I have located the folder that Thunderbird is using for Message Storage in the Server Settings for the POP3 account. When I open that folder through windows explorer, I can see all of the folders, and based on their size there looks to be varying amounts of data in each file. My question now is, since the Server Setting/Message Storage target folder looks to be correct, why are the folders not appearing in the UI of Thunderbird?

Do you have multiple copies of the account directory?

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Disappearing_mail#Account_specific

I do have multiple profiles for the same server by design. I am checking two accounts.

One of the accounts has virtually no activity. The one with the problem has all of the activity. I have realized that there are only two main folders that I have set up for the problem account. One is a personal folder, and the other a work folder. The only folder missing is the work folder. My personal folder, inbox, sent, archive and trash folders are all visible. The large work folder is not visible. However when I go to the settings and change the target to the work folder, everything shows up except the folders I listed above. Although it is is nice to see that I have all the information, this is not a long term solution. Please help me find out how to get the work folder to show with the other standard folders and personal folder.

> when I go to the settings and change the target to the work folder

What setting, and what target?

right click on mail account/Server Settings/Local directory: C:\Documents and Settings\m.gilman\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\bcn7zi6b.default\Mail\mail.richclean-1.com

Underneath this folder in the folder tree are the inbox and custom folders. This is the folder that only shows if I point the local directory (target) to it: C:\Documents and Settings\m.gilman\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\bcn7zi6b.default\Mail\mail.richclean-1.com\Richclean.sbd

Don't mess with the Local Directory setting. Leave it at C:\Documents and Settings\m.gilman\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\bcn7zi6b.default\Mail\mail.richclean-1.com.

Not sure how, but you somehow managed to mess up your directory structure. Can you provide screenshots of the contents of the Mail\mail.richclean-1.com and Mail\mail.richclean-1.com\Richclean.sbd directories?

http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-do-i-create-screenshot-my-problem

I'm talking about the directories in the file system, not within Thunderbird.

Does this capture what you wanted to see?

Almost. I was looking for the contents of Mail\mail.richclean-1.com\Richclean.sbd as well.

Windows Explorer is probably more suitable to provide that information than the 'Browse for Folder' dialog.

Since we're at it, can you also provide the contents of Mail\mail.richclean.com?

Apparently you have a mail.richclean.com as well as a mail.richclean-1.com folder. So the answer to my first question about multiple copies of the account directory would have been a simple 'yes'.

Here is image of the folder contents.

Good. Just to recap:

You do see your work folder when the 'Local Directory' is set to 'C:\Documents and Settings\m.gilman\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\bcn7zi6b.default\Mail\mail.richclean-1.com'.
But you don't see the remaining folder structure, starting from 'Customers' through 'Vendors'.

Is this correct?

In any case, make sure to create a full backup of your profile folder before the next step.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Thunderbird_:_FAQs_:_Backing_Up_and_Restoring

No, I cannot see the work folder at all. You can see from the first screen shot the folders that I am able to see.

I can see the work folder and its sub folders only when the local directory is pointed directly to it. C:\Documents and Settings\m.gilman\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\bcn7zi6b.default\Mail\mail.richclean-1.com\Richclean.sbd

I now have the entire profile folder backed up to another drive on the network.

Ok, I think I got it now.

From within Thunderbird, create a new folder 'Richclean' underneath the '[email protected]' account.
Right-click the account - New Folder

What does this create in the file system underneath Mail\mail.richclean-1.com?

When I created the Richclean folder, it now shows all of the folders in Thunderbird that I was missing. It added a inbox and trash subfolder under Richclean as well.

Is there a way to get rid of those superfluous folders?

Close Thunderbird.

Delete the files Inbox, Inbox.msf, Trash, and Trash.msf underneath Mail\mail.richclean-1.com\Richclean.sbd.

My week just got better. Thanks for all your help!