Import from Outlook Express .dbx files

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JJ Johnson
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Import from Outlook Express .dbx files

Post by JJ Johnson »

I'm trying to import old messages from my old WinXP PC running Outlook Express to my new computer running Thunderbird. In Thunderbird's Tools > Import dialog I point it at the folder containing OE's .dbx files, but Thunderbird sees nothing. What folder does it expect you to designate?
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JJ Johnson
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Re: Import from Outlook Express .dbx files

Post by JJ Johnson »

Nobody knows how the Outlook Express import works?

When I'm presented with a Windows Explorer type of interface with a title bar saying "Select mail directory", I select a folder on the other computer which contains my OE mail data.

V:\Documents and Settings\Carson\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{378DB357-D344-4C3C-8960-CBB1C4DAEA81}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

but the Thunderbird import tool says "No items match your search." Ok, what _does_ match? It appears to be looking for some particular installation folder, but which one?
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DanRaisch
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Re: Import from Outlook Express .dbx files

Post by DanRaisch »

A bit of patience, please. It was just two hours between your two posts here. In the two hours between your posts only 10 people even looked at your post.

As far as importing from Outlook Express files, Thunderbird can only do that if the system on which the import is being performed has Outlook Express installed and functional. (That's because OE stores messages in a proprietary file format and Thunderbird can only access them by using calls to OE itself.) IS Outlook Express installed on that system? http://kb.mozillazine.org/Import_from_Outlook_Express
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JJ Johnson
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Re: Import from Outlook Express .dbx files

Post by JJ Johnson »

DanRaisch wrote:A bit of patience, please. It was just two hours between your two posts here. In the two hours between your posts only 10 people even looked at your post.


I sometimes forget that in this forum you're basically asking questions to two or three guys who moderate it.

Is there a more active forum for Thunderbird somewhere that I've overlooked?

IS Outlook Express installed on that system?


It's a Windows 7 system.
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Freee!!
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Re: Import from Outlook Express .dbx files

Post by Freee!! »

JJ Johnson wrote:I sometimes forget that in this forum you're basically asking questions to two or three guys who moderate it.
And some other volunteers who occasionally have to work (or sleep).
Is there a more active forum for Thunderbird somewhere that I've overlooked?
I haven't found it yet, neither a more accurate one.
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DanRaisch
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Re: Import from Outlook Express .dbx files

Post by DanRaisch »

If you still have an older system with OE installed you could install Thunderbird on that and do the import there. Or, if you only have the OE .dbx file on the Win 7 system you can try one of the conversion utiilities referenced in the article above to get the data to a format that Thunderbird can recognize or imporrt.
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JJ Johnson
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Re: Import from Outlook Express .dbx files

Post by JJ Johnson »

Ok, let's say I do that: Install Thunderbird on the old system and then import all of the OE messages to that installation.

(Does OE need to actually be running on the machine, or only installed and functional?)

How do I then move those messages to the new system? They would all be in one TB mailbox. Is a mailbox just a single file (or a single folder full of files) that I can simply drop into the Thunderbird installation on the new machine? Since I've been using the new system for a couple of weeks, I want to merge those old messages with what I have, without losing my folder structure, message filters, etc.
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DanRaisch
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Re: Import from Outlook Express .dbx files

Post by DanRaisch »

I don't believe that Outlook needs to be running, just installed and functional.

After importing the data on the old machine into Thunderbird, see this article to move the data to the new system -- http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_ ... hunderbird
For a concise, less detailed version of the process, see this thread --
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1421375&p=7251375#p7251375

And, no. Thunderbird doesn't store all messages of a profile in a single file. Thunderbird's message system is one file per displayed folder. (Well, two files for a POP type account, a message file and a message summary (index) file).
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