My mother has had ubuntu installed on her laptop and the version was from 2010 or something and had been asking her to update for a long time. I eventually got around there and did it for her.

Though now Thunderbird no longer has her emails.

While I suspect they are lost and nothing can be done I am praying that there is some way to recover those emails.

Also it was not afresh install it was an update using the update updated thing.

I appreciate any help you can give.