Moving your mail storage location - Thunderbird
By default, your mail is stored in your profile folder, along with your address books and settings. If you want to move your mail (but not the entire contents of the profile folder) to a different location, follow the steps below.
For accounts using the global Inbox (Local Folders)
1. Create a folder in the new location where you would like to store your mail.
2. Go to your existing profile folder and copy your mail files over to the new location. In Windows, your profile folder is probably in the hidden folder C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles. By default accounts using the global Inbox have their messages stored in Local Folders, which is located in the Mail folder in your profile folder. Copy the entire contents of Local Folders, including all subfolders, over to the new location.
3. Start Thunderbird and go Tools > Account Settings and then click on Local Folders in the left pane (you may need to scroll down to see it). Where it says "Local directory", enter the path to the new location of your mail.
- Note: there is a bug in Thunderbird version 0.8 which prevents the directory setting for Local Folders from being changed in this manner. This bug has apprently been fixed and should not affect subsequent versions.
You will need to restart Thunderbird to see the changes. Once you're certain that Thunderbird recognizes the new location of your mail, you can go back and delete the mail files from your profile folder.
For accounts not using the global Inbox
1. Create a folder in the new location where you would like to store your mail.
2. Go to your existing profile folder and copy your mail files over to the new location. In Windows, your profile folder is probably in the hidden folder C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles. For each account you want to move: find that account's folder in the Mail folder (POP3 accounts) or the ImapMail folder (IMAP accounts) and copy its entire contents, including all of its subfolders, over to the new location.
3. Start Thunderbird and go Tools > Account Settings > Server Settings. Where it says "Local directory", enter the path to the new location of your mail.
4. If you have more than one mail account, repeat step 3 for each account whose mail you moved in steps 1-2.
You will need to restart Thunderbird to see the changes. Once you're certain that Thunderbird recognizes the new location of your mail, you can go back and delete the mail files from your profile folder.