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Thunderbird (TB) notes

The Thunderbird configuration (settings, local mailboxes, address books, etc…) is stored by default in the user's Windows directory. It's a good idea to move it to another known place, in order to be able to back it up or move it to another computer!

If you are using Linux, go the the Thunderbird and Firefox on Linux page

Prerequisite

You need to be able to see Windows' hidden directories in order to access the configuration directory

  1. Open a Windows' window by double-clicking on the computer icon
    • Windows XP: Select Tools ⇒ Folders' options ⇒ Display
    • Windows 7: Select Organize ⇒ Folders and search options ⇒ Display
  2. Enable Display hidden files and folders

Moving the TB configuration directory

  1. Make sure TB is not running!
  2. Go to the TB directory
    • Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<your_login>\Application Data\Thunderbird
    • Windows 7: C:\Users\<your_login>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird
  3. Locate the TB configuration directory in the Thunderbird\Profiles directory (a sub-directory named <random_string>.default)
  4. Copy <random_string>.default to a fixed and known location on the computer, preferably a sub-directory of the manually created user DATA FOLDER and give a meaningful name to the directory
    • We suggest: <random_string>.default\ ⇒ <disk:>\Users\<your_login>\Thunderbird\Profiles\<your_login>_TB\
  5. Edit the Thunderbird\profiles.ini file so that TB knows where to look for the new location of its configuration directory
    • IsRelative=1
      ⇒ IsRelative=0
    • Path=Profiles\<random_string>.default
      ⇒ Path=<disk:>\Users\<your_login>\Thunderbird\Profiles\<your_login>_TB
  6. Start TB and check that everything is the same as before
  7. Later, when things seem to work correctly, remove the original Thunderbird\Profiles\<random_string>.default directory!

Restoring a TB configuration directory

If you have copied a TB configuration from another computer and want to use it… We assume that the restored TB directory is:

  • <disk:>\Users\<your_login>\Thunderbird\Profiles\<your_login>_TB
  1. Start and exit TB, in order to have it initialize the default configuration
  2. Go to the Windows 7 TB configuration directory
    C:\Users\<your_login>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird
  3. Remove the the Thunderbird\Profiles\<random_string>.default\ directory that has just been created
  4. Edit the Thunderbird\profiles.ini file so that TB knows where to look for the new location of its configuration directory
    • IsRelative=1
      ⇒ IsRelative=0
    • Path=Profiles\<random_string>.default
      ⇒ Path=<disk:>\Users\<your_login>\Thunderbird\Profiles\<your_login>_TB
  5. Start TB and check that everything is OK





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other/thunderbird.1447863675.txt.gz · Last modified: 2015/11/18 16:21 by jypeter