Thunderbird portable is the portable version of Thunderbird, it does not require an installation which makes it an ideal tool for USB sticks and removable storage devices. I’m using Thunderbird on my desktop computer and decided that I wanted to use Thunderbird Portable on my USB drive to be able to check mails when on the road.
The theory was to copy all the mails, profile settings and other settings from Thunderbird to the Thunderbird portable folder and use it from there. It took some time but I finally managed that Thunderbird portable had all the mails, contacts and settings that I have been using in Thunderbird for some years now.
Download the portable version of Thunderbird and install it on your hard drive or device that you want to use. Please note that this installation is more or less only an unpacking of the contents, nothing will be written to the Registry or system files.
Locate your Thunderbird profile folder which can normally be found in “C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\xxxxxxxx.default”. Now copy the files localstore.rdf, abook.mab, prefs.js, the Mail and News folder to the profile folder of the Thunderbird portable directory. That folder is located in ThunderbirdPortable\Data\profile.
Replace the files if asked and open the file prefs.js afterwards. You will notice that the mail accounts are pointing to the profile folder of the normal Thunderbird installation, this has to change. Replace all paths to the local Thunderbird profile folder (the one starting with C:\\Documents and Settings\\username with the path to the portable Thunderbird folder.
A valid path would look like this: F:\\Thunderbird\\ThunderbirdPortable\\Data\\profile\\Mail\\Local Folders. Please note that you have to use double \\ instead of single \. This has to be done for every mail account that you use. All are located in the same file though, so no need to worry that much.
Once that file has been edited you can start the portable Thunderbird installation. I changed one setting in portable Thunderbird, I did not want it to download and delete the mail from the mail server. I changed that so that it would download the mails but leave them on the server.
Click on Tools > Account Settings and there on every Server Settings entry. Check Leave messages on server for all accounts and close the settings afterwards. Another option would be to sync both profiles whenever both are connected to the same PC.
Syncing is probably the better option. You could use Sync Toy if you use Windows XP to sync both Mail folders with ease. I write about that in another article.
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Thanks for this Martin. I’m in the midst of a bit of a family emergency and needed to get all my emails onto Portable Thunderbird as I’m going to be on the move.
I’ve been struggling and struggling and nearly gave up until your advice sorted it for me.
You’re a star!
Hello,
allow me to suggest another solution for having Thunderbird (and Firefox also) both on your computer and portable device :
1 – create a directory on your hard drive that will be the mirror of your portable device (e.g. : USB key)
2 – unzip a portable version of Thunderbird in this directory.
3 – if not already installed, make a fresh installation of Thunderbird (”normal” version) on your computer (with default options and paths)
4 – copy your whole profile folder (as described in the article above) in the portable profile folder
5 – now the trick is to tell to your local version of Thunderbird where your profile is: use the profile manager (see : http://www.mozilla.org/support/thunderbird/profile )
To sum it up : you now have a “normal” (local) version of Thunderbird but with your profile stored in the “portable” version folder.
The main advantage is that you can still use your local version as the default mail client (or default brownser for Firefox) on your computer when at home (it is not possible, or at least not very handy to use a portable version as default mail client or brownser).
You then only have to sync (SyncToy is perfect) your mirror folder before (and after) running the portable version elsewhere.
This way you never have to bother about add-ons or config or whatever : you always have the SAME thing both on local and portable versions.
It is VERY usefull when applied to Firefox : for example : if you bookmark a page or add an extension, you’ll find the same thing when running the portable version (assuming you’ve synchronised the mirror folder.
Firefox “local” version is your default brownser, the profile folder is on your hard drive (no slow down due to USB key) and you can still run the portable version anywhere you want with all the exact same options, add-ons, bookmarks, history, etc.
I hope it helps.
I’ve tried many solutions before this one (including the one described in your article) and I think its the most complete (for what I’m doing with at least…)
Cheers ;-)
(sorry for my poor english, mother tongue : french…)
One smal question,
If I download emails at other pc (usb flashdrive) now in morning, afternoon in my regular pc with thunder installed at hard disk, and in night I just run SincToy and done, both emails will be “merged”?
Or I need only download emails at one place before sync again to avoid lost emails?
My explanation was an little confused, but I hope that you understood.
Thank you guys!
Hello noneman,
the basic rule, if you choose to apply my solution, is to sync BEFORE running your local/remote client.
In your example :
1 – you download mails this morning with your remote client (usb on another computer)
2 – you’re syncing with Synctoy on your local computer
3 – you can now download new mails on your local client
4 – you’ll have to sync again before using your remote client
I think that it will probably mess things up if you do second point before third one.
Of course, if you don’t use remote client for some days, you don’t need to sync each time you download new mails…
Cheers.
Thank you for confirm it, Cannadoux.
This is what I had imagined.
Cya