Ubuntu – Transfer Thunderbird (17) Profile on Win7 to Ubuntu 12.04

thunderbirduser data

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

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

Best Answer

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

Read Local Email With Thunderbird

Watch Vido

Step no 1.

      sudo apt-get install postfix -y

If installed

      sudo dpkg-reconfigure postfix

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configure it for local email, Choose the default settings & use localhost as hostname

Step no 2.

      sudo nano /etc/aliases

And replace root with your user name, My user name is " one "

   postmaster:    root
   logcheck: one

Then run sudo newaliases so that the configuration is updated.

Step no 3.

you need to create a .forward file containing your username and localhost: e.g. one@localhost so that root's mail will be forwarded to you. To do this, enter these commands:

      sudo nano /root/.forward

And add the user-name@localhost e.g. one@localhost in the file and save it.

Step no 4.

      sudo adduser $USER mail

It is necessary to add your user to the mail group so that Thunderbird could access the mail files

Step no 5.

        logout and login for the changes to take effect

Step no 6.

Now for the Thunderbird configuration. Go to edit > account settings > account actions > add other account > select Unix Mailspool and in the next screen put your username in the first box and place yourusername@localhost in the second box.

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