- alas, it lacks built-in tools for exporting settings, which then, when reinstalling the system or changing a computer device, could be imported, and thereby bring the mailer into working condition in a matter of seconds. Letter templates, interface settings, mailboxes, a “trained” anti-spam filter - of course, it’s a pity to part with all these things and start all over again. Do not deny yourself the pleasure of parting with the old system and moving to a new one, while maintaining the working appearance of the Thunderbird mailer, a small program called Mozbackup will help. It is designed to export and import settings for software products from Mozilla and other developers - these are browsers, SeaMonkey, Flock, Netscape, Wyzo, the Sunbird organizer, and, of course, the Thunderbird mailer.
Russified versions of the program are available on the website: one of them is normal, with an installer for installation on the system, the other is portable, you can download it in a RAR archive, unpack it and start using it. In our case, the portable version will be used. We will unpack it to a non-system drive, and it will be ready for use after reinstalling the operating system.
After unpacking the archive, launch Mozbackup. In the welcome window, click “Next”.
To export settings, the Mozilla Thunderbird mailer must be closed. In the next Mozbackup window, in the list of applications for which settings export is available, select our mailer - Mozilla Thunderbird. The operation of exporting settings is set by default - this is the “Save” option in the profile operations column. Click “Next”.
In the next window, we need to specify the folder to store the “.pcv” file with the exported mailer settings. This can be any folder on a non-system drive. Click “Next”.
If there is no fundamental need to password-protect the exported mailer settings file, we refuse this proposal. Why the extra fuss?
In the component selection window, we leave everything as preinstalled. Click “Next”.
We wait for the process of exporting the mailer settings to complete and, if you no longer need to work with exporting data from other programs with which Mozbackup interacts, click the exit button from the program.
Now we can start reinstalling Windows. Already on a new system or on a new computer device we install the Mozilla Thunderbird program. If you don’t have a flash drive on hand to transfer the “.pcv” file with the exported mailer settings to another PC or laptop, you can use cloud storage. Reviews of popular cloud services can be found on our website:
The Mozilla Thunderbird mailer already installed on the new system will greet us with emptiness and silence.
Let's close it while importing the settings and launch the Mozbackup program.
Today, while sorting out my current tasks, I came across the following: transfer the Thunderbird email client profile to the disk with Raid1, set up a backup for the profile. Well, let's go...
Let's start with the question that everyone should ask themselves before starting to do something: why is this even necessary? In my case, the system, like user folders, i.e. /home/* are located on the system SSD disk by default. The reason for this is historical; at the time of the transition to Linux, other disks were raided by Windows, which required additional work with them to transfer data and create a raid in Linux. In general, it was decided to transfer the profile (and, accordingly, all the data) of the email client from the SSD drive to the mirror one. Firstly, this will relieve the system disk at least a little, and secondly, the mirror will save data in the event of disk failure. The next important point again concerns data safety - this is backup. Based on my experience, I believe that there should always be a backup of everything. It’s even better if you even have backups, backups. It would be better if it never comes in handy, but it will.
Now that it’s clear what and why I wanted to do, let’s figure out how to do it. Let's start by transferring the profile:
- Stop Thunderbird (exit the program)
- Create a folder WHERE we will transfer the profile, in my case it is:
/store/Software/Thunderbird/ - Next, open the Thunderbird data folder; by default, the folder is located in the user profile folder (note that it can be hidden by the file manager settings).
The path is like this: /home/username/.thunderbird/ - In this folder we are looking for a folder called:
/home/username/.thunderbird/something123.default/
we move it to a new location, i.e. here:
/store/Software/Thunderbird/something123.default/ - Open the file in the editor: /home/username/.thunderbird/profiles.ini, it will be something like this:
Name=default IsRelative=1 Path=something123.default Default=1
[Profile0]
Name = default
IsRelative = 1
Path = something123 . default
Default = 1
change to:Name=default IsRelative=0 Path=/store/Software/Thunderbird/something123.default Default=1
[Profile0]
Name = default
IsRelative = 0
Path=/store/Software//something123. default
Default = 1
Here we have changed the parameters isRelative And Path
- That's all, the profile has been transferred, launch Thunderbird, everything should work
- Copying, according to "Profiles in Thunderbird. Profile backup", must be done while Thunderbird is stopped. And here lies a rather big problem: for me it is always running, i.e. I start it after the system boots. And the system practically does not reboot, because... I use hibernation. Those. I need something that can ask me if it is possible to stop thunderbird for a backup, make a backup and start it again.
- The next thing we need is to somehow run the backup script on a schedule. The difficulty is that we don’t need to do it often (for example, not every day, but on Sat), but at the same time, if a backup day was missed, for example, Sat, we need to do it on Mon
- You need to monitor the number of backups, for example, store only the last 3 copies, delete the rest.
- We will monitor the number of backups as follows: sort all archives by time stamp, and delete older ones
- The script will run every 4 hours, and if there is an archive for the required date (for example, in the interval from last Saturday to today), we will complete the script.
- The most difficult thing is the request to stop thunderbird. The plan is as follows: install zenity (which I already had by default), if thunderbird is running, please close it to make a backup. If allowed, we make a backup; if not, we complete the script.
- Lastly, we show Notify messages in case of successes/failures. We will do this using: notify-send, which is also already installed out of the box in many places (for example, in my Linux Mint)
The next step is to set up a backup. In this case, a backup is simply copying the profile folder to another location. Everything seems simple, but there are many pitfalls, let's go in order:
Because I’m a bit of a programmer, I didn’t waste time looking for ready-made solutions, I decided to quickly write everything myself.
To write our miracle backup system, we use a regular bash script.
Let's start from the end:
Now the magic: pshpshpshshhhhh. Everything is ready, here is the script: open the latest version on Github
If you have already changed the paths in the script to yours, then all that remains is to add this script to cron; to do this, open it
# crontab -e |
And add the following to run every 4 hours:
0 */4 * * * bash /path/to/script/ThunderbirdBackup.sh > /dev/null 2>&1
Thunderbird today is used by the majority of Russians who are accustomed to convenient and simple handling of electronic correspondence. This cross-platform service has proven itself to be stable, secure and easily customizable. The program perfectly filters spam, blocks advertising sites and messages. The functionality of the application was developed by the same programmers who were involved in the creation of the Firefox web browser. True, like any other software product Thunderbird is imperfect, it may not be easy for a beginner to independently export settings, mail, messages and accounts. In the material below we provide step-by-step instructions that will help the average user cope with importing data both into and from Thunderbird.
Mozilla Thunderbird email client
Switching from Outlook
In the case when it is necessary to transfer messages from Outlook, the user needs to set this mail client as the default.
After that, launch the Thunderbird application, find the “Tools” category in the main menu, select “Import mail” among other commands and click on the “Continue” button.
You can transfer messages to another computer after you download Outlook further. The import process should begin in the window that opens. The built-in components of the application allow you to check the specified email for messages, as a result, displaying the results of your work on the screen.
This manipulation will transfer all email messages on the computer from the Outlook “Import” directory to “Local Folders”.
Transferring the entire address book of the Outlook email client
Transferring an address book to another computer is quite simple; the user will only need a few minutes. First of all, you need to launch Thunderbird, in the “Tools” application component, select the “Import Address Books” command.
Subsequently, you should specify Outlook, click on the “Continue” button, after the import process is completely completed, complete the procedure by clicking on the “Finish” command.
Sequential instructions for transferring mail to Thunderbird
Initially, a user who decides to transfer all of his email messages to a multifunctional email client (to another computer) should decide where all the necessary data will subsequently be stored. For example, you can create a separate “mail” folder on local drive D and transfer all correspondence to it. Messages are stored on the system disk in the “Mail” folder; to find it, the user must first visit the “Documents and Settings” directory, in the “Application Data” section find “Thunderbird”, in whose profiles email data is stored in a folder with the .default extension .
Further actions consist of transferring the contents of the folder and specifying in the Thunderbird settings a specific folder that belongs to a separate box. Data transfer can be done using the “Server Settings” tool and the “Local Directory” subsection.
Local directory in the mail client
Importing data when reinstalling the operating system
If for any reason the user is forced to reinstall the operating system on his computer, he will have to first transfer his email.
If you need to transfer messages from Thunderbird to Thunderbird to another computer, meaning transferring mail from the old OS to the new one, you must first empty the trash and unnecessary messages in each account that the user has in the mail client. This procedure will speed up data transfer, which will occur due to the maximum reduction of stored files.
In the “Settings” directory, which is located on the system drive in the “Documents” section, you need to find a personal account. The “Applications” section should contain a folder with the extension .default, the name of which is created from a completely random combination of letters or numbers.
In order for another computer to “see” all the old letters, you need to transfer the files stored in the “NAME.default” folder to a directory with a typical name via a network or flash drive. Please note that it is not the directory itself that should be copied, but only its contents.
To make transferring email from Thunderbird to Thunderbird more painless, installing email clients of the same version on two computers will help. It is preferable to download, install and launch the application on a second PC before copying the data. In this case, the program will automatically create a new account. Because of this, you need to close the program and copy the existing files to the new gadget.
The subsequent launch of the application will allow the user to gain access to the previous email and settings.
Conclusion
Through a convenient multifunctional email client, the user can easily perform many manipulations with his email. Thunderbird allows you to transfer letters from other mail services, access your account from other devices, and easily and quickly transfer data to a standard application.
Almost always, program settings and user data are saved in %appdata% . In different versions of Windows, %appdata% are different folders C:\Users\<имя_пользователя>\AppData\Roaming in Windows 7/Vista/2008, C:\Documents and settings\<имя_пользователя>\Application Data\ in Windows XP/2003/2000... And these are always folders on the system partition (in this case C:), but this is not correct because this partition is subject to changes, damage, and updates. For example, when reinstalling, updating the system, restoring the system from an image. So the data in these folders can easily get lost.
If the program settings are lost or damaged, then okay - you can configure it again (which is also undesirable in principle), but if you lose: mail, important links, documents, the necessary history of correspondence from ICQ, then restoring this can sometimes be very problematic. But this can be avoided.
This article is intended for those who understand what is proposed to be done in the text below. Others who want to try this do so at their own peril and risk.
Choosing a place to store your data.
For example, let's take drive D:. This could be another disk partition, a removable hard drive, a flash drive, an encrypted partition, a network drive, remote file storage on the Internet - whatever you like best or what is more appropriate for security reasons.
Inside we will create a folder, for example _profile, in which the program settings will be located.
(i) It is advisable to make the resulting folder D:\_profile hidden.
(i) There are spaces, unprintable characters, and Cyrillic in the name! It is not advisable! - only Latin characters.
Let's move "My Documents", "Desktop", "Favorites"
1)
Create folders d:\_profile\desktop\ , d:\_profile\favorites\
2)
Add to the registry:
"Desktop"=hex(2):44,00,3a,00,5c,00,5 f,00,70,00,72,00,6f,00,66,00,69,00,6c,00, \
65,00,5c,00,64,00,65,00,73,00,6b,00,74,0 0,6f,00,70,00,00,00
"Favorites"=hex(2):44,00,3a,00,5c,00,5 f,00,70,00,72,00,6f,00,66,00,69,00,6c,00, \
65,00,5c,00,66,00,61,00,76,00,6f,00,72,0 0,69,00,74,00,65,00,73,00,00,00
"Personal"=hex(2):44,00,3a,00,5c,00,00,0 0
"Desktop"="D:\\_profile\\desktop"
"Favorites"="D:\\_profile\\favorites"
"Personal"="D:\\"
Let's transfer the Mozilla Firefox browser profile
The Firefox profile stores bookmarks (favorites), passwords, browsing history, etc.
Option #1
1)
Create a folder d:\_profile\firefox\
2)
in d:\_profile\firefox\
(!)
If the old profile is not needed, you can skip this item.
3)
In the properties of the Firefox client shortcut, in the "Object" field (at the end after the name of the executable file), you need to add a new path to the profile -profile "d:\_profile\firefox"
e:\soft\firefox\firefox.exe -profile d:\_profile\firefox
Option No. 2
1)
Create a folder d:\_profile\firefox\
2)
Open notepad
3)
%appdata%\Mozilla\Firefox\profiles.ini
4)
Changing the line Path=Profiles/alk58ffl.default on Path=d:\_profile\firefox
(!)
alk58ffl.default - folder with profile files. Its name is different for everyone.
5)
6)
Copy (or transfer) files from %appdata%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\alk58 ffl.default\ in d:\_profile\firefox\
Let's transfer the Google Chrome browser profile
Your Chrome profile stores bookmarks (favorites), passwords, browsing history, and more.
1)
Create a folder d:\_profile\chrome\
2)
In the properties of the Chrome client shortcut, in the "Object" field (at the end after the name of the executable file), you need to add a new path to the profile --user-data-dir=" d:\_profile \chrome "
3)
Copy (or transfer) files from %localappdata%\Google\Chrome\User Data\ in d:\_profile\chrome\
Let's transfer the profile of the Mozilla Thunderbird email client
The Thunderbird profile stores contacts (address book), received mail, mailings, add-ons and program settings
Option #1
1)
Create a folder d:\_profile\thunderbird\
2)
Copy (or transfer) files from %appdata%\Thunderbird\Profiles\uks6qm9b.d efault\ in d:\_profile\thunderbird\
(!)
3)
In the properties of the Thunderbird client shortcut, in the "Object" field (at the end after the name of the executable file), you need to add a new path to the profile -profile "d:\_profile\thunderbird"
It should look something like this: e:\soft\thunderbird\thunderbird.exe -profile d:\_profile\thunderbird
Option No. 2
1)
Create a folder d:\_profile \thunderbird\
2)
Open notepad
3)
In notepad: menu file - open: %appdata%\Thunderbird\profiles.ini
4)
Changing the line Path=Profiles/uks6qm9b.default to Path=d:\_profile\thunderbird
(!)
uks6qm9b.default - folder with profile files. Its name is different for everyone.
5)
Change the line IsRelative=1 to IsRelative=0
6)
Copy (or transfer) files from %appdata%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\ uks6qm9b .default\ in d:\_profile\ thunderbird\
Let's transfer the im profile of Miranda client
The Miranda profile stores local contacts, correspondence history, additions and program settings
1)
Create a folder d:\_profile \miranda\
2)
Copy (or transfer) the profile file (For example default.dat) from %appdata%\Miranda\ to d:\_profile \miranda\
3)
In the Miranda client shortcut properties, in the "Object" field (at the end after the name of the executable file), you need to add a new path to the profile file d:\_profile \miranda\default.dat
It should look something like this: e:\soft\Miranda\miranda32.exe d:\_profil e\miranda\default.dat
Let's transfer the Skype client voip profile
The Skype profile stores data about the Skype accounts used, settings and program additions
1)
Create a folder d:\_profile\skype\
2)
Copy (or transfer) profile files from %appdata%\Skype\ to d:\_profile\skype\
3)
In the properties of the Skype client shortcut, in the "Object" field (at the end after the name of the executable file), you need to add a new profile path /datapath:"d:\_profile\skype\ " and the /removable key
It should look something like this: e:\soft\skype\Skype.exe /datapath:"d:\_profile\skype\" /removable
Let's transfer the sip profile of the Zoiper Free client
The Zoiper profile stores contacts (address book), call history, data about used Zoiper accounts and program settings
1)
Create a folder d:\_profile\zoiper\
2)
Copy (or transfer) profile files from %appdata%\Zoiper\ to d:\_profile \zoiper\
3)
In the properties of the Zoiper client shortcut, in the "Object" field (at the end after the name of the executable file), you need to add a new path to the profile /config_path=d:\_profile\zoiper\
It should look something like this: e:\soft\zoiper\Zoiper.exe config_path=d:\_profile\zoiper
Thus, by transferring program profiles and documents, it is possible to concentrate important data in one place.
For which it is possible (and it was correct) to organize a backup system. Quickly take it with you or disconnect it (in the case of a flash drive or Internet storage) without leaving it to possible attackers. Or keep it on a high-speed network drive at work. There are many options... as far as your imagination goes.
Profile backup
To back up your profile, you need to close Thunderbird and copy the folder containing your profile to another location.
Close Thunderbird.
Locate your profile folder as shown above.
Go to the folder above your profiles folders %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Thunderbird\Profiles\
Right-click on the folder containing your profile (for example xxxxxxxx.default) and select Copy.
Right-click where you want to place the backup (such as a USB drive or a blank CD-RW disk) and select Paste.
Restoring a profile from a backup
Close Thunderbird.
If your current profile folder and the profile backup folder are named the same, then simply replace it with the profile backup folder, then launch Thunderbird.
Important: The names of the folders containing the profile must match, including a string of 8 random characters. If the names do not match or if you are restoring the backup to another location, then follow the instructions below.
Restoring a backup to another location
If the profile folder names do not match or you want to move or restore the profile to a different location, simply do the following:
Close Thunderbird completely.
Use the Thunderbird Profile Manager to create a new profile in the desired location. To launch Thunderbird Profile Manager run
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe -P.
Note: If you just installed Thunderbird on a new computer, you can use the standard profile that is automatically created when you launch Thunderbird for the first time.
Exit Thunderbird Profile Manager.
Locate the profile backup on your hard drive or other backup media (such as a USB drive).
Open the profile backup folder (for example, xxxxxxxx.default backup).
Copy the entire contents of the profile backup folder: mimeTypes.rdf, prefs.js files, bookmarkbackups folder and others.
Find and navigate to the new profile folder as shown above and close Thunderbird (if running).
Paste the contents of the profile backup folder into the new profile folder, overwriting existing files with the same name.
Launch Thunderbird.
Moving a profile
Sometimes you may want to move your profile or tell Thunderbird to use a profile stored elsewhere.
Close Thunderbird.
Move the profile folder to the desired location. for example on Windows XP, move the profile from C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\xxxxxxxx.default to D:\Stuff\MyMailProfile. (If you are restoring a profile backup, this step is not necessary. Just remember the current location of the profile you want to restore.)
Open the profiles.ini file in a text editor. This file is located in the Thunderbird application data folder:
On Windows 7/Vista/XP/2000 the path is %AppData%\Thunderbird\
On Windows 95/98/Me the path is usually C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Thunderbird\
On Linux the path is ~/.thunderbird/
On Mac OS X the path is ~/Library/Thunderbird/
In the profiles.ini file, find the line with the profile that you just moved. Enter the new profile location in the Path= parameter.
If you switch from a relative path to an absolute path, you may need to change the slope of the slashes. For example, on Windows, non-relative paths (absolute) use left-slashes, while relative paths use right-slashes. Change IsRelative=1 to IsRelative=0.
Save profiles.ini and restart Thunderbird.
