Thunderbird profile backup > restore

Sorry to ask this but the information on the topic around the web is dated and no longer seems to work with current versions TB (68.10.0 or later)

Essentially, I understand that on Linux we should archive the /home/user/.thunderbird directory on the old machine.

Advice then instructs to restore the archive on the new computer

• Start TB once
• Cancel the new profile config
• close TB
• Update the profiles.ini with the old profile credentials

This does not work. TB ignores the credentials and carries on as if there's no profile.

Does anyone know of a reliable method to backup a TB profile on and old PC and move it to the new? Note I'll be installing a new distro, so imaging the HD is not an option.

Thanks