what personal TBird library file got lost, that now it wants me to create a totally new email acct .. right from scratch.
Started out .. somehow two address books were deleted .. confirmed it via User's Library, TBird folder. So, I tried a drag and drop from my Back-UP Drive, but it looked like perhaps I hit wrong button ... it looked like it wanted hours, making me think it was not just copying over those 2 files but the entire folder. So, I guess I panicked too quick and hit the stop button. Then the trouble began. I noted files missing due to interrupting the process. I have now spent hours, studying the TBird Profiles folder to not only get the 2 lost address files, but also scoured carefully for any other "absentees". Then, I thought to check my TBird email, in this Back-up drive mode, and Tbird showed nothing of my life/history with Tbird at all! It was asking me to create a new account! I thought by putting my email address back in there, and password, it would go to where it always does .. but NO such luck! I do not know all the stuff to put in there for account settings. So, I left that, and did a "by date" checking in the Profiles folder, to double check for missing files, and saw at top of list, 17 files like this, which obviously got changed when I opened Tbird etc. ... permissions.sqlite, session.json, prefs.js, virtualFolders.dat etc.. Restarted from Hard drive, put address book and other missing files in proper place, restarted AGAIN, opened TBird, and same blank "make an account" window staring at me, and no view/access to my years of emails files! YES, now in the Hard Drive, users etc. Profile folder, it does show all the address books, email folders, etc. etc. But I cannot access them thru TBird app .. Please help ... So much effort (and frustration) here, and I also fear loss of 4 days worth very important work. Thanks.
Chosen solution
All the things I did were on that instruction pages which you sent to me.
Sure, but once again, you were not supposed to carry out all of them, just one specific section.
it will ask me do I want to replace new with Old?
Overwrite whatever is in 9f4cqdgq.default with the contents from hkxc2v67.default.
Last login: Mon Sep 15 16:01:54 on ttys000 You have mail.
That's the local mail spooler on your Mac, it has got nothing to do with the account you set up in Thunderbird.
/Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird -profilemanager
I have no idea why this didn't work, may be you installed Thunderbird at a different location.
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Thunderbird probably lost track of your profile. Follow these instructions to re-connect your profile. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Moving_your_profile_folder_-_Thunderbird#Use_the_Profile_Manager_to_move_your_profile
Thanks so much, and I am very nervous. Did not at all sleep well last nite.
I did the 1st step, and got this .. -bash: /Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird: No such file or directory.
Finding the profile in Users/library etc. is no problem for me. and this file is in the Profiles folder, with my data ... hkxc2v67.default Also this is Profiles folder ... profiles.ini .. dated January 2007.
At beginning of the "Termninal - Bash" thing, it says this: Last login: Sat Sep 13 18:17:00 on console "You have mail." Which makes me think it is reading off the new TBird acct I created, when I opened TBird in my backup drive mode .. because when I open TBird, it is totally new, except for 2 emails that came in yesterday. I keep TBird closed because I do not want to deal with what that means .. and fear I lost some temp file or whatever.
That new Tbird acct has no info for connecting to internet, because I currently do not have all the "account settings, server settings etc.. but yet, it did download two emails yesterday.
My local server .. Cybermesa .. will be open Monday, and I can call to get all that stuff, if necessary.
Take a look at these instructions to start the profile manager. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager#Mac_OS_X
Perhaps I already screwed something up yesterday. I did a copy/paste from BackUp drive to this drive, of the files I had concern about .. MAIL folder; 4 .mab address files, and then a few perhaps temp files that showed recent dates. Perhaps that was a mistake. So that stuff is already in the .default folder, but perhaps I am getting the "no such file" because I mixed old with new?? ... breathe .. ! Thanks so much for your help!!
What I showed above about no such file is from that Profile Manager place. I tried both lines .. with and without "bin"
Can you try thunderbird -profilemanager
or
thunderbird-bin -profilemanager
this is what I did before:
/Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird-bin -profilemanager
/Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird -profilemanager
and got the No such file or directory results
Just did both strings again, and here is full copy of results: Last login: Sun Sep 14 06:43:55 on ttys000 You have mail. macmini:~ ananda$ /Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird-bin -profilemanager -bash: /Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird-bin: No such file or directory macmini:~ ananda$ /Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird -profilemanager -bash: /Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird: No such file or directory macmini:~ ananda$
I did this, again [General] StartWithLastProfile=0
[Profile0] Name=default IsRelative= Path=Profiles/hkxc2v67.default
and left Path as is, because that hkxc2v67 is the name on that Profile folder
and then opened TBird, as instructed, and now the last "new" acct. is gone, and it wants me to make a new one .. again, I cannot, really, because I do not have all the details for connecting to my server, etc.
so maybe that is progress, having got rid of that previous "new acct".
I'm really struggling to follow of what exactly you did. When you start Thunderbird, what profile is it using? Help (Alt-H) - Troubleshooting Information - Profile Directory - Open Directory Does that match the PATH entry in profiles.ini as per above?
Is it possible to resolve this without formating a new tbird acct, with the info from the server .. which I prob. can't get until tomorrow.?
oh, thank you for coming back. I will check and answer your question
From Profiles folder itself, the .ini shows this [General] StartWithLastProfile=0
[Profile0] Name=default IsRelative=0 Path=Profiles/hkxc2v67.default
Difference in this from last one I sent, is just the IsRelative now as an =0.
and there is a new Profile: pbczgotu.default old one is still there
i've never felt so nervous and afraid in my entire life! Thanks so much for your help
Am now on phone with my server tech support, and formating the account as TBird asks. we've done some things, but not good yet. need to see if you are back
/Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird -profilemanager
that string from the profiles manager link you sent, does not give me a box like in the attached pic. I am using a Mac, so things are a bit different here. I seem to be looping around here, opening and closing TBird as instructed, etc. getting new profiles created, but I seem to not get anyplace, because the only way I THINK it creates a new profile, is when I open TBird. But they say to create and upgrade the new profile BEFORE opening TBird. Would be nice to have that box in the pic. I do see my files .. address and emails, but such a headache trying to get a profile to work. All the previous settings/configurations I had in TBird for to sign on and connect with TBird .. where are they? Are they somewhere in the Profiles folder with my other info (addresses,etc.) .. or do I need to recreate that from scratch, putting in smtp stuff, etc.? Seems I can only do that with TBird open. having a tough time here; so sorry for the confusion and challenge on your end. thanks sooooooo much.
It appears you do have two profiles: hkxc2v67.default and pbczgotu.default
Once again, which one is used when you start Thunderbird? Please follow the instructions given above.
Is pbczgotu.default the one you copied over from your backup? Please confirm.
a44dux6w.default this is now the good one with all my files in it.
11csa4wq.default is a NEW one, to which I have added nothing, so it is clean .. only it's own basics, nothing from my side.
On one round of efforts, I recall selecting that profile from within TBird, but it did not change anything .. just a new Tbird window, but no personal files ..but they are in the profile folder!
Doing the new profile from this ..
/Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird -profilemanager
I get a new profile in the folder, but .. then what? This page has lots of info, but.. what to do? http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_data_to_a_new_profile_-_Thunderbird
I've tried drop and drag, old to new, telling it to replace any "new" in the profiles thing, but that did not help .. .why does it not open with my old info, I don't know. I just called a MacSpecialist friend; hopefully he can come over tomorrow.
You have helped so much .. but since I am unable to succeed, I should not consume more of your time on this today. Let my Mac tech friend come; and I will get back to you after that .. hopefully with good news.
Greetings, I finally got TBird to do SOMETHING! In the Pic, you will see everything listed where normally just our email folders are listed; and yes, the email folders, address books, etc. are showing, but I can not access anything. My cptr tech friend told me on phone he is not that familiar with TBird, and he cannot come until tomorrow. So I once again tackled this. Made a new profile, and did a copy from external HardDrive direct to the profiles folder, so it is the last backed up file, and of course still with that profile name. after transfer, I did this .. Account Settings -> Server Settings page, and use the "Browse" button to update its location ... to locate that folder. So, now, how to get things in correct places .. addresses to address book (now empty), and emails showing.
