Thunderbird won't reopen previous emails after restart

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phoenixx

57 posts

Master Geek

#303646 24-Feb-2023 19:53

When Thunderbird restarts it won't reopen emails, even though it tells me it will!

Thunderbird support says:

"TB should open with the folder and tabs that were open at last closing. If it isn't, delete session.json from the profile folder, with TB closed (Help/More Troubleshooting, Profile Folder, Open Folder)."

I have followed those instructions, repeated several times, but no, it still won't reopen my previously opened emails!

Please help, thank you

Stu

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#3044379 3-Mar-2023 17:16

There's no need to start an identical thread due to not getting a response in this one. You could reply to your own thread with a post saying "Bump" to give it fresh attention. The lack of responses may simply be that no one can assist you with your Thunderbird issue. I've hidden the duplicate thread.

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Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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phoenixx

57 posts

Master Geek

#3044380 3-Mar-2023 17:18

Ok thank you.

Gurezaemon

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#3044389 3-Mar-2023 17:45

Folders can often be fixed by digging down into your profile folder and deleting the 'msf' file that is alongside the folder name.

For example, if I were having trouble with my inbox, I would delete the Inbox.msf file. This msf file merely indexes that folder, and is rebuilt when Thunderbird restarts, often fixing the problem.

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phoenixx

57 posts

Master Geek

#3053006 21-Mar-2023 17:53

Gurezaemon:

Folders can often be fixed by digging down into your profile folder and deleting the 'msf' file that is alongside the folder name.

For example, if I were having trouble with my inbox, I would delete the Inbox.msf file. This msf file merely indexes that folder, and is rebuilt when Thunderbird restarts, often fixing the problem.

Hi, sorry to bother you again. I don't seem to have an inbox.msf file, there is nothing with that name in the profile folder. Can you advise further please?

Thank you

Gurezaemon

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#3053009 21-Mar-2023 18:17

If you're having trouble finding your Inbox.msf file, you could try searching within your profile using the windows explorer search function. Delete any Inbox.msf files you find there.

The other option is to right click on the inbox folder within Thunderbird | Properties | Repair folder.
This does pretty much the same thing, as far as I can tell.

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phoenixx

57 posts

Master Geek

#3053010 21-Mar-2023 18:21

Gurezaemon:

If you're having trouble finding your Inbox.msf file, you could try searching within your profile using the windows explorer search function. Delete any Inbox.msf files you find there.

The other option is to right click on the inbox folder within Thunderbird | Properties | Repair folder.
This does pretty much the same thing, as far as I can tell.

Hi, I have just done as you advised. Reopened Thunderbird, now there is nothing in my Inbox! Oh dear please advise?

Gurezaemon

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#3053025 21-Mar-2023 18:54

Could you have deleted the 'Inbox' file rather than the 'Inbox.msf' file...? If you do not have 'Hide extensions for known file types' disabled in explorer, this can happen easily.

I suggest going to the Recycle bin and restoring anything called Inbox from there. Either that, or restoring from a backup (you do have a backup, right...?)

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phoenixx

57 posts

Master Geek

#3053028 21-Mar-2023 19:24

Gurezaemon:

Could you have deleted the 'Inbox' file rather than the 'Inbox.msf' file...? If you do not have 'Hide extensions for known file types' disabled in explorer, this can happen easily.

I suggest going to the Recycle bin and restoring anything called Inbox from there. Either that, or restoring from a backup (you do have a backup, right...?)

Hi,

I definitely deleted the inbox.msf files as I had to do a search in the profile folder because as per my previous message they didn't show up in the list of files. There were several dozen inbox.msf files!

Crisis now averted as I have managed to restore from Recycle Bin but I'm confused as to why all my emails had dissapeared from my Inbox?

Lol and this still didn't help with the emails previously opened not reopening on a restart?

Oh and I think Thunderbird backs itself up automatically, but can you remind me where to find the backup?

Thanks for your help

Gurezaemon

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#3053047 21-Mar-2023 20:22

phoenixx:

Hi,

I definitely deleted the inbox.msf files as I had to do a search in the profile folder because as per my previous message they didn't show up in the list of files. There were several dozen inbox.msf files!

Crisis now averted as I have managed to restore from Recycle Bin but I'm confused as to why all my emails had dissapeared from my Inbox?

Lol and this still didn't help with the emails previously opened not reopening on a restart?

Oh and I think Thunderbird backs itself up automatically, but can you remind me where to find the backup?

Thanks for your help

Glad to hear that you recovered the mails. I have no idea why they would have disappeared though. I also have no other ideas regarding mails not reopening, sorry.

I've been using Thunderbird in various iterations since the late 90's (when it was part of Netscape) and have never heard of an automatic backup function. I had a quick Google, and apparently it has a built-in manual option for backing up, detailed here. This page also has a link on how to restore in the comments.

I've always just used my standard backup software to mirror the entire profile to other drives, so that type of thing is an option too.

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Quinny

889 posts

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#3055205 27-Mar-2023 11:12

I have a massive Thunderbird (over 350g profile) with all our work emails inside (inc multiple email addresses and domains). I have used Thunderbird over Outlook since I had a paid copy of Eudora

- You can back up the profile folder anytime to another drive/cloud. This copies all the "offline content" under local folders. It is then easy to copy the folder back in a data failure

- If a mailbox corrupts (ie open x email and see contents of y) - right click inbox/outbox/sent whatever and go to properties then repair folder. This rebuilds it.

Both should help with any future issues