Copying/migrating/syncing FF, T-bird, eMClient, msIE & GC

[RolandJS]

Copying/migrating/syncing FF, T-bird, eMClient, msIE & GChrome
Mozilla Firefox & Thunderbird, eM Client, msIE, Google Chrome backup & "migrating"

If one routinely backs up certain directories of the abovementioned programs,
one can "migrate" one or more of the above from "The Best Home or Base Computer" to other computers.
Before any copying or migrating attempts are made, ensure the programs on source & target computers are not running, not active.
It's best that the above programs already exist in good working order on target computers.
For copying/migrating, I've used FreeFileSync set to Mirror source onto target successfully.
[By successfully, I mean what the FreeFileSync does.]
I've had the best results with Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird, very good results with eM Client.
Results have been mixed bags [being blessed and being blessed out] for msIE and Google Chrome browsers.
For this writing, I use the terms migrate, migrating when the words sync, syncing are just as accurate if not more so.

Let me do the easiest one first. Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird are the easiest to change or repair via copying/migrating.
Users [user acct] AppData Local Mozilla [for FF], Thunderbird [for the emailer]
Users [user acct] AppData Roaming Mozilla [for FF], Thunderbird [for the emailer]
Copying/migrating Program Files (x86)\Mozilla...firefox...thunderbird program directories are not necessary.
[Migrating programs directories will not replace the need to do an install.]

eM Client is the next easiest to change or repair via copying/migrating. Make sure a working copy exists on the target computer.
Users [user acct] AppData Local eM Client Toolbar -- do NOT attempt to copy/migrate this directory; attempts generate numerous errors
Users [user acct] AppData Roaming eM Client -- this directory can be successfully copied/migrated
Again, the program directory is not needed to be copied/migrated, as long as source & target versions are alike.

A difficult one to successfully change or repair via copy/migrate is msIE, Microsoft Internet Explorer.
It works much better if both source and target existing IEs are the same version.
Users [user acct] appdata local microsoft ie [meaning the directory named: internet explorer]
Users [user acct] appdata locallow microsoft ie [ditto] -- can be copied/migrated; "parallel success" not guaranteed, results sure vary
appdata roaming microsoft ie [ditto] -- can be copied/migrated; "parallel success" not guaranteed, results sure vary
programdata microsoft ie - can be copied/migrated; "parallel success" not guaranteed, results sure vary
Users [user acct] favorites -- this directory is the only one that behaves nicely, IE does reflect the "updated" favorites [if IE is working].
programfiles[64] ie and program files (x86) ie program directories, 64-bit and 32-bit respectively:
While I have copied the files from a working 32bit directory into a non-working 64bit directory [or from 64 to 32], hoping to get both working before the next IE install or IE version-upgrade, repair success rate is spotty at best; gambling sometimes pays off, often no change.

Another difficult one to successfully change or repair via copy/migrate is Google Chrome. For me, failure rate is fairly high for this one.
Often one has to uninstall and reinstall GChrome via CTL-PNL Programs or something similar to Revo Uninstaller/Installer.
programfiles[64] Google directory is empty in all my 3 computers
program files (x86) is the one that has the Google Chrome files in all my 3 computers [**]
Users [user acct] appdata local google [**]
[**] These two directories must be copied/migrated/synced during the same source to target session; "Parallel success" will not happen.
Quite often, this "back-door installing via copying/migrating" only is buying you time, time for saving settings to the Google Chrome server [somewhere out there], time for saving settings to one's local copy of Google Chrome. If one has Session Manager, time for saving the desired tabs -- to be called up next time [if there is a successful next time]. Buying time because often Chrome will force a reinstall in order to successfully reLink the versions-upgrading and smooth out the communication between local Chrome and Google server's ersion of your acct settings. Often, what this mess will do: set you up with a "brand new" Google Chrome that has to reSet, reConfigured, from Square One.
At worst, what this mess will do: set you up for a total uninstall and a total reinstall of Google Chrome, just like it was at Day One.

 

[RolandJS]

programdata microsoft ie - can be copied/migrated; "parallel success" not guaranteed, results sure vary
added the above line into my thread opener