What is the TDB file format?
.tdb files are associated with eBay's auction management software Turbo Lister. Turbo Lister allowed sellers to create and manage eBay auction listings in bulk, with an offline mode and a scheduler for uploading listings to eBay.
Turbo Lister stored its listing data in a proprietary embedded database, with .tdb files acting as that database store - holding auction drafts, item descriptions, prices, category settings, image references, and user activity. The default database file is named user000.tdb. .tdb backup files are saved in the Data folder within the Turbo Lister installation directory by default.
In 2017 eBay announced it would phase out Turbo Lister in favor of Seller Hub, its web-based listing platform. Turbo Lister downloads were discontinued in the US that year, and the application was fully retired in 2020. Seller Hub is entirely web-based and does not import .tdb files. Data recovery from an existing .tdb file requires an old Turbo Lister installation on Windows XP or Windows 7.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWTDB files are proprietary database files containing listing data. No executable content. Risk is very low. Note: if .tdb files are found on a Linux/Samba system they are Samba Trivial Database files - also low risk but completely different format.
Format details
in a nutshell- Samba TDB (Trivial Database) - Samba (Linux SMB server) uses .tdb files for its Trivial Database format - a simple key-value store; completely unrelated to eBay Turbo Lister.
- Tripwire Database File - Tripwire security software uses .tdb for its integrity-checking database; unrelated.
Programs that open TDB files
Windows1 app
eBay Turbo Lister 2
Free No longer downloadable from eBay (retired July 2020). If you have a legacy installation on Windows XP/7, open Turbo Lister and it will locate user000.tdb automatically. Technical details
deep spec| Database engine | SlamDB - proprietary embedded database engine (B-tree based, similar in era to Berkeley DB) |
| Format type | Proprietary binary embedded database |
| Byte order | Little-endian |
| Default filename | `user000.tdb` - default name for the primary Turbo Lister data file |
| Typical size | 500 KB - 50 MB, depending on number of eBay listings stored |
| Content stored | eBay listing drafts, item descriptions, prices, category assignments, image references, seller settings, user activity |
| Default location | `Data` subfolder of the Turbo Lister installation directory |
| Associated OS | Windows (XP, Vista, 7) |
| Format versions | Turbo Lister 1 (TL1, Windows 98 era) and Turbo Lister 2 (TL2, Windows XP era); internal format may differ between versions |
| Magic bytes | Not publicly documented - SlamDB format has no released specification |
| Format status | Orphaned - Turbo Lister retired July 2020; no current software reads `.tdb` files directly |
| Data recovery | Requires an old Turbo Lister installation on Windows XP or 7; no modern import tools exist |
| Released | circa 2001 (eBay Turbo Lister 1.0) |
| Latest version | Turbo Lister 2 (final; retired July 2020) |
TDB conversions
Community Q&A
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