By "traditional folder", do you mean the new profile I had just created using Profile Manager? Because that's what I've been doing. I've created several during my "trial and error" period. So I still have all those to work with.... or I can create another one. Then I used Windows File Explorer to copy/paste various combinations of files and/or folders (from \Thunderbird\Profiles) into those newly created profiles. Just asking because I want to be sure we're talking about the same thing.

And btw, is this process going to be able to keep my Profile1 and Profile2 from somehow being lumped together? This is something I've yet to understand. My Profile1 is still working fine. It's only Profile2 that was deleted. I certainly don't want to somehow screw up my Profle1.

I was referring to the fact that profiles are traditionally in the ...appata\roaming\thunderbird\profiles folder. Thunderbird will not mess with other profiles. From my prior post, you will be giving a name to the profile you plan to use. I am assuming the profile you reference planning to use is one that has worked successfully with Thunderbird and not one that you created piece by piece. Let us know how the suggested process works.

Okay. Went through the steps and created a new profile. Haven't done it that way before but here's where I get stuck. I see Default, Default-Release, Profile1, and all the new Profile2's I've created. But my original Profile2 isn't there. That's the one I deleted (but didn't delete the files). Soooo.... what do I do next?

You created a new profile, apparently called profile2. what happens when you attempt to use it? Maybe if you post screenshots of the profile from windows file explorer we can advise more.

???? You've completely lost me. Nothing happens. There's nothing in it to make anything happen until I put my original data folders and files in it. You know, the files that I didn't delete (and have not been able to find) since I inadvertently deleted the original "Profle2" profile? Somewhere on my computer there's supposed to be 15 years of messages in folders and dozens of addresses in an address book that were in Profile2 <---- that I deleted. So now I've created a new profile (with nothing in it) and I want to put all my data back in it. Isn't that what we've been trying to accomplish? Yes/no??? I'm getting a sinking feeling that I've been zigging while y'all have been zagging lol!

In an earlier post, you mentioned several profiles were on your computer. Are your files in any of them? For example, the addressbook has the name abook.sqlite, and there may be one in each of the profiles you mentioned.

Nope, I don't see any of my missing files anywhere. But I'm not sure I'd recognize them even if I did. My original Profile Manager had only 4 profiles. 2 of which I never opened or used. Didn't even know what purpose they served because I created my own Profile1 and Profile2 . Then I transferred my email data from former software as well as Gmail webmail to those 2 profiles. That was working fine. It was like two completely separate email accounts for about two years until I accidentally hit the delete button for Profile2. I should have immediately hit the cancel button but didn't see it until I had already hit the "Do not delete files" button. So Profile2 vanished but I'm told its data is saved somewhere. I just don't know where. I've used Win File Explorer to see what's in "Default" and "Default-Release" but I don't see anything that indicates the difference between Profile1 files and Profile2 files.

I'm told all I have to do is create a new Profile2 and put the files (that I didn't delete) into my newly created Profile2. Turns out that's easier said than done. So I've ended up with Program Manager showing 3 of my 4 original Profiles plus 5 or 6 newly created Profiles that have various files copy/pasted into them due to me doing trial and error. So far, nothing has worked.

I'm not a programmer so maybe I'm living on another planet as far as how Thunderbird works. Just seems like a simple problem to fix or maybe my brain just isn't wired like a computer.

So here's my simple minded question: When a profile is deleted but its files are not deleted, where do those files end up?

Unfortunately, when a profile is deleted, so are all the contents.

I was afraid of that.

So why are there choices on the warning screen to "delete" or "not delete" the files or "cancel"? In the Thunderbird help area (Home/Thunderbird/Tips and tricks/Profile Manager), under "Profile Manager - Create and remove Thunderbird Profiles" it says this:

• Don't Delete Files - removes the profile from the Profile Manager yet retains the profile data files on your computer in the storage folder, so that your information is not lost. "Don't Delete Files" is the preferred option because it saves the old profile's folder and allows you to recover the files to a new profile.

• Delete Files - removes the profile and its files (including the profile bookmarks, settings, passwords, etc.). If you use the "Delete Files" option, the profile folder and files will be deleted. This action cannot be undone.

• Cancel - interrupts the profile deletion.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-thunderbird-profiles#w_removing-a-profile

So when I first started this endeavor, I looked into every "storage" folder I could find without success. And couldn't find any further instruction on how to "recover the files to a new profile." And that's when I came here and started this thread.

Now I'm a bit flummoxed.

Well, I don't know what you clicked, but the profile appears to be gone. The documentation, so I am at a loss of what actually happened.

Well thanks for sticking with me this far. I'm 100% certain about what I clicked. And I agree, the original profile is definitely gone. I'm just at a loss on why the documentation is so detailed and clear about related fixes, and even states my files are saved in a "storage folder, so that your information is not lost.", but stops short of explaining what the stored file names are and how to restore them. Because if that's not the case, then why is the "Do not delete files" button even there?

Anyhow, I'll carry on with my trial and error and leave this thread's problem unresolved. But if you, at some point, hear of a fix, please do come back and let me know. And if I find a fix, I'll be back as well. Surely I'm not the only one to ever make this simple screw up. <-----famous last words.

Update: Still no success but but still finding more bafflement and thought I'd post it on the offhand chance somebody is watching this thread.

I just now found the messages I didn't delete when I deleted my profile. And all 38 folders they are in as well. They are not in C:\Users\yada\yada\Thundrbird\Profiles\Storage at all. They're in C:\Data\. And a weirder thing is the messages for the profile I did NOT delete are in C:\Data too. But that profile still exists and somehow continues to work just fine.

Anyway, I added the folders and messages to the Mail folder in my newly created profile but that didn't help. When I try to open that profile with Thunderbird, it still ignores the profile data and asks for an email address like it wants to start a new profile from scratch.

But at least I know for sure now my messages weren't deleted when I poofed the profile. I just don't know how to get Thunderbird to see them .

Well, there you are again. :) A safe way to get your messages back into Thunderbird is this: - if not already installed, install the addon 'importexporttools NG' - create a local folder for each message folder to retrieve - highlight one of the folders, rightclick and select the importexport option to import mbox and select one of the message folders. (Do NOT do this for the .msf files) - repeat for each folder.

Hi David. Yup. I'll be here until I either get this resolved or die of old age! lol!

K, I was able to install the new tool. Is that what I use (instead of WinFileExpl) to create the 38 folders for the messages I'm about to import?

And I'll create the folders in the new Profile folder that I created with Program Manager? Right? (which is the same Profile that I've already copy/pasted all the folders/files that I found in \Thunderbird\profiles\storage).

And I'm assuming I'll need to first delete all the Mail folders I've already copy/pasted to it from C:\Data.

I haven't tried opening my newly installed tool yet so maybe some of this will be obvious when I do. But I'm about to find out. Here goes.

It seems you are moving files from C:\Data directly to the profile, outside of thunderbird? Yes, deleting and starting over seems better. You need to have a functioning profile first. Then, follow my suggestions to import the messages and reinstate the email accounts.

Hmmmm...... Didn't take me long to get stuck. When I click "Import", I get these options from which to import.

1. another T'bird Profile 2. SeaMonkey 3. Outlook 4. Becky! Internet Mail 5. from a file.

Nothing here about importing from a folder or file on C: drive, namely "C:\Data\Tbird Profile-1\Mail\Local Folders\File.???"

And even if I choose "5. from a file", I then only have options to import from

1. Import Backed up profile 2. Import Calendars 3. Inport Address Books

And my files aren't in any of those. They're in "C:\Data\Tbird Profile-1\Mail\Local Folders\

How do I get the import tool to look there?

Oh! and yes, you're correct, moving them outside of Thunderbird is what I was trying to do at first. So I deleted what I moved with WinFileExplorer and started over by installing the import/export tool and now trying to import that way.

read my suggestion carefully. It says to highlight one of the new folders, rightclick and then select the importexport option to import mbox.

Ok, I'm definitely missing something. I was able to install the add on somehow by using a profile that works. But I want to import files to folders in my newly created profile which isn't set up yet. So far, when I open it, it does nothing but want me to set up an email address on one screen and wants me to make a donation on another screen. And that's about it. I don't see a screen in Thunderbird that will show me the new folders. "Tools" on the menu bar now shows "Import" and "Export" though. And that's what I was referring to ^^up there in my earlier post^^. How do I get past the set up screens so I can see some folders? I was expecting to see them somehow when I clicked "Import" on the Tools tab.

Hey! I just noticed a button on the upper right of the "Donate" screen. Not on the Tool bar. Says "Import/Export". So I clicked it and it says this:

"This is an experimental procedure to import a profile. There is no dataloss risk, but it's not guaranteed that everything will work as expected, especially if you're importing a profile from another computer. It's anyway safer than copying the files manually."

I had to type all ^^that^^ because it wouldn't let me copy/paste it. I found that a bit odd. Anyway, it also has a browse box on it so maybe it'll let me import from C:\Data. Problem is, I don't know if those other folders and/or files are all Profile files or not. The only files I recognize are the files that are named after my original 38 folders that I've been looking for.

I think I should wait to hear back from you before I try to import anything that way. Just wanted to let you know what I'm seeing. Looks promising though.