Moving your profile folder: Difference between revisions

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In each case, you will be moving the contents of an existing [[Profile Folder | profile folder]] in Thunderbird, Netscape, or Mozilla to a different location, so do not proceed until you have found on your computer the profile folder whose contents you want to move. [[Thunderbird : FAQs : Cannot Find Profile Folder | Read this]] if you are having trouble finding or identifying your Thunderbird profile folder.
In each case, you will be moving the contents of an existing [[Profile Folder | profile folder]] in Thunderbird, Netscape, or Mozilla to a different location, so do not proceed until you have found on your computer the profile folder whose contents you want to move. [[Thunderbird : FAQs : Cannot Find Profile Folder | Read this]] if you are having trouble finding or identifying your Thunderbird profile folder.


Four basic steps are then required:
Five basic steps are then required:


1. Create a new Thunderbird profile. If you are launching Thunderbird for the first time it will automatically create a default profile for you, in the [[Thunderbird : FAQs : Profile folder | default location]]. If you are not using Thunderbird for the first time or if you wish to create a new profile in a location of your own choice, you should instead use the [[Thunderbird : FAQs : Profile Manager | Profile Manager]]. Once you have created the new profile, make sure to exit Thunderbird before continuing.
1. Create a new Thunderbird profile. If you are launching Thunderbird for the first time it will automatically create a default profile for you, in the [[Thunderbird : FAQs : Profile folder | default location]]. If you are not using Thunderbird for the first time or if you wish to create a new profile in a location of your own choice, you should instead use the [[Thunderbird : FAQs : Profile Manager | Profile Manager]]. Once you have created the new profile, make sure to exit Thunderbird before continuing.
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For example, replace all instances of "C:\\Documents and Settings\\WindowsUserAccountName\\Application Data\\Thunderbird\\Profiles\\default.***" (normal location of the [[Thunderbird : FAQs : Cannot Find Profile Folder | default]] profile on Windows XP) with "C:\\NewLocation\\NewProfile" (the new profile location). When finished, save the prefs.js file.
For example, replace all instances of "C:\\Documents and Settings\\WindowsUserAccountName\\Application Data\\Thunderbird\\Profiles\\default.***" (normal location of the [[Thunderbird : FAQs : Cannot Find Profile Folder | default]] profile on Windows XP) with "C:\\NewLocation\\NewProfile" (the new profile location). When finished, save the prefs.js file.


4. Repeat Step 3 with the chrome.rdf located in the subfolder chrome in your profile folder, especially if you use skins.
4. Repeat Step 3 with the chrome.rdf located in the subfolder chrome in your profile folder, especially if you use themes or extensions.


: Note: It is crucial that you get this pathname correct. If you are migrating the profile to a different drive (for example from drive "C" to drive "D"), make sure to indicate this change when editing prefs.js. Likewise, if using Windows and you want to migrate the profile to a location whose pathname includes the name of a Windows user account different from the Windows user account under which the profile was originally created, make sure that you edit prefs.js to reflect this as well. Windows users must also use the double "\\" in the pathname.
: Note: It is crucial that you get this pathname correct. If you are migrating the profile to a different drive (for example from drive "C" to drive "D"), make sure to indicate this change when editing prefs.js. Likewise, if using Windows and you want to migrate the profile to a location whose pathname includes the name of a Windows user account different from the Windows user account under which the profile was originally created, make sure that you edit prefs.js to reflect this as well. Windows users must also use the double "\\" in the pathname.


5. Repeat Step 3 with all extension Uninstall files located in the subfolder extensions in your profile folder, especially if you want to uninstall an extension later. Example in your profile folder: extensions\{xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx}\uninstall\Uninstall
5. Repeat Step 3 with all extension Uninstall files located in the subfolder extensions in your profile folder, especially if you want to uninstall any extensions later. Example in your profile folder: extensions\{xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx}\uninstall\Uninstall


After completing the above five steps, launch Thunderbird and verify that your mail and settings have been migrated succesfully. If not, then exit Thunderbird, go back to Step 3 and check carefully to make sure that all instances of the old profile folder location have been replaced correctly with the new profile folder location.
After completing the above five steps, launch Thunderbird and verify that your mail and settings have been migrated succesfully. If not, then exit Thunderbird, go back to Step 3 and check carefully to make sure that all instances of the old profile folder location have been replaced correctly with the new profile folder location.


If you have done all the above steps to migrate successfully but Thunderbird's interface (such as toolbar buttons) looks strange or the application does not function properly, it could be due to interference from previously installed themes or extensions that you migrated along with your mail files, address books, and settings. In this case, you can try exiting Thunderbird, deleting the contents of the "chrome" and "extensions" directories in your profile folder, and restarting Thunderbird. [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=531797#531797]
If you have done all the above steps to migrate successfully but Thunderbird's interface (such as toolbar buttons) looks strange or the application does not function properly, it could be due to interference from previously installed themes or extensions that you migrated along with your mail files, address books, and settings. In this case, you can try exiting Thunderbird, deleting the contents of the "chrome" and "extensions" directories in your profile folder, and restarting Thunderbird. [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=531797#531797]

Revision as of 21:08, 16 March 2005

The following all involve the same basic steps and are thus explained together on this page:

  • Changing the location of your Thunderbird profile folder
  • Migrating Thunderbird mail, address books, and settings from one computer to another
  • Migrating mail, address books, and settings from Netscape 7 to Thunderbird
  • Migrating mail, address books, and settings from the Mozilla Suite to Thunderbird
  • Manually restoring a profile that you backed up previously

In each case, you will be moving the contents of an existing profile folder in Thunderbird, Netscape, or Mozilla to a different location, so do not proceed until you have found on your computer the profile folder whose contents you want to move. Read this if you are having trouble finding or identifying your Thunderbird profile folder.

Five basic steps are then required:

1. Create a new Thunderbird profile. If you are launching Thunderbird for the first time it will automatically create a default profile for you, in the default location. If you are not using Thunderbird for the first time or if you wish to create a new profile in a location of your own choice, you should instead use the Profile Manager. Once you have created the new profile, make sure to exit Thunderbird before continuing.

2. Copy the entire contents of your existing Thunderbird/Netscape/Mozilla profile folder, including all subfolders, to the profile folder you created in Step 1. If the profile was created with an older version of Thunderbird/Netscape/Mozilla that uses a .slt folder for the profile folder, then copy only the contents of the .slt folder but do not include the .slt folder itself. If you are prompted about whether you want to overwrite files in the new profile folder, select "Yes." (Note: if you are attempting to migrate a profile from Windows to Mac or vice versa, you might want to have a look at this thread about transferring files between these different OS's.)

3. Edit prefs.js to reflect the new profile folder location and name. Find the prefs.js file in your new profile folder, open it with a text editor such as Notepad, and replace all instances of the old profile folder location and name with the new profile folder location and name. For example, replace all instances of "C:\\Documents and Settings\\WindowsUserAccountName\\Application Data\\Thunderbird\\Profiles\\default.***" (normal location of the default profile on Windows XP) with "C:\\NewLocation\\NewProfile" (the new profile location). When finished, save the prefs.js file.

4. Repeat Step 3 with the chrome.rdf located in the subfolder chrome in your profile folder, especially if you use themes or extensions.

Note: It is crucial that you get this pathname correct. If you are migrating the profile to a different drive (for example from drive "C" to drive "D"), make sure to indicate this change when editing prefs.js. Likewise, if using Windows and you want to migrate the profile to a location whose pathname includes the name of a Windows user account different from the Windows user account under which the profile was originally created, make sure that you edit prefs.js to reflect this as well. Windows users must also use the double "\\" in the pathname.

5. Repeat Step 3 with all extension Uninstall files located in the subfolder extensions in your profile folder, especially if you want to uninstall any extensions later. Example in your profile folder: extensions\{xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx}\uninstall\Uninstall

After completing the above five steps, launch Thunderbird and verify that your mail and settings have been migrated succesfully. If not, then exit Thunderbird, go back to Step 3 and check carefully to make sure that all instances of the old profile folder location have been replaced correctly with the new profile folder location.

If you have done all the above steps to migrate successfully but Thunderbird's interface (such as toolbar buttons) looks strange or the application does not function properly, it could be due to interference from previously installed themes or extensions that you migrated along with your mail files, address books, and settings. In this case, you can try exiting Thunderbird, deleting the contents of the "chrome" and "extensions" directories in your profile folder, and restarting Thunderbird. [1]