The local folders are usually in the Mail/Local Folders and Mail/<popservername> subfolders of the profile folder. The profile folder is, by default, in the C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<profilefolder> location. In your case, it appears to be in .../Thunderbird/MAIL_FOLDERS.sbd. In the normal setup, you would look for mbox files - large files with no extension, named after folders - in Mail/Local Folders and Mail/<popservername>, and sbd (subdirectory) subfolders. Whatever the configuration is, just copy the mbox files into the Mail/Local Folders location of the active profile. The active profile can be opened from Help/More Troubleshooting, Profile Folder, Open Folder. Close TB before copying in the mbox files.

If you have to create a new profile with default folder locations, click about:profiles in the More Troubleshooting tab.

sfhowes: Thank You for your reply. I am missing a step or two trying to follow your directions. I admit defeat and am trying now to locate a local computer wiz to show me "hands on" to restore my local files.

Walt

(C:)>Users>XXXXX>AppData>Roaming>Thunderbird>Profiles>Thunderbird>MAIL_FOLDERS.sbd

That does not sound correct: You should not have a 'Thunderbird' folder in the 'Profiles' folder - you should have 'profile name' folders that typically have this type of name 123qwe4.default or 123qwe4.default-release or if you gave it a name eg: 123qwe4.Business

I'm presuming - in Folder Pane under 'Local Folders' - you had a folder which you created and it was called 'MAIL_FOLDERS' and it had subfolders in it. Locate:

• (C:)>Users>XXXXX>AppData>Roaming>Thunderbird>Profiles>'profile name' folder > Mail >Local Folders

Move the 'MAIL_FOLDERS.sbd' folder into 'Local Folders' folder. So you have this: (C:)>Users>XXXXX>AppData>Roaming>Thunderbird>Profiles>'profile name' folder > Mail >Local Folders>'MAIL_FOLDERS.sbd' In the 'Local Folders' folder, do you have a 'MAIL_FOLDERS' mbox file - it has no extension. If yes, that is good. If no, create a 'New' > 'Text Document' Call it 'MAIL_FOLDERS' - it must be spelt exactly the same as the MAIL_FOLDERS.sbd It will created as MAIL_FOLDERS.txt file - then rename it by removing the .txt extension, you will get a warning, but say yes.

Remember you must exit Thunderbird before doing all the above. If you intend to get hands on help then show them this info.

Toad After carefully following your example step by step, I recovered my local folders. However the mail stops at Nov 2019, with no saved mail from then to the present. I have a starting point to look for whatever I saved from Nov 2019 to Oct 2021, when the SSD was wiped after repairs by ASUS.

Thank You Walt

Not sure if you lost emails that originally were downloaded from gmail or whether you are currently accessing the gmail account via POP.

If you used POP at time of motherboard issue and are still using POP then you could check to see if they were ever properly deleted from the gmail server. Logon to gmail account via a browser and see what is still stored in the 'All Mail' folder. Also check the setting in webmail account. You may be able to redownload messages previously popped. Look at info at the following link under sub heading: 'Re-downloading messages and excluding existing messages' https://support.google.com/a/answer/6089246?

Good to hear you have recovered some emails.

Toad: I was able to recover most of the 2019-present mail by going into the "All Mail" folder for my protonmail e-mail. I always wondered why there existed the "All Mail" folder, but now I know one use for it. My g-mail account is where all the unimportant, junk e-mail is sent.

Thanks Again for your help and advice Walt