459975 - Import from Thunderbird Linux to Thunderbird XP problems

Status: RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

(Thunderbird :: Migration, enhancement)

Description

[Princess Wasilla Pageant]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-GB; rv:1.9.0.1) Gecko/2008070208 Firefox/3.0.1
Build Identifier: version 2.0.0.17 (20080914)

I understood the email folder structure was cross-platform compatable.  I used FTP to copy my mail folder from Linux to XP and found the directory structure was created in my XP Thunderbird but zero contents in each of the imported folders.  

In addition - Attempts to delete the folders also fail (I get prompted if I am sure that I want to delete the imported folders, I confirm, and no change happens, no error reported). The workround is to delete the folders/files from within Windoze Explorer.

Basically, I have about six months or more of Thunderbird Ubuntu emails and I've decided to rollback to XP and want to bring these emails across from Linux to XP (sad, but true). I've failed with my attempts. Is this a bug?

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Exit Thunderbird
2. Copy client folder structure from Thunderbird Linux to Thunderbird XP client folder
3. Start Thunderbird for XP, the folders of the imported mails exist but no contents (emails) are listed
Actual Results:  
No emails listed in the inbox...

Expected Results:  
I expected to have about six months of emails in my inbox and the various imported folders - not so.

I used the latest Thunderbird that was available via Ubuntu download and version 2.0.0.17 (20080914) for XP.

Mail client works fine for me so I'm listing the severity as an enhancement as I have not read specific reference that I should be able to import from Linux to Windows environment. Thanks for all your efforts though.

Comment 1

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

I think that should work, though you're moving the wrong way ;)

Are the files (mail folders) wrongfully getting set to readonly in windows perhaps? Do the files have correct access rights? Finally, also try "Rebuild index" in the folder properties dialog. That probably won't help though if thunderbird says it can't delete them.

Comment 2

[Joshua Cranmer [:jcranmer]]

I am able to successfully share my entire profile on Linux and Windows with no problems whatsoever.

What do you mean by "Copy client folder structure from Thunderbird Linux to Thunderbird XP client folder"?

If I copy ~/.thunderbird/<profile folder> to C:\Users\jcranmer\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\ (Vista path), and edit profiles.ini as appropriate, I have no problems using it on Windows. Is that what you did?

Comment 3

[Joshua Cranmer [:jcranmer]]

RESO INCO per lack of response to last question. If you feel this change was made in error, please respond to this bug with your reasons why.