Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Cannot read mail imported from previous installation of Thunderbird

  • 1 valiny
  • 0 manana an'ity olana ity
  • Valiny farany nomen'i david

more options

Hello,

About a decade ago, I zipped my local Thunderbird email folders to archive for future use. Recently I installed Thunderbird again so I could access those emails and attachments. Doubtless I missed a step or instruction.

I copied the folders to the location recommended by one of the pages on this site (as I understood it at any rate). Namely: appdata/roaming/Thunderbird/profiles/8i4zk81v.default-release/Mail/Local Folders.

The folders and emails all show up in the folder and message list panes, but no text or attachments show up in the message pane when a message is selected. Not even the email header appears if I double-click to open an email. I can still read the message text using notepad one of two ways, either: 1) the entire sub-folder (e.g., "Personal") by selecting the file with no extension (i.e., "Personal" rather than "Personal.msf") from the list in Local Folders, or; 2) an individual message in a corresponding folder called "Personal.mozmsgs". Of course, I have no idea which message I read until I open it.

Just in case it helps to know, the IMAP connection with one of my gmail addresses works just fine.

Thanks in advance, Russell

Hello, About a decade ago, I zipped my local Thunderbird email folders to archive for future use. Recently I installed Thunderbird again so I could access those emails and attachments. Doubtless I missed a step or instruction. I copied the folders to the location recommended by one of the pages on this site (as I understood it at any rate). Namely: appdata/roaming/Thunderbird/profiles/8i4zk81v.default-release/Mail/Local Folders. The folders and emails all show up in the folder and message list panes, but no text or attachments show up in the message pane when a message is selected. Not even the email header appears if I double-click to open an email. I can still read the message text using notepad one of two ways, either: 1) the entire sub-folder (e.g., "Personal") by selecting the file with no extension (i.e., "Personal" rather than "Personal.msf") from the list in Local Folders, or; 2) an individual message in a corresponding folder called "Personal.mozmsgs". Of course, I have no idea which message I read until I open it. Just in case it helps to know, the IMAP connection with one of my gmail addresses works just fine. Thanks in advance, Russell

All Replies (1)

more options

If you copied the file and its msf file, I suggest highlighting each folder, rightclick, select properties and repair. the old msf index may be the problem.

Helpful?

Mametraha fanontaniana

You must log in to your account to reply to posts. Please start a new question, if you do not have an account yet.