Topic: Thunderbird question

[daveeb]

One for Simon maybe  Is there a way to import old thunderbird e-mail messages into a fresh Thunderbird install (i've had to set up XP twice on different drives in 3 weeks due to dodgy Maxtor drives)....anyhow it's easy to import OE stuff but no obvious way of getting my more recent Tbird e-mails on.  I'm guessing there will be an add on that does this but I don't really fancy it after trying the FEBE add-on to organise backing up everything. It just didn't work properly.  I suppose I could copy the old e-mail files (.MSF files) to the existing mail directory but i'm concerned that might shaft the existing setup.  Any thoughts 

[daveeb]

I've answered my own question by overwriting the new folders (from TB install today) with the old files....worked fine 

[Simon]

That's exactly the way to do it, Dave. 

[daveeb]

The only problem is that i have 2 other smallish backups of (unique) thunderbird email. I don't know of a way to merge them with the rest. obviously if try the method above the files will overwrite.  Its the only advantage I can see with OE which will happily merge multiple e-mail backups into a new account.  It's not important just frustrating. 

[Simon]

A rather clumsy way might be to create a new account in Thunderbird, copy the back up emails into it, then resend them to the account you want them in. 

[daveeb]

Cheers for the idea Simon. In the end my solution was to find a program that can browse OE and TB e-mail formats (mail navigator) and its free as well  Also saves the e-mail application having to open hundreds of e-mails every time its accessed.