Importing From Netscape 7.2--Email folders and Address books

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jpustai
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Importing From Netscape 7.2--Email folders and Address books

Post by jpustai »

Does anyone know how to "Import" from Netscape to Thunderbird all Email Folders (I have about 50 with sub-folders and lots of emails in these folders and sub-folders) and Address Books (I have about 10) into Thunderbird so that nothing is lost? Thanks.
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steviex
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Re: Importing From Netscape 7.2--Email folders and Address books

Post by steviex »

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -Albert Einstein

Please DO NOT PM me for support... Lets keep it on the board, so we can all learn.
rsx11m
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Re: Importing From Netscape 7.2 -Email folders and Address books

Post by rsx11m »

Thunderbird should recognize the Netscape profile when first started and offer you to import it for you, did you try this? That would be the easiest way.
jpustai
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Re: Importing From Netscape 7.2 -Email folders and Address books

Post by jpustai »

rsx11m wrote:Thunderbird should recognize the Netscape profile when first started and offer you to import it for you, did you try this? That would be the easiest way.


Haven't downloaded Thunderbird yet. Was tossing around using Thunderbird versus "Outlook Express" The Netscape Communicator (I.e. Email) version that I have is "Netscape 7.2. I was worried that it would not copy all of the many email folders/files/emails/address books because I have so many. Also, when I looked at the "Outlook Express" 'Import" function, it listed only "Netscape 4.x". So, I was wondering if Thunderbird" would "Import" Netscape Commicator 7.2"...and HOW it would work.
--Does it "Import" by opening up Netscape". OR, does the user just point to the "file" location and path (I.e. Window\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\....\....\Mail\Local Folder\.... in order to "Import" the entire structure.
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steviex
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Re: Importing From Netscape 7.2--Email folders and Address books

Post by steviex »

Basically, Thunderbird detects your old Netscape Profile, and Imports information across....

The Wizard will start when you run Thunderbird for the first time.

As Thunderbird uses the same Format for mail as Netscape 7.2 , it can shuffle it over to your new profile without breaking into a sweat.

See the article I mentioned, for more information...

Knowledge Base wrote:Migrate automatically when launching Thunderbird for the first time

When you install and launch Thunderbird for the very first time, the Import Wizard will ask if you want to import settings and mail from various mail clients, including Mozilla and Netscape. If you select one of these, it will automatically import your entire profile so that it is ready to use when Thunderbird starts up.

At present, this option is only available the very first time you launch Thunderbird on your computer. If you choose not to import anything via the Import Wizard at this point, Thunderbird will automatically create a blank, default profile for you, and once you have at least one profile, Thunderbird will no longer prompt you at start up if you want to import mail and settings from another mail client.

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -Albert Einstein

Please DO NOT PM me for support... Lets keep it on the board, so we can all learn.
jpustai
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Re: Importing From Netscape 7.2--Email folders and Address books

Post by jpustai »

steviex wrote:Basically, Thunderbird detects your old Netscape Profile, and Imports information across....

The Wizard will start when you run Thunderbird for the first time.

As Thunderbird uses the same Format for mail as Netscape 7.2 , it can shuffle it over to your new profile without breaking into a sweat.

See the article I mentioned, for more information...

Knowledge Base wrote:Migrate automatically when launching Thunderbird for the first time

When you install and launch Thunderbird for the very first time, the Import Wizard will ask if you want to import settings and mail from various mail clients, including Mozilla and Netscape. If you select one of these, it will automatically import your entire profile so that it is ready to use when Thunderbird starts up.

At present, this option is only available the very first time you launch Thunderbird on your computer. If you choose not to import anything via the Import Wizard at this point, Thunderbird will automatically create a blank, default profile for you, and once you have at least one profile, Thunderbird will no longer prompt you at start up if you want to import mail and settings from another mail client.



THANK YOU. I did read the EXCELLENT article to which you linked...indicating how to "Import" those files if I do NOT do it when I launch Thunderbird.

Here is an even tougher problem. The Hard Disk Drive (HDD) on which exists my Netscape 7.2 profile (with emails/address books, etc.) is NOT located on the usual main hard drive. I had to remove that hard drive because of problems. I even have to try to re-cover those Netscape 7.2 profiles. SO, IFF I do recover those files...and they are on an EXTERNAL Hard drive, does Thunderbird ask me for the "Folder location" of the Netscape Profile which Thunderbird will move from Netscape 7.2 into Thunderbird--and will I be able to "point" to the external hard drive "Windows\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\John\....." profile for tranfer of the profile??
I did not see in the webpage linked above the "specific folder" to which to point for Thunderbird to migrate. MANY, MANY THANKS!!!!
rsx11m
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Re: Importing From Netscape 7.2-Email folders and Address books

Post by rsx11m »

If you have a backup copy of the Netscape profile on your external hard drive, the easiest would be to move it back to its original location and then start Thunderbird with its profile (re)moved to force the Import Wizard to start up again. As far as I know, the wizard only looks at the default locations for any profiles that can be imported.
jpustai
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Re: Importing From Netscape 7.2-Email folders and Address books

Post by jpustai »

rsx11m wrote:If you have a backup copy of the Netscape profile on your external hard drive, the easiest would be to move it back to its original location and then start Thunderbird with its profile (re)moved to force the Import Wizard to start up again. As far as I know, the wizard only looks at the default locations for any profiles that can be imported.


THANK YOU!!! Will do. Hopefully, I can "recover partitions, folders files and move those files badk on the now-existing hard drive.

****Not a Mozilla question....but....ny suggestions for freeware software to use for recovering partitions, folders, files from partially formatted hard disk drives?)
rsx11m
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Re: Importing From Netscape 7.2-Email folders and Address books

Post by rsx11m »

You are welcome. I can't answer your second question, put you could post it in the MozillaZine Tech forum.
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steviex
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Re: Importing From Netscape 7.2--Email folders and Address books

Post by steviex »

^^ I find this useful to repair partitions..... http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page

It's a bootable Linux Kernel, on a Live CD, with some Disc repair utilities.....

(As it IS it's own OS, it does not care what OS you normally use)
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -Albert Einstein

Please DO NOT PM me for support... Lets keep it on the board, so we can all learn.
jpustai
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Re: Importing From Netscape 7.2--Email folders and Address books

Post by jpustai »

steviex wrote:^^ I find this useful to repair partitions..... http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page

It's a bootable Linux Kernel, on a Live CD, with some Disc repair utilities.....

(As it IS it's own OS, it does not care what OS you normally use)


Different dumb question: I just tried to post a "New Topic"....and my "Username" and "Email Address" was not accepted. Nor was my password. Not sure what happened. What to do now?
Apologies.
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steviex
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Re: Importing From Netscape 7.2--Email folders and Address books

Post by steviex »

What user name were you trying to use ??

Have you registered as a member, or are you posting as a Guest ??
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -Albert Einstein

Please DO NOT PM me for support... Lets keep it on the board, so we can all learn.
jpustai
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Re: Importing From Netscape 7.2--Email folders and Address books

Post by jpustai »

steviex wrote:What user name were you trying to use ??

Have you registered as a member, or are you posting as a Guest ??


Trying to use "username" of "jpustai". If this posts, then I am OK. Possible that "password" should be deleted...and I will re-register?
jpustai
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Re: Importing From Netscape 7.2--Email folders and Address books

Post by jpustai »

BACKGROUND: Because of hard drive problems, I have to re-build my computer system as follows:
---Re-install Netscape 7.2 and existing Netscape 7.2 profile folder,
---Install Thunderbird
---Have Thunderbird copy that Netscape profile automatically to Thunderbird during the initial Thunderbird install.
However, on the re-install of Netscape, I do NOT want to use the following normal “profile” path:
C: Windows\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\”User Name”\Profile file name\…….
For security purposes and so that I don’t lose the information again in the future, I want to set up the Netscape profile in a “Secondary Slave Drive” with some given path such as:
D: Mozilla\Profiles\”User Name”\Profile file name\…….

QUESTIONS:
1. When I initially install Thunderbird and indicate to Thunderbird that I want to copy my entire Netscape 7..2 profile of all mail, address books, settings, etc., etc., will the Thunderbird software AUTOMATICALLY find the profile information on the “Secondary Slave Drive D:”?
2. Or, if the profile is NOT FOUND, is there a dialogue box that will ask me to point to the path of the Netscape 7.2 profile?
3. In Netscape 7.2, individual mail folders had extensions such as *.msf, *.mab, *.rdf, *.slf, etc. which allowed me to easily able to move these files from computer to computer, etc. Does Thunderbird have a similar structure so that each Mail Folder that I create will have a separate file name?
4. In general, is the Profile file structure and folder names and extensions of Thunderbird similar, or even exactly the same, as Netscape 7.2?
Thank you.
japattks
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Re: Importing From Netscape 7.2--Email folders and Address books

Post by japattks »

steviex wrote:Basically, Thunderbird detects your old Netscape Profile, and Imports information across....
As Thunderbird uses the same Format for mail as Netscape 7.2 , it can shuffle it over to your new profile without breaking into a sweat.


I was browsing the Forum looking for some answers and your comment above seemed so close.

I have my Netscape 7.2 settings and folders all located in an easy directory to backup. It is called C:\eMail\Joseph\ and it has all the usual Netscape data files here (I think: histroy.dat, cookies.txt, *.mab etc) and Mail, News, chrome and Cache sub-dirs. Normally I just point to this folder in my Mail and Newsgroup Account settings dialog box.

I copied this directory over to my new notebook computer and installed Thunderbird (thinking now is the time to make the switch over), but I need to figure out how to do the migration. It does not see a Netscape installation on the new computer so it does not offer to import from Netscape. Also, I would like it to use the files where they are. I don't like having all my important data stored deep down in Microsoft land so I don't even know where it is.

So, my questions are:

1. if Thunderbird uses the same file format for mail folders as NS 7.2, how do I get it to use my existing mail folders?
2. will it leave them where they are and just start using this folder or will it copy them over to somewhere else?
3. how about the other mail settings, I don't mind setting these up from scratch, but can I have them located in my
easy to backup location?

Thanks for your help.

Joseph
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