upgrade from Windws Live Mail

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Roysyboy
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Joined: May 5th, 2011, 4:48 am

upgrade from Windws Live Mail

Post by Roysyboy »

When I install Thunderbird, it fails to import all my emails etc from Windows Live Mail. How can I best get this done?
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DanRaisch
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Re: upgrade from Windws Live Mail

Post by DanRaisch »

To import address data from Windows Live Mail (WLM) you must first export that data from WLM to a CSV format file. That file can then be imported into Thunderbird. It's likely, however, that the CSV format file created by the export from WLM does not match the order of fields required for import to Thunderbird.

To correct this, if you have not already done so, manually create one or more records in Personal Address Book (PAB) and then export the data from that book. Click on the name of the PAB in the left hand pane of the Address Book window, 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, OpenOffice Calc or another spreadsheet program and do the same with the data file from Windows Mail. 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 an 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 move or copy the data from the latest import to the Personal Address Book.

You can import the messages from WLM (they are stored as files with the extension .eml) using this add-on for Thunderbird -- https://nic-nac-project.org/~kaosmos/mboximport-en.html

To install a Thunderbird extension do the following:
Right click the download link on the extension's home page and choose "Save Link As...". Then, in Thunderbird, go to Tools->Addons->Extensions tab->click on the "Install" button. Navigate to the just downloaded .xpi file and select it. Click on the "Open" button. The installation will now begin. You will need to close and reopen Thunderbird to complete the install.
Roysyboy
Posts: 3
Joined: May 5th, 2011, 4:48 am

Re: upgrade from Windws Live Mail

Post by Roysyboy »

Hi Dan, tx for all this, I'll give it a go cos I don't like WLM much!
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DanRaisch
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Re: upgrade from Windws Live Mail

Post by DanRaisch »

You're welcome.
Roysyboy
Posts: 3
Joined: May 5th, 2011, 4:48 am

Re: upgrade from Windws Live Mail

Post by Roysyboy »

I think I've got WLM 2011 which may be different from previous versions. I just can't find a way to export the address book data from WLM in whatever format.
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DanRaisch
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Posts: 127187
Joined: September 23rd, 2004, 8:57 pm
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Re: upgrade from Windws Live Mail

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