none wrote:
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Wally
You will note that under WinXP, thunderbird is installed under the
"hidden" directory "Application Data" in the user home directory as
Thunderbird. Beneath that directory is Profiles and under that is the
oddly named xxxxxx.default directory which contains all of the relevant
"stuff". All files in there are usable by a linux setup.

You will note that under Linux, thunderbird is installed under the
"hidden" directory ".thunderbird" in the user home directory. Beneath
that directory is Profiles and a oddly named yyyyyy.default directory,
again with all of the relevant user "stuff"

I am routinely booting my computer from linux (different versions or
sometimes into WinXP or even WinXP in VMware in Linux) Hence, I have
created my user on my spouse's computer which is always under WinXP,
always on, and rarely rebooted with a thunderbird account. I have that
computer mounted as a samba resource within my home directory on Linux.
You will note there is a profiles.ini file at the same level as the
Profiles directory under .thunderbird in your home directory. I have
changed its relevant contents to read:

IsRelative=0
Path=MOUNTPATH/Application Data/Thunderbird/Profiles/qk9asixl.default

You supply "MOUNTPATH" and "qk9asixl" for your particular use.

Doing so allows me to maintain one Thunderbird set of mail and news
files. When I use my laptop in the house on wireless, I similarly
setup my profile.ini to point to the same directory on my spouses
computer. Naturally, the one caveat is that only one application can be
active at a single time. Locking prevents two simultaneous uses.

All this demonstrates the files are completely compatible. If you just
want the address book, copy the address book file from one "Profile"
directory to the other. Its name is: abook.mab

Good luck
Kirk