How can I move the Thunderbird e-mail data from the default location of the C; drive to another drive?
On my workstation the Thunderbird e-mail data is saved in the C:\Users\[My Name]\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird... directory.
The data consumes considerable hard drive space and I would like to create a directory on my F: drive (that has 100+GB of data free) to "off-drive" the data. If it's even possible, how do I configure Thunderbird to use this different data directory on a different drive??
BTW, I tried to do this by copying the data/profile in the above C: drive directory to my F: drive. I changed the "Local Directory" setting in the "Message Storage" pane on the "Server Settings" window in the "Account Settings" appropriately. I even changed the path in the profiles.ini file in the default C: directory. This process didn't work and resulted in Thunderbird demanding that I create a new account. All returned to normal when I copied the Thunderbird data to its original location.
Chosen solution
Thank you for any advice you can provide. I am using Windows 7 64 bit.
Using the article referenced by sfhowes above I am unable to start Program Manager for Thunderbird 52.2.1. I have moved on to the editing the Profiles.ini file option in the article.
Although Thunderbird is located on my D: drive, the only apparent Profiles.ini file is located on the C: drive in the same folder as the large Profiles folder I want to move to the D: drive. It is not titled "Profiles.ini" but simply Profiles and opens in Notepad. It seems to contain the language that is to be edited according to the article.
Have I found the correct file? >If Yes;
Going forward, where is this apparent Profiles.ini file to remain? On the C: drive or the D: drive? My question may be, will Thunderbird always look to C: for instructions as to where to store my Profile folder and consequently does the relevant C: file structure need to remain with just the large Profiles folder deleted (the crash reports are not a storage issue) and relocated to the D: drive?
At this point I have copied the entire Thunderbird folder which contains both the Profiles folder and the apparent Profiles.ini file as well as a Crash Reports folder to the D: drive.
Again, thanks for any help you can provide.
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Did you try the method of using Profile Manager?
Press winkey+R, type thunderbird.exe -p to start Profile Manager.
Chosen Solution
Thank you for any advice you can provide. I am using Windows 7 64 bit.
Using the article referenced by sfhowes above I am unable to start Program Manager for Thunderbird 52.2.1. I have moved on to the editing the Profiles.ini file option in the article.
Although Thunderbird is located on my D: drive, the only apparent Profiles.ini file is located on the C: drive in the same folder as the large Profiles folder I want to move to the D: drive. It is not titled "Profiles.ini" but simply Profiles and opens in Notepad. It seems to contain the language that is to be edited according to the article.
Have I found the correct file? >If Yes;
Going forward, where is this apparent Profiles.ini file to remain? On the C: drive or the D: drive? My question may be, will Thunderbird always look to C: for instructions as to where to store my Profile folder and consequently does the relevant C: file structure need to remain with just the large Profiles folder deleted (the crash reports are not a storage issue) and relocated to the D: drive?
At this point I have copied the entire Thunderbird folder which contains both the Profiles folder and the apparent Profiles.ini file as well as a Crash Reports folder to the D: drive.
Again, thanks for any help you can provide.
The profiles.ini file on the C drive need not be moved anywhere, as it is the file that tells TB where the profile folder is located. By default, the profile is in the Profiles folder, and the Profiles folder, along with profiles.ini, are in the .../AppData/Roaming/Thunderbird folder.
Copy the profile folder to D, then edit profiles.ini to indicate the new location, or do the same with Profile Manager as stated above.
I don't know why you can't start Profile Manager, unless you have installed TB in some non-standard location. Even so, it should be sufficient to type in the complete path to thunderbird.exe, followed by a space and -p.
Thanks a ton, sfhowes. BTW, why does my reply/question show as the :"Chosen Solution?"
Usually, the original poster, in this case tmarini, can select a reply as the 'Chosen Solution', by clicking a link in the notification message they receive when a reply is posted. Or, a forum moderator (I'm not one) can do the same thing.
Yet another question: I seem to have successfully edited the Profile.ini file on my C: drive, Thunderbird loads and everything is there. Is there a way for me to confirm the Profile on D: is the one being used before deleting the one on C: ?
Thanks in advance
You could select Help/Troubleshooting Information, click Open Folder to open the profile folder, then sort the folder by Date modified to see that new files are created.
Yes, that is perfect sfhowes. When I click on open folder under Application Basics>Profile Folder it opens Profile file located on D: in whatever you call what passes for Windows Explorer in Win 7.
Thanks again