Lost Address Book Contents

I pulled a goofy! I wanted to clear out my "Collected Addresses ", but unfortunately, I highlighted and deleted the contents of my "Personal Address Book. "

The Book Folder is still there, but the addresses are gone. I do backups and should have a copy of it. I find several .MAB files but can't determine which one might be the correct one and latest version.

For some reason, I suspect a Vista problem they all old dates for their last save and modification.

Is there a way to read .MAB files, and if so, to restore the contents. The book was quite large.

 

Copying the backed up abook.mab file, and pasting it into the profile\xxxxx.slt should do the job. I don't use Collected addresses, so, I have only one abook.mab file. There may be another one, called abook-1.mab, but open up the file as broni described to make sure which is which.
There may be impab.mab files which contain imported ABs

 

Double Trouble

Looked at the two replies ad tried to implement them.

I discover I have double trouble.

1/ I have abook.mab at two different places. (Probably because I have a new machine which was restored from a dead XP machine to a new Vista machine by a tech firm. One is in C:\Users\Clarence\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Thunderbird\Profiles\52ipxqfi.default\abook.mab
the other is in
C:\Users\Clarence\AppData\Local\Thunderbird\Profiles\52ipxqfi.default\abook.mab

2/ I did the rename and copy the abook.mab to the other directory for both of them, but neither gave a positive result.

Using notebook I see that both files have (at least from what I can read) the same information in them and it seems to be the data I am missing.

I tried entering a new address in the Address book and then looking to see which file had a new date stamp - neither did.

 

By the way, you did not say which program lost the address book. Considering that both paths have Thunderbird, I would say that you have been using TB.
The top path is incorrect, for TB. The bottom path is correct, assuming that a couple of errors are typos. Like defau lt, and, abook .mab

The top path is a sort of Netscape/Mozilla, but incorrect, because of the presence of Thunderbird, in it.
So, tell us what program you are trying to use, etc.

 

I am using Thunderbird 2.0.0.9. And yes those are typos. I'm surprised that the top path is the wrong one because except for the Thunderbird folder, the parent of the top one also has a FireFox folder in the same position.

 

You are correct, I missed the Roaming part. So, is there a typo in the path for both? Or is Local equivalent to Roaming? Global directory? Or what? I don't have Vista, and glad of not having it, but the major problem, no matter what, seems that there are two TB profiles. Perhaps none of them in the correct path.

 

So, there is a Local, and a Roaming directory? I am trying to explain why the path should be in the Roaming directory, but our friend has two, apparently, identical folders in Local. I am giving up, as I don't have Vista.

 

Vista!?

I am glad but not surprised at the discussion caused by my paths. I had no real choice when I had to update to a new PC. I have regret almost from day one using Vista.


There are so many "little" things like this. It seems every time I have a problem with an application, I get discussions like this. Even when two or more Vista users try to help out they are always in full agreement where things are / should be.

I'll keep watching and trying!

 

Cal,

The correct location of the Address Book in Windows Vista:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Thunderbird#Windows_Vista

1. Open the Windows Start menu
2. In the the "Start Search" box, type in %APPDATA%
3. Click the "Roaming" item that appears on the menu.
4. In the Windows Explorer window that opens, choose Thunderbird → Profiles. Each folder in this folder is a profile on your computer.

You can also navigate directly to your profile folder at the path:
C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\ .

The AppData folder is a hidden folder. To show hidden folders, open a Windows Explorer window and choose:
"Organize → Folder and Search Options → Folder Options → View (tab) → Show hidden files and folders ".

 

Progress!

Ramona,

I think you have gotten me on the road. I now have a Personal Address Book which appears to be up to date.

Based on the entries which preceded your entry and assistance, I have a question. Since I have the other two paths I found under the Local directory, does that mean I can delete them? If so, is everything under Thunderbird except the path in Roaming to be discarded also?

Cal

 

I wouldn't delete them, Cal. Since you now have a working Address Book, leave those two paths as they are.

Not having Vista, I'm no really clear on what you're asking. Is there more than one salted folder (52ipxqfi.default) located in the Profiles folder here:

C:\Users\Clarence\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles ?

 

My Paths In Vista

Ramona,

I have three paths. One in Roaming and two in Local.

Clarence\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\52ipxqfj.default

Clarence\AppData\Local\Thunderbird\Profiles\52ipxqfj.default

Clarence\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Thunderbird\Profiles\52ipxqfj.default

I can confirm that I am seeing the path in Roaming as the one loading. I guess I am a little leery of having three paths. As I noted before, I have found that Vista really works well when it works, but when it doesn't work the answers from other users always seems so varied. Just a bit scary.

I will follow your advice and let the other two paths alone since I'm back on the air but with a queasy feeling because I discovered tonight that the address book has a few entries I had previous deleted or changed. Not a big deal, but I'm going to have be very cautious about backups for awhile.

Thanks to you especially, but also all the others who have inputted information. Have a great holiday season whichever or however you observe it.

Cal

 

Cal,

I believe this folder is outdated:
Clarence\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Thunderbird\Profiles\52ipxqfj.default

Thunderbird is no longer a subfolder of Mozilla. You can rename the Mozilla folder ( XXMozilla) or save it to a backup folder, just in case.

The other Thunderbird folder:
Clarence\AppData\Local\Thunderbird\Profiles\52ipxqfj.default

should be left as is, as I believe this to be a legitimate folder, and broni concurs.

In Windows XP, SP2, there is a "Local Settings" folder which also contains Firefox and Thunderbird folders.

Maybe you copied the wrong abook.mab file to the new install? Do a backup of the entire Thunderbird folder, and Firefox folder, on a daily basis. Also, to ensure you don't lose your Address Book again, export it to your backup folder as an LDIF file. Do this every time you add, or delete entries, then you will always have an ace in your hand!