Thunderbird and Firefox - move folders

[tepe2]

I separate applications and data.

C: for Windows XP and applications
D: for data - MyDocuments

Can anyone give me details on how to find and move/setup the folder Thunderbird saves my emails? I want to move this to my D-partition where my data is. It makes it so much easier when you work with different disc images.

If I could do this for both FF and TB, then maybe I would not need Mozbackup.

Thanks

[CatFan432]

This site helped me move my Firefox, I assume it will work as well for Thunderbird.
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Moving_your_profile_folder

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "This site helped me move my Firefox, I assume it will work as well for Thunderbird.
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Moving_your_profile_folder" }-
Thanks for the link, because I lost that link. Stored it now in my installation file of Firefox and Thunderbird.

I used method 1, but creating a new profile seems to be more userfriendly.
It really works, I do this since march 2006. Also the regular updatings of both softwares don't have a problem with this separation.

The big advantage is that you will never lose your emails, bookmarks, etc. when you have to restore an image on your system partition due to a destructive malware or legitimate software attack or a frozen BSOD of Windows. ;D

[tepe2]

Very useful. Thanks

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "
If I could do this for both FF and TB, then maybe I would not need Mozbackup.
" }-
I have the same setup like you and you won't regret it.
You won't need Mozbackup anymore after this separation.
I use the SAME Image Backup software to backup/restore my system partition and data partition. Of course I backup my data partition alot more than my system partition.
Losing your data is ALWAYS a disaster, losing your system is only annoying, never a disaster.

[lodore]

careful with the profile manager!
create a subfolder for your profile.
if you place the profile directly on the D: partistion and then later click the delete button in the profile manager it WILL WIPE OUT ALL THE FOLDERS AND SUBFOLDERS!
so create a subfolder for the profile.
the delete bug was reported in 2005 and still not fixed:thumbd:
i put the profile in my documents with no subfolder by mistake and i pressed the delete button in the profile manager and it wiped out my documents.
luck i had a backup
you have been warned.
lodore

[lodore]

The big advantage is that you will never lose your emails, bookmarks, etc. when you have to restore an image on your system partition due to a destructive malware or legitimate software attack or a frozen BSOD of Windows. ;D" }-

yes but if forgot to create a subfolder for the profile and press that little delete button in profile manager bye bye data partistion files:thumbd:
lodore

[tepe2]

Thank you for warning me lodore

If I do it wrong, I still have MozBackup

[lodore]

-{ Quote: "Thank you for warning me lodore

If I do it wrong, I still have MozBackup" }-
No problem.
just make sure you have your data partistion backed up incase you press that delete profile button by mistake like i did and lots of others have as well.
lodore

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "
yes but if forgot to create a subfolder for the profile and press that little delete button in profile manager bye bye data partistion files:thumbd:
lodore" }-
You have to study this first and do it right, just like the link says.
If you don't have the patience and do it quickly, no wonder you screwed it up. :)

[lodore]

-{ Quote: "You have to study this first and do it right, just like the link says.
If you don't have the patience and do it quickly, no wonder you screwed it up. :)" }-
the delete button in the profile manager should just delete the files it used for the profile and not all the folder and subfolders:thumbd:
how hard is it to write the profile manager to delete only the files it created?
or even make the profile manager put the profile in a subfolder then no one would of had that problem. Mozilla have had two years to fix this bug but havent
I have got to say not even microsoft have done anything this stupid.

all i did was create a profile in my documents and decided i didnt want it to went back to profile manager and pressed the delete button thinking it would delete the files it created but no it emptyed all the folders and subfolders.
so i had to restore a backup.
lodore

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "the delete button in the profile manager should just delete the files it used for the profile and not all the folder and subfolders:thumbd:
how hard is it to write the profile manager to delete only the files it created?
or even make the profile manager put the profile in a subfolder then no one would of had that problem. Mozilla have had two years to fix this bug but havent
I have got to say not even microsoft have done anything this stupid.

all i did was create a profile in my documents and decided i didnt want it to went back to profile manager and pressed the delete button thinking it would delete the files it created but no it emptyed all the folders and subfolders.
so i had to restore a backup.
lodore" }-
I don't even understand what you are talking about, I never used a delete button.

The procedure is simple, logical and takes only three steps :

1. In your data partition your create one folder "Mozilla" with two subfolders "Firefox" and "Thunderbird".
If you want you can create these folders under "My Documents".
It's very easy to create folders. I do this all the time.

2. Then you CUT/PASTE the profiles folders of both software to their subfolder in the data partition.
Cut/paste is an easy operation. I use that function all the time.

3. Then in the system partition you change the file profiles.ini of both software to tell them
where they can find their profiles folder in the data partition. I used notepad to do this.
This has to be done correctly, no typing errors.

That's all.

[lodore]

in the progile manager located at programs files thunderbird there is profile manager. this profile manager can add or delete profiles.
so i added a profile in my documents and called it Tim thinking it would create a folder called Tim with a the profile in a subfolder.
but then i thought i will leave the original profile. so i went back to profile manager and highlighted the profile i created. and clicked on delete and my documents was empty except a few font files. so it unloaded all the profile data directly in to my documents and instead of deleting the files it created it takes a shortcut and emptys all the folders and subfolders.
as i said they have had TWO YEARS TO FIX THIS! and they havent....
why cant they create a script to know what files belong to the profile and only delete those?
lodore

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "in the progile manager located at programs files thunderbird there is profile manager. this profile manager can add or delete profiles.
so i added a profile in my documents and called it Tim thinking it would create a folder called Tim with a the profile in a subfolder.
but then i thought i will leave the original profile. so i went back to profile manager and highlighted the profile i created. and clicked on delete and my documents was empty except a few font files. so it unloaded all the profile data directly in to my documents and instead of deleting the files it created it takes a shortcut and emptys all the folders and subfolders.
as i said they have had TWO YEARS TO FIX THIS! and they havent....
why cant they create a script to know what files belong to the profile and only delete those?
lodore" }-
In that case I keep on using method 1 of the given link, which is alot safer and easy to understand. After the very first time, I could do it without reading the instructions, because it speaks for itself.

[tepe2]

I tried this method 1, like this (Thunderbird only):

-{ Quote: "1. In your data partition your create one folder "Mozilla" with two subfolders "Firefox" and "Thunderbird".
If you want you can create these folders under "My Documents".
It's very easy to create folders. I do this all the time.

2. Then you CUT/PASTE the profiles folders of both software to their subfolder in the data partition.
Cut/paste is an easy operation. I use that function all the time.

3. Then in the system partition you change the file profiles.ini of both software to tell them
where they can find their profiles folder in the data partition. I used notepad to do this.
This has to be done correctly, no typing errors." }-

But when I start Thunderbird I have to set up all my accounts. I thought that was only for method 3 described in the link.

I created 4 folders on D: like this: D:\Mozilla\Thunderbird\Profiles\Newprofile, and then copied the contents of the original Profile folder to the Newprofile folder.

-{ Quote: "# Find the Firefox or Thunderbird profiles.ini file (it will be located in the Firefox or Thunderbird default profile folder path) and open it in a text editor.

* (Optional) Change the "Name=" line to the name of the new profile folder you created, e.g., Name=newprofile
* Change "IsRelative=1" to "IsRelative=0"
* Change the "Path=" line to the actual location of the new profile folder, e.g., Path=D:\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\newprofile.

# If you are moving a profile from its default location, the original profile folder can now be removed.
# Open Firefox or Thunderbird, to test if the profile move was successful. " }-

Heres a copy of the profiles.ini after I edit:

[General]
StartWithLastProfile=1

[Profile0]
Name=Newprofile
IsRelative=0
Path=D:\Mozilla\Thunderbird\Profiles\Newprofile

I cant find any typing error. Have I done something wrong?

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "I tried this method 1, like this (Thunderbird only):



But when I start Thunderbird I have to set up all my accounts. I thought that was only for method 3 described in the link.

I created 4 folders on D: like this: D:\Mozilla\Thunderbird\Profiles\Newprofile, and then copied the contents of the original Profile folder to the Newprofile folder.

Heres a copy of the profiles.ini after I edit:

[General]
StartWithLastProfile=1

[Profile0]
Name=Newprofile
IsRelative=0
Path=D:\Mozilla\Thunderbird\Profiles\Newprofile

I cant find any typing error. Have I done something wrong?" }-

This is my profiles.ini
FIREFOX
[General]
StartWithLastProfile=1

[Profile0]
Name=default
IsRelative=0
Path=D:\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\r22xvybm.default

THUNDERBIRD
[General]
StartWithLastProfile=1

[Profile0]
Name=default
IsRelative=0
Path=D:\Mozilla\Thunderbird\Profiles\7hrs4k32.default

This is a weird name probably different than yours.

PS.: Nobody listens to belgian users at Wilders, because we didn't land on the moon. :(

[tepe2]

ErikAlbert, THANK YOU so much for posting your profiles.ini, it made me realise I had done something wrong. (And THANKS to all of you)

I should have typed the same as you: r22xvybm.default (not excactly same letters and numbers). So it should be like this:

Path=D:\Mozilla\Thunderbird\Profiles\Newprofile\xxxxxxxx.default

I did, and now it works:)

Why did I do it wrong at first? My English could have been better, my computer technical language could have been MUCH better.

I go to bed now, and repeat the same **** with Firefox tomorrow ;D

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "ErikAlbert, THANK YOU so much for posting your profiles.ini, it made me realise I had done something wrong. (And THANKS to all of you)

I should have typed the same as you: r22xvybm.default (not excactly same letters and numbers). So it should be like this:

Path=D:\Mozilla\Thunderbird\Profiles\Newprofile\xxxxxxxx.default

I did, and now it works:)

Why did I do it wrong at first? My English could have been better, my computer technical language could have been MUCH better.

I go to bed now, and repeat the same **** with Firefox tomorrow ;D" }-
OK. Congratulations - dream dry. ;)

[tepe2]

I had some problems with my system. Long story. But it works now.

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=177902

The thing is I manually moved/copied the content of my TB profile (in panic) to make sure I did not loose my e-mails. And I did not loose anything. The problem is that I now have to set up my accounts from scratch. What have I done wrong?

My profile.ini:

[General]
StartWithLastProfile=1

[Profile0]
Name=default
IsRelative=0
Path=D:\Mozilla\Thunderbird\Profiles\Newprofile\xxxxxxxs.default

Nothing wrong with my profile.ini. It has not changed.

And here is my profile:

D:\Mozilla\Thunderbird\Profiles\Newprofile\xxxxxxxs.default

it contains:

extensions-folder
Local folders with 2 subfolders: Inbox.sbd and Outlook Express e-mail.sbd
mail1
mail2
mail3
(I have 3 different mail accounts)

This is where changes were done. (I moved to another hdd, and moved back again. Thought I had to format main drive, but in the end I did not have to format). I think I got it right now, but TB does not see the content of the profile folder.

[eniqmah]

-{ Quote: "Thanks for the link, because I lost that link. Stored it now in my installation file of Firefox and Thunderbird.

I used method 1, but creating a new profile seems to be more userfriendly.
It really works, I do this since march 2006. Also the regular updatings of both softwares don't have a problem with this separation.

The big advantage is that you will never lose your emails, bookmarks, etc. when you have to restore an image on your system partition due to a destructive malware or legitimate software attack or a frozen BSOD of Windows. ;D" }-

I did this when I messed around with Deepfreeze. The potential problems with this are the FF updates that cause loss of extensions functionalities and the potential infections associated with your surfing (or mine). My solution was to keep that profile in the application data and save only the changes that I want by replicating the profile folder to my Data drive. Karen's replicator is the tool I use.