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To hide the hidden files in Windows XP open MyComputer/Tools/FolderOptions/View. Under 'Hidden files and folders' select "Hide ....'. Apply this to all folders. Clean up the desktop from files you created or downloaded. Leave the computer as tidy as you found it.
Migrating a Thunderbird folder
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from Windows to Linux
Open Thunderbird in Linux once and cancel everything so that is create a folder and a profile in your home directory: .mozilla-thunderbird (TB 2) or .thinderbird (TB 3)
Then copy the profile folder (example ryekvvl1.default) to Linux.
Now open profiles.ini and change this line to Path=...... to your current profile.
Save and start TB.