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I've lost the emails stored under the local folders

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  • 9 have this problem
  • 4 views
  • Paskiausią atsakymą parašė Toad-Hall

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I'm using an IMAP account. Since i have a size limitation at the email provider I move old/unneeded mails or folders under the local folders in it's default storage place on the hard drive. Yesterday i entered local folders-settings and changed the directory from it's default to my inbox folder so that i will have a backup of the local folders. I was thinking thunderbird will move all my local folder emails to this location but i guess it just opened a new location since now i lost my folders and mails under the local folders and do not know how to restore them.

Help?

Thank you very much in advance.

I'm using an IMAP account. Since i have a size limitation at the email provider I move old/unneeded mails or folders under the local folders in it's default storage place on the hard drive. Yesterday i entered local folders-settings and changed the directory from it's default to my inbox folder so that i will have a backup of the local folders. I was thinking thunderbird will move all my local folder emails to this location but i guess it just opened a new location since now i lost my folders and mails under the local folders and do not know how to restore them. Help? Thank you very much in advance.

Chosen solution

Changing the directory only tells Thunderbird to look somewhere else, it does not move anything.

I assume you are trying to put A COPY of emails currently stored in Local Folders back onto the imap server Inbox where they originally came from. But you also said that you had moved them off the imap server due to a quota issue. so this is a bit confusing.

If you are only wanting to create a backup of the emails in Local Folders, but do not want to put them back onto the server as this will cause a quota issue, then you could do any of the following:

Create a folder outside of Thunderbird eg: on the desktop and call it eg: TB Backup. Option 1: Save individual emails in .eml format

  • Right click on email and choose 'Save as',
  • select where to save eg: TB Backup and click on Save.

Option 2: Download an addon called ImportExporttools to desktop or downloads folder.

Install: In Thunderbird Tools . addons or Menu icon > addons

  • click on gear wheel icon and select 'Install addon from file'
  • locate the file you downloaded and click on Open.
  • You may need to restart Thunderbird.

To use addon: Right click on folder select : 'ImportExporttools' > Export Folder' there are various Export options.

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OK!!

I've just redirected it c\users\appdata\thunderbird\roaming.. and found the location of the local folders, restart and got it back. I'll read on to find how do I move the local folders to my Inbox folder without loosing it.

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Chosen Solution

Changing the directory only tells Thunderbird to look somewhere else, it does not move anything.

I assume you are trying to put A COPY of emails currently stored in Local Folders back onto the imap server Inbox where they originally came from. But you also said that you had moved them off the imap server due to a quota issue. so this is a bit confusing.

If you are only wanting to create a backup of the emails in Local Folders, but do not want to put them back onto the server as this will cause a quota issue, then you could do any of the following:

Create a folder outside of Thunderbird eg: on the desktop and call it eg: TB Backup. Option 1: Save individual emails in .eml format

  • Right click on email and choose 'Save as',
  • select where to save eg: TB Backup and click on Save.

Option 2: Download an addon called ImportExporttools to desktop or downloads folder.

Install: In Thunderbird Tools . addons or Menu icon > addons

  • click on gear wheel icon and select 'Install addon from file'
  • locate the file you downloaded and click on Open.
  • You may need to restart Thunderbird.

To use addon: Right click on folder select : 'ImportExporttools' > Export Folder' there are various Export options.