transfer Thunderbird (17) Profile on Win7 to Ubuntu 12.04

Question

I want to transfer Thunderbird Profile on Win7 to Thunderbird (17) on Ubuntu 12.04. I have already copied the profile folder from Windows to Ubuntu and modified profile.ini on the ubuntu machine to include

[Profile]

Name=Bill

IsRelative=1

Path=(the name of the transfered profile folder)

I think the problem is that the Windows Thunderbird profile content (files and folder structure) looks VERY different to that of the Ubuntu Thunderbird profile's that was created on installation. The Ubuntu install is new where as the Windows Thunderbird has undergone many updates. Seems the system for profile storage has changed drastically.

I tried to start Thunderbird in safe mode but couldn't get the path correct to start Thunderbird in the terminal with the -safe-mode switch.

What can I do?

Bill

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I did not succeed but I'm not sure the exact procedure. Not sure what options to set in the extension nor am I sure which import choice to use. I went to the ImportExportTool web sight and sent an email to the them asking for clarification on how to do this. It read:

"I'm not having much luck with using ImportExportTool for profile transfer. I have 2 laptops (1) win7 with Tunderbird (TB) 17 and (2) Ubuntu 12.04 with TB 17. I've tried exporting from (1) to use to set up (2) but all I got was a lot of empty folder under inbox including folders named "extensions" and lots of other non-mailbox titles.

Do you have a reference URL that explains how to do this correctly including the correct options to set in ImportExportTool?"

May they can help.

Bill

Answer 1

Go to your Thunderbird Tools option> click add-ons> search for "ImportExportTools" once found, install it. Now restart TB. Then open Tools and drop down to ImportExportTools. Now you can export to any specific folder you wish.

Now, once exported to your specified folder you can move from Win 7 to Ubuntu. Again open the tools option and under ImportExportTools> Import the folder your previously exported. option here "select a directory where searching the mbox files to import (also in subdirectories)".

TB uses basically the same structure in Windows as it does in Ubuntu. So as an example the file would be. /home/USERNAME/.thunderbird/lmqobi46.default/Mail/Local Folders