Very useful if you reinstall or just to help backup emailCopy original Thunderbird data
1. Set Windows Explorer to show the hidden files and folders.
2. Navigate to where TB stores their mail folders for this user. In Windows XP, C:Document and Settings\Application DataThunderbirdProfiles. In Vista, they might be located in C:Users\AppDataRoamingThunderbirdProfiles.
3. Copy the original Thunderbird folders to the new location. In our case, we use encrypted folders set to Drive T: so we copy the data to T:TB_Data or something similar.
Perform New Thunderbird Installation
1. Install Thunderbird but do not import anything when asked. Simply cancel then exit Thunderbird.
Set up new TB profile
1. Navigate to the “profiles.ini” file under the new computer’s Thunderbird directory (see above for location).
2. Copy and save the original “profiles.ini” file. Mine saved as “profile-old.ini”
3. Edit the “profiles.ini” file.
1. Set the relative path to “0” (zero).
2. Set the data path to correspond to the new path were the copied data is now located. In our case, it was T:My DocumentsTB_Data.
4. Save the “profile.ini” file.
Set up Thunderbird
1. Open Thunderbird and the old data files should now be in place.
2. Set up the user’s email account(s).
