Migrate To Thunderbird Before Or After New Computer?

[sdadolf]

After a "lifetime" of using Windows Live Mail, I plan to migrate to Thunderbird. I am also going to purchase a new desktop computer.

Any recommendations as to which is better:

1. Migrate from Windows Live Mail now on my old computer so when I get the new computer it will just move over.

2. Move everything over to the new computer, including my current Windows Live Mail program and data, and migrate to Thunderbird only after successfully getting the new computer all set up.

Maybe some of you have tried one way or the other and have suggestions?

Thanks,

-- Steve

[DanRaisch]

I'd say option 2. At the end of the day it's probably immaterial which path you choose but why not migrate with what you are used to so you don't have to work out Thunderbird specific matters right at the start.

[tomdkat]

Great thread! I did this on a machine last week. I migrated 20GB of Windows Live Mail email from a dying Windows 8.1 box to a new Windows 10 box. After getting the mail migrated, I had to install Windows Live Mail to get the email I moved over imported. At first, the existing email folders didn't display any email. So, I used the import function to import the email and it appeared in Windows Live Mail, but not in the account folders (but it appeared in the "Local folders" area).

If I could have gotten the Windows 8.1 box to run, I would have imported the email into Thunderbird *first*, then use MozBackup to backup everything, then import everything on the new box, in Thunderbird. At least, that would have been the plan.

With MozBackup, migrating Firefox and Thunderbird data is pretty easy.
Without MozBackup, migrating Firefox and Thunderbird data is pretty easy.

Just my thoughts.

Peace...