How to move mail from Thunderbird on one computer to Thunderbird on another computer?

Question

I just got a new laptop and would like to move all my messages (inbox and outbox) from the old computer and have it on Thunderbird on the new laptop. Can anyone explain how to do this?

Answer 1

I don't recall clearly, but I am pretty sure that I was able to simply copy the data files when I switched hard drives.

Or I may have used mozbackup http://savanttools.com/redir/mozbackup.j...

I think it is probably safe to try to just copy the folders, and if that doesn't work, try mozbackup.

To just copy, try this...

1. Make sure you have update both to the latest version.

2. Make sure both copies of Thunderbird are closed.  A fresh reboot may not hurt.

3. Make a backup copy of the data files on your new computer

   Copy C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Thunderbird

       to C:\thunderbird-data-backup

   ** "Administrator" is the name of my account.  You'll have to find your own account.

4. Copy the same directory from your old computer to your new computer using whatever medium is convenient.

5. Start thunderbird and see if it worked.  

If it works, great.  If it doesn't, then no big deal.  Just delete the files you copied from one computer to the other, and replace them with the backup copy that you made.

Before you give up though, you might also try copying the program files rather than just the data files.  The are at C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird

As usual, make a backup copy of the original directory first.