Need help with new install

[WilliamP]

I was using Windows Live Mail but was having problems with contacts disappearing. So I have downloaded Thunderbird. Now I need to get my contacts into Thunderbird. So far I'm not doing too good. Can someone please give me some help? I am running Win 7

[DanRaisch]

See if this is helpful -- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1118612

[WilliamP]

I have read that post and did not understand what was done. Also I have Windows 7.

[WilliamP]

I have imported the address book but it doesn't display like it should.

[DanRaisch]

it doesn't display like it should.

Meaning? What, exactly, is not as you expect it?

[WilliamP]

It doesn't show the last name first .then first name then E Mail address. Also can you create groups of contacts?

[DanRaisch]

A) It sounds as though the import didn't bring the information from Windows Live Mail into the correct fields.
To correct this, start by creating a NEW address book. Manually create one record in that new address book and then export the data from the new book. Click on the name of the new address book, then use menu path Tools->Export->Address Books->give the output a name and select "save as type" Comma Separated (CSV). Load the exported file into Excel or some other spreadsheet and do the same with the data file from which you previously imported the address data to Thunderbird. If necessary, reorder the columns in the file from which you intend to import so that it matches the order of those in the export from Thunderbird. Save the data back to CSV format and import that to Thunderbird.

Open any contact record from the newly created address book in Thunderbird to confirm that the email address field is properly populated. If it is, you can delete the address book created by the first import attempt and delete the records from the Personal Address Book. Finally, move or copy the data from the latest import to the Personal Address Book.

B) See this article -- http://kb.mozillazine.org/Mailing_lists

[WilliamP]

Dan how can I delete the Address Book from Thunderbird? I had tried Export and import about 3 times so i have 3 copies.

[DanRaisch]

Menu path Tools->Address Book->right click on the imported address book and select "Delete" from the context menu.
Note that you can not delete the Personal Address Book or the Collected Addresses book as they are default elements of Thunderbird.

[WilliamP]

I certainly appreciate your help. I think that I have found the problem. I saved the exported file to an Exel file in my documents. If you open the file it looks fine but if you close it and reopen it it is all packed together. We are going to try Importing it without looking at it.