderbird' folder contain a 'Profiles' folder? Does the 'Profiles' folder contain a 'profile name' folder, usually called 'xxxxxxxx.default' where the x's are letters and numbers?

Toad-Hall said

re :Fall Creators Update to version 1709 Yes, this update is causing much mayhem according to google search results. re :There was no windows.old folder on the desktop but I did find it under C: but I did not find a link to the profile form there. Appdata folders and files are usually hidden. You need to make hidden files and folders visible first.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Show_hidden_files_and_folders

Open 'windows.old' folder and check for this location: C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\ Does the 'Thunderbird' folder contain a 'Profiles' folder? Does the 'Profiles' folder contain a 'profile name' folder, usually called 'xxxxxxxx.default' where the x's are letters and numbers?

Thank you again Toad-Hall. I went to folder advanced settings and selected show hidden files folders and drives.

I found C:\Windows.old\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft which did not contain any reference to Thunderbird.

I also found C:\Windows.old\Public which also did not contain contain any reference to Thunderbird.

When I go to the Profiles folder via Thunderbird Help, I see only the new profile which is ut7nph2p.default. That profile is in the newly created C:\Users\Richard.DESKTOP-QG70AR8\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\

However, I can now go C:\Users\Richard\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\87s83mfm.Richard dated 11/14/17 which is the old and desired profile. But I do not see the new profile there.

I cannot seem get Profile Manager to point Thunderbird to the original profile folder.

We are getting close!

Update: I even tried to delete the new Richard.DESKTOP-QG70AR8 but Wiindows said it could not be done as it is a sub folder of the desktop. Thunderbird insists on putting profiles there. I finally just removed the new profile and profiles.ini from there and moved the old profile and profiles.ini file there and it works fine. 50,000 emails are back!

Thank you for the help!