Windows Thunderbird transfer to LINUX ( mint 19.1 ) but may work for other operating systems

[#1]

Transfer Thunderbird from Old Computer/HDD on Windows to New Computer/HDD on Linux (Mint 19.1)  may work on other distros.

or even

  Windows to Windows.... or even Windows to MAC  ( not tried that .... but......  ! ! ! ) 

This instructorial assumes that you are transferring FROM an already running, Thunderbird, on a Windows Operating System

And you wish to transfer your saved emails etc to a NEW INSTALL, NEW COPY, OF THUNDERBIRD ON LINUX,  OR WHATEVER OPERATING SYSTEM YOU  ARE INTENDING TO BE USING. 

Open your Thunderbird email client. on your "in use" original Computer/Laptop

Locate the three horizontal bars at the right hand side of the top bar( this is the “Menu” Icon )


Left click the “menu”....  then hover on “Help”   then click on  “Troubleshooting Information”.. 

A new page will open with a blue column Entitled  “Application Basics”... find the “Profile Directory”  and next to that is   Open Directory (Local drive)    click on the words    Open Directory

A new page will open entitled lr1x6xvf.default  ( not those actual letter combinations, but similar) 

Find the folder “Mail”   and click on it to open it..

You will see two more folders  

Local Folders
Mail.plus.net  ( if using plusnet email address) .. otherwise it should show your email client)) 

Copy that folder to a USB memory stick. 


************************************************************
Now go to your NEWLY INSTALLED  THUNDERBIRD client on your New Computer/HDD or your  Linux (mint 19.1) Thunderbird.... 

Open it as normal.   

Locate the three horizontal bars at the right hand side of the top bar( this is the “Menu” Icon )


Left click the “menu”....  then hover on “Help”   then click on  “Troubleshooting Information”.. 

A new page will open with a blue column Entitled  “Application Basics”... find the “Profile Directory”  and next to that is   Open Directory (Local drive)    click on the words    Open Directory

A new page will open entitled egbfqzts.default  ( not those actual letter combinations, but similar) 

Find the folder “Mail”   and click on it to open it..

You will see two more folders  

Local Folders
Mail.plus.net  ( if using plusnet email address) .. otherwise it should show your email client)) 

Copy them to a new folder ( suggest “new Tbird MAIL)   on your USB memory stick . This is a precaution, just in case! ! ..

Now DELETE both folders...

Now from your USB memory stick... find the original Profile that you saved  ( lr1x6xvf.default ) 

and open it...

You should have the same folders again..

Local Folders
Mail.plus.net 

Copy and paste them into the space left by the deleted ones above... then close the page. 

Close Thunderbird, and re-start it

 Hopefully, you will  have all your Windows Thunderbird stuff where you need it  on your New Thunderbird,  

(As with all my instructorials.... you do it at your own risk.. ! !)

[#2]

@shutter - You should note that the directory you have listed here:

Now from your USB memory stick... find the original Profile that you saved  ( lr1x6xvf.default )

Will not be that same on all devices as it is generated at install time so will vary from machine to machine. So when following these instructions the important part is the .default in the directory name.

[#3]

@Anonymous  Thanks for mentioning the finer point, there...

Unfortunately, it is "out of time" to make a correction to the post...

  so hopefully, the intelligent members of the Linux Community will realise

(from the small notes in italics after each reference in the previous part of the instruction) ...

applies to that one as well ! ! !