How to move e-mails from inbox to a local folder without network acces ?
Hi,
Here is the things. I had an email account (IMAP server). All my emails are downloaded in the Inbox folder. Now, the account has been deleted on the server side, but my emails are still in the inbox folder in Thunderbird.
I'm trying to move them from the inbox folder to a local folder (so I can then delete the account in Thunderbird). Problem is, Thunderbird does not actually move them form a folder to another. It try to re-download them from the server (which, of course fail).
Is there any ways I can move my messages to a local folder ?
Thanks
Chosen solution
re :All my emails are downloaded in the Inbox folder. To stop the imap account from trying to access the server, go into 'Offline' mode. 'File' > 'Offline' > 'Work Offline' It might ask if you want to synch folders - say no. If you can read the Inbox emails in 'Offline' mode then you have a copy stored in Thunderbird. So you should be able to copy them into 'Local Folders' mail account.
Whilst in 'offline' mode: Create suitable folder in 'Local folders'. Highlight a few emails in imap 'Inbox' folder. right click on highlighted emails and choose 'Copy to' : and select suitable folder in Local Folders mail account. check you can still read emails. If all ok, then copy the rest of the emails; suggest you do it in batches. Also suggest you create several folders in 'Local Folders' mail account, so that not all emails are stored in a text single file in profile. Less risky if you store them in several folders.
re :trying to move them from the inbox folder to a local folder....It try to re-download them from the server
Are you certain that you have downloaded the full email and not just the headers?
In addition to checking for ability to read emails in offline mode, you could check to see what is in your 'profile name' folders. Make hidden files and folders visible:
In Thunderbird
- 'Help' > 'Troubleshooting Information'
- click on 'Open folder' button
a new window opens showing the contents of your 'profile name' folder.
- click on 'ImapMail' folder
- click on the imap mail account name folder
If a full copy of emails were downloaded and stored in Thunderbird, you will see: mbox files and index files for each folder you have in that account in the Thunderbird Folder pane. Emails are stored in mbox text files; mbox files do not have any extension. They will have the same name as the folder you see the Thunderbird Folder Pane. You should also see an indexing file, it will have a .msf extension. If you also see *.sbd folder(s), this means that the folder in the Folder Pane has subfolders.; *.sbd folder may contain mbox and index files.
What do you see?
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Chosen Solution
re :All my emails are downloaded in the Inbox folder. To stop the imap account from trying to access the server, go into 'Offline' mode. 'File' > 'Offline' > 'Work Offline' It might ask if you want to synch folders - say no. If you can read the Inbox emails in 'Offline' mode then you have a copy stored in Thunderbird. So you should be able to copy them into 'Local Folders' mail account.
Whilst in 'offline' mode: Create suitable folder in 'Local folders'. Highlight a few emails in imap 'Inbox' folder. right click on highlighted emails and choose 'Copy to' : and select suitable folder in Local Folders mail account. check you can still read emails. If all ok, then copy the rest of the emails; suggest you do it in batches. Also suggest you create several folders in 'Local Folders' mail account, so that not all emails are stored in a text single file in profile. Less risky if you store them in several folders.
re :trying to move them from the inbox folder to a local folder....It try to re-download them from the server
Are you certain that you have downloaded the full email and not just the headers?
In addition to checking for ability to read emails in offline mode, you could check to see what is in your 'profile name' folders. Make hidden files and folders visible:
In Thunderbird
- 'Help' > 'Troubleshooting Information'
- click on 'Open folder' button
a new window opens showing the contents of your 'profile name' folder.
- click on 'ImapMail' folder
- click on the imap mail account name folder
If a full copy of emails were downloaded and stored in Thunderbird, you will see: mbox files and index files for each folder you have in that account in the Thunderbird Folder pane. Emails are stored in mbox text files; mbox files do not have any extension. They will have the same name as the folder you see the Thunderbird Folder Pane. You should also see an indexing file, it will have a .msf extension. If you also see *.sbd folder(s), this means that the folder in the Folder Pane has subfolders.; *.sbd folder may contain mbox and index files.
What do you see?
Yes, the messages were fully downloaded. Once in offline mode it worked like a charm. Thank you so much.
Good to hear all is ok.
I moved some very important messages from a local folder to Inbox, but when I tried to move them back, they disappeared completely.
I went through the 'Troubleshooting Information' process and I find a folder INBOX which is 628 kB, but I don't know how to open it.