Trying to move Tbird from Windows to MAC
I have read probably 100 of your help topics and none of them seem to address my topic in plain english. I have used Thunderbird for years on a windows computer (currently windows 10, Tbird Ver 78.6.0) and I am trying to move my profile from my windows computer to a new Mac running Big Sur Ver 11.1. Thunderbird (for some unknown reason) actually created 4 different profiles on my windows machine (two under: users/alan/AppData/Local, and the same two profiles under users/alan/AppData/roaming) but I have figured out which profile that Thunderbird is using based upon the help/troubleshooting/profile folder/open folder (which happens to be one of the ones located under: users/alan/AppData/roaming) and it is 13.9GB. I copied this folder (and all included files) to a jump drive so that I could move it to my new Mac.
I am new to Apple and know nothing about their operating system. I downloaded Thunderbird from the Mozilla website and installed it according to their directions. I finally found the default profile on my Mac that was created when I installed Thunderbird and I deleted it. I copied my existing windows profile to the same location. Now when I start Thunderbird I am greeted with a message that states: "Your Thunderbird profile cannot be loaded. It may be missing or inaccessible." Obviously I have done something wrong. Please direct me how to correct my problem -- it seems like this should be pretty simple, but I am lost. Thank you very much!! - Alan
Chosen solution
To answer your question, the default profile (after I restored it) is at: Macintosh HD > Users > alanguddat > Library > Thunderbird > Profiles. However the library file folder is not visible in Finder. So I think that what I am dealing with at this point is my lack of knowledge of the Mac OS -- the Library file folder must be a hidden folder by default and I need to find out how to unhide it (it's curious that it wasn't hidden a couple of days ago -- I must've changed a setting somewhere). Thank you very much for your help -- once I am able to unhide the path to the default profile created by Thunderbird you have told me exactly what I need to do. I very much appreciate your patience with me and the help that you have given to me -- Thank You Very Much!!
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Thunderbird is using based upon the help/troubleshooting/profile folder/open folder (which happens to be one of the ones located under: users/alan/AppData/roaming)
Such a path does not exist in Windows. The correct path is C:\Users\<your user ID>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles
Using the correct terminology helps.
I finally found the default profile on my Mac that was created when I installed Thunderbird and I deleted it.
Deleting the automatically created profile was wrong.
I copied my existing windows profile to the same location.
That was kinda wrong too. What you should have done:
- Close Thunderbird.
- Delete the contents of the new profile folder that was created when I installed Thunderbird.
- Copy the contents of the existing windows profile folder (its files and subfolders) into the new, empty profile folder.
If you still have the deleted profile folder in Trash, just restore it to it's original location, and follow the steps above.
If not, then
- Close Thunderbird.
- Navigate to ~/Library/Thunderbird/.
- Delete the two files profiles.ini, and installs.ini.
- Start Thunderbird. A new empty profile will be created.
- Follow the steps above
it seems like this should be pretty simple
It is.
Thank you for trying to help me, at 62 and disabled for 15 years I have lost my mental acuity. I looked on my Mac under 'Library' but Thunderbird does not exist there. I went to the trash to try to restore the 'Profiles' file that I deleted. This file (Profiles) has two file folders in it -- thf0tzen.default-release and ungsj4lh.default. I tried the right click 'put back' on the 'Profiles' folder and I get a message that says "A newer item named "Profiles" already exists in this location. Do you want to replace it with the older one you're moving? I feel very lost in "Finder" -- there doesn't seem to be any root directory and there doesn't seem to be any order to how it shows the file system. Under 'Locations' it shows 'Macintosh HD'. Under Macintosh HD it shows 'Library' in the left pane but it also shows 'System' in the left pane which has another 'Library' under that. Thunderbird is not in either Library folder. If I search for Thunderbird in finder it shows at the bottom of the finder window that it is at alanguddat > Library > Caches > Metadata > Thunderbird. If I navigate to Macintosh HD > Users > alanguddat, there is no 'Library' folder there. (It also shows the original downloaded .dmg file at alanguddat > Downloads > Thunderbird 78.6.0.dmg and the application file at Macintosh HD > Applications > Thunderbird) Sorry to be an idiot trying to navigate an operating system that I don't understand, but I really do appreciate any help that you might be able to give me.
Sorry to be an idiot trying to navigate an operating system that I don't understand
Not using a Mac here, so I can't help with that.
I finally found the default profile on my Mac that was created when I installed Thunderbird and I deleted it.
So you've been there before. What is the full path to the profile directory you deleted earlier?
transfer TB-profile , from macOS/mac computers , into windows computers: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1321016
transfer TB-profile , from macOS/mac computers , into another macOS/mac computer: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1320714
transfer TB-profile from one windows computer, into another windows computer: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1320355
transfer TB-profile from windows computer , into macOS computer: please see above links for exact FOLDER locations inside windows & macOS , once you understand the pattern/process then you can do reverse process.
in windows & macOS , various system & data folders are kept as hidden , so in "Finder" (macOS) & in windows file "Explorer" , they need to show those hidden files+folders: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Show_hidden_files_and_folders
TB-profile folder location: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-thunderbird-stores-user-data
More/Related Info: • Disable AV/FW/SS software mail-protection OR enable+add+allow EXCEPTIONS in it & add mail-server names/address . Some AV/SS creates insecure proxy/gateway for scanning/checking emails, but there are other secure way to scan/check emails . Please make sure the option "Allow AV to Quarantine email" is selected inside TB, and make sure your AV/SS is set to "Scan all files on access". • Regain old data in Windows : by using downgrade process, or by using a Second-TB, or by using manual file-transfer, etc). • Downgrade TB in macOS : downgrade by using second-TB , upgrade/downgrade TB. • AT&T , ATT-Yahoo related settings for TB. • Yahoo , ATT-Yahoo related settings for TB. • Microsoft Hotmail/Outlook related settings for TB. • Convert MAB/mork or SQLite based Address-Book into other format , MBOX (combined)-email files into other format. • Disable auto-update or update of TB : inside the linked page , click on the topside 1st link to goto the auto-update disable instruction page into another website.
Chosen Solution
To answer your question, the default profile (after I restored it) is at: Macintosh HD > Users > alanguddat > Library > Thunderbird > Profiles. However the library file folder is not visible in Finder. So I think that what I am dealing with at this point is my lack of knowledge of the Mac OS -- the Library file folder must be a hidden folder by default and I need to find out how to unhide it (it's curious that it wasn't hidden a couple of days ago -- I must've changed a setting somewhere). Thank you very much for your help -- once I am able to unhide the path to the default profile created by Thunderbird you have told me exactly what I need to do. I very much appreciate your patience with me and the help that you have given to me -- Thank You Very Much!!